The start of a funny joke

Tonight I met a butcher, cabinet maker, and a chipper (construction) guy at a place that sells only Heineken. I had my top bunk mate with me. Tomorrow is the bus trip. Wee!

SFO, AMS, MAD

I got to the airport three hours early and tickets and security took two and a half hours. Grump. No time to down load any movies. Or time to call my bank or credit card. Nuts.

SFO -> AMS on KLM

Watched:
Finding Bigfoot
Albert Nobbs
Hugo
The Simpsons (laughed out loud several times, many dirty looks)
BBC Special In The Human Body

Ate:
Almonds
Cokeo
Veg dinner option of pasta, crab salad (?), cheese/crackers, roll, carrot cake
Red wine
Tea
Chocolate ice cream (!)
Breakfast of eggs, potatoes, corn bread thing, strawberry yogurt with granola, fresh fruit, roll.  Surprisingly the best meal
More tea

Notes:
I was handed a WARM wet wipe to clean my hands. Heaven. And a note to the semi-cute Italian guy on my left… geez, give up the arm rest for a bit! Also the alcohol flows freely on this plane! Got wine with dinner. Offered cognac post- dinner. All no extra cost. Not a bad flight besides my inability to sleeping on planes. I just get too excited!

Seven hour layover in Amsterdam

Now hell did this happen? I could have sworn that it was only an hour, two hours max, of a layover.  I can't get on an earlier flight because of my checked bag. So here are some of my thoughts on the  Schiphol airport. Why is there perfume being sold EVERYWHERE??!? No, i do not want Sabarro for dinner. Who designed an airport that has no way for a very tired person to rest their head to get some shut-eye? I tried in a chair with my head tilted down. Nope. I tried sitting at a high boy table where you access Internet from and placing my head on the table and my feet dangling. Nope, the risk of falling off the chair was too great. I almost let go of all my dignity and curled up on the cruel, hard ground but I didn't even want to imagine the embarrassment of waking up with tile marks on my cheek. So now I've resulted to the shark method: don't stop moving or you'll die. 

Update! I found a place to sleep. A wide cushioned seat about 3 feet by 2 feet. Best part? I over slept. Seriously. I was one of those fools running to catch her flight after the longest layover in the history of layovers. 

AMS -> MAD

This flight I'm next to a nun and a guy who took my window seat. I don't want to fight him for it. But this nuns long flowing sleeve is super itchy on my arm, I don't know how she deals.

Then I slept. Drank some tea. Slept some more. I'm super tired.

Next stop.... Customs!

The next 49 hours

I leave for Spain in 13 hours. I have spent every moment I have had since coming home from my high school reunion cleaning, packing, trying not to stress.

This trip, unlike last year, is much less stressful. Probably because I have not planned out as much but also because I feel like it happened so darn fast. I almost forgot to pack my camera. Lemme go do that now. .... Packed.

I land around 7pm on Thursday and knowing myself I probably won't sleep on the plane so I can just crash when I get to my hostel. Im not totally sure what metro i need to get on when I land but I'm sure I can figure it out.

Wish me luck. Wish Ness happiness because goodness knows I'm not her favorite human for leaving AGAIN. Wish me a fast flight. I'll miss you all while I'm gone but I'll be blogging more than usual because I bought myself an iPad. Squee! So indulgent.

Next time you hear from me I'll be sweating in Madrid!

Hola Espana

I leave in 16 days.  I better get my act together.

Hostel rooms book.  Rental car almost booked.  I should learn some Spanish.

This is happening fast

Well my ticket is purchased.  I'll be gone in Spain from June 27th - July 18th.  Zowie. 
My bus ticket is purchased.  I'll be hanging with lots of young Auzzie's and Kiwi's. 
My pack is purchased.  I'll be sporting a lovely 52 liter multi-day pack.

I think I have someone to stay at my place while I'm gone. 

What am I missing?  Mostly just money.  I have to be more careful before I leave.

Currently Leslie and her manfriend, TomTom, are in Spain having an awesome time.  Occasionally we're online at the same time and I can hear about her adventures.  So far I hear that Barcelona is beautiful and the jamon is plentiful. 

On top of my exciting Spain plans I also have a three days trip to San Diego for my 10-year high school reunion.  I don't know where I'm staying or much else but the plane tickets, reunion ticket, and car rental are all purchased.

I haven't even to fully begun to think about the Downing-Pixler wedding I have in the beginning of September coupled with the various parties that go along with the wedding.






So much to plan.  So much to stress and lose sleep over (in a good way!).  I'll keep you all posted. 

What do I look forward to do in Spain?  Reenacting scenes from "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown."  

Let the debt begin

I just booked my one week bus trip for Spain. Next on my t0-do list? Get airfare that is reasonably priced.

I think I caught the travel bug

I want to go. Again. This summer. I'm thinking this:

It's a 7 day trip with Busabout, a tour company I learned about last time I traveled. It caters towards a younger crowd, gives you a walking tour each city and plenty of freetime. If things went the way I want them to go I'd meet up with friends afterwards for a road trip in the Northern part of Spain.

Problems with this plan? I have no money. I'm scraping by as is. But this is why someone invented credit cards, right? This trip wouldn't cost as much as the last trip. I'm sure I could find someone to take care of Ness for two-ish weeks. Work doesn't need me during the summertime. The later I stay up tonight during a Spring Break where I don't get any time off I am talking myself into this more and more. I've already started selling some things on Craigslist. I could combine a 10-year high school reunion with a two week mini-Europe trip. What better way to show off what an awesome life I have to old friends who have several kids and are still stuck in Encinitas?

Looks like I'll be eating pasta for the next two months to keep down costs. How can I say no to images like these?