Euro Trip - THE SEQUEL

I can't believe I'm headed back! One incredible year ago, I was on the flight back from Heathrow, growing teary eyed as I watched a God-awful movie set in Ireland (called "Leap Year" -- and it will only make you cry when seen on a jet lagged cross Atlantic flight). I was leaving Europe, and yet felt there was so much left to be explored, hiked, and eaten.

I am shocked to be so fortunate that I am heading back again!

Blog Post Number One (I'm sure Edinburgh will lead to more exciting posts, but this is what we get for now!):
1) Everything feels very surreal! However, that may be effects of a 3:00a wakeup, 10 hour layover, and careful rationing of my cashews, grapes, and peanut butter pita. 2) I'll be spending 24 hours in air port land! Frequent flyer miles hell yeah! My morning began with a two hour flight from Seattle to Phoenix, AZ, where I was seated next to a very nice nun named Sister Susan. I felt a bit nervous about the flight at first, as she was so scared of flying, and tearily ran through her rosary as we took off (me: "It'll be ok, it's a very good airline!" Sister Susan: *terrified smile*). Later in the flight she helped me figure out how to open our baggies of Cinnamon Pretzels and Bagel Chips.

3) Phoenix airport has great sunshine, friendly information specialists (who told me where the Wifi was, yay!), and AIR CONDITIONING. In the five minutes I spent outside grabbing the bus to the right terminal, I almost requested a wheel chair for the journey (as my dad suggested) because such heat could be deadly to my sensitive, Northwest composition. :) I almost caught a cactus in the background of my photo!!

4) I cleverly arrived forty five minutes early for the British Airways counter to open for check in. No one else showed up until two minutes prior to check in -- crazy, last minute travelers!! I wasn't completely lonely, however -- nice British Air employees came by a couple of times to let me know they didn't open until 2:30p (but, oh, I knew).

5) Thank you for all the support in getting me off so far, and the phone calls that have eaten away my time in Phoenix! I will post a quickie when I get in to Edinburgh (there is wifi in my apartment!), and hopefully will soon have many kilt and theater fueled adventures to write about. :)

6) Miss you already!