...who gave HER a passport?!

I've been on vacation before. I've been to Florida, to Canada (what Metro-Detroiter hasn't?), visited DC, been to the Bahamas with family, even took a few random trips to Boston and Iowa for debate trips-- though, I *was* partially confined to a van with a bunch of high school kids. But this is the first REAL BIG trip across an ocean and where a passport is required. It's just... different, I guess. It's exciting and a little nerve racking to think that in a few short weeks, I will be immersed in cultures and languages I have never experienced. It's even a little overwhelming.

For those lucky few of you that haven't had to listen to me rave about this trip in the last 4 months, I am heading to Europe with Pam, Jason and Justin for 2 weeks in May. We start with a day in Dublin, go for 4 days in London, 4 in Paris, and ending with 4 in Rome. Just *thinking* about all that we want to accomplish while there is exhausting- and we still have 61 days until we leave!

I have been in full-blown preparation mode for this upcoming vacation. No joke. I've been buying travel guides and downloading travel podcasts like they're going out of style. Pam and the boys have been watching Rick Steves' Travel on PBS (I didn't know he was on tv!), and Pam has episodes of it for me to watch if I want (um, YES PLEASE!). I've probably been driving poor Maureen crazy with my questions, as she, well, goes to Europe (France primarily) more than anyone I've ever met. I've been boring my non-traveling friends with my random facts about the countries I am visiting- some of it correct, some of it, I'm sure, lost in translation ("Did you know that you can't give the "thumbs up" to someone in Italy? It's offensive and vulgar-- like flipping someone off!").

So, I decided to start blogging about the trip, my preparations for it, and plan to blog while overseas- assuming I can figure out how to use the keyboards over in France and Italy. I'm not (repeat, NOT) bringing a computer OR my crackberry with me (I can hear you laughing!), but there are business centers and/or a public computer in each of the hotels we are staying in, so I can check my email and do this. Maybe even play on Facebook a little bit. But the computers will definitely NOT be used to check my work email. I've always done that- checked my work email while on vacation. Not this time, jack-o! I need a break. But I digress..

I'm using this blog as an outlet so not *everyone* has to hear about it, but also to solicit ideas. My friends, as you already know, are pretty awesome and worldly- I'm sure most of them have traveled and have very helpful hints. Like, do I fold the clothes in the suitcase, or do I "roll" them to prevent creases? How many climates do I need to prepare for? What sites do I need to see in which cities? And, what's the best way for me to get a bottle of Irish Whiskey home in one piece?

I'm currently working on my "wish list" for London-- of course, it includes Abbey Road and Apple Records :) It has the common items- St. Peter's, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, The Globe Theater (I even got the schedule of shows there-- there are still tickets for A Midsummer's Night Dream, kids!!), Buckingham Palace, a day trip to Bath/Stonehenge, a stop at Pancras Station (hello, Platform 9 3/4!)... but what else? Where do I *need* to go? What do I absolutely need to try/do while over there for 4 short days?