Almost there!

I am sitting on the deck at my cabin as I type this, sipping on a pina colada in 30+ degree heat and I am sun burnt from the day before. Summer has officially begun!

I managed to finish off school without too much trouble and get everything moved up to Regina. Can I mention that I hate moving? Sadly, I might have to do it again in a year's time. Needless to say I will be thinking long and hard about any future purchases, the less to move the better!

The reunion went well, the highlight for me was getting a birdie on hole #8 yesterday in the tournament. I drove the green then in with one putt! Tomorrow I head back to Regina to re-pack my back pack and tie up a few remaining loose ends.

I packed my back pack this weekend as a mini-experiment. It is quite heavy but once I have it strapped on nice and close to my spine, it isn't that heavy at all. I did the two flights of stairs in my cabin with no troubles at all (I know, I know, that's nothing compared to what I will do in Europe but still). I have a few changes to make... things to remove and things to add but overall I think I did a good job. Besides, if I really need it, I can suck it up and buy it right?

I'm not sure how we're going to fit five people and five mondo back packs in my car for the trip to Calgary but we'll make it work because we have to. I can't wait to show the crew around this part of Saskatchewan!

On Friday we'll head to Calgary. Deanna and I will stay at her brother's place. I hear it is Stampede weekend so I'm sure we'll find something to do there :) Our flight leaves approximately 8pm on Saturday July 5th and goes straight to Glasgow!!!

5 more sleeps :)

Italia = Costoso!!!

So I'm adding on to my itinerary here:

Aug 4-9 = Vienna, Austria (My B-day = 08-08-08!!!)
Aug 10-12 = Venice, Italy

At this point, Roy is going to visit his friend at his cabin and will meet us back in Milan around Aug 17. I hope to visit Rome and Florence during that time and eat lots of pasta!!!

BUT MAN IS ITALY EXPENSIVE! I forgot... our hostel in Venice is ridiculous; double any other place!

T-25 Days!

The countdown is on and has been on for some time. Less than a month to get ready for Europe!
During this time I am trying to finish off the school year (marking and making exams), pack up my classroom/home and move up to Regina! We leave the evening of July 5th from Calgary to Glasgow and I return to Calgary from Paris the afternoon of August 30th.

I couldn't ask for a better summer. I will be spending July long weekend at the cabin attending a family reunion. On July 3, Roy, Deanna, Derek and Ben will arrive to spend a night at the cabin (possibly hot tubbing and wii since Derek and Sofi will be out as well) then its off to Calgary where Edith, Donny, Tyson (Roy's cousin) and friend will join us to visit friends before taking off on a trip of a life-time! I return on Labour Day weekend and finish the summer off as it began, at the cabin. University starts for me on September 2nd. I am really not leaving any time to breathe!

Our itinerary (so far) is as follows (all hostels and transportation booked):

July 6-7 - Glasgow, Scotland
July 8-10 - Dublin, Ireland
July 11-13 - London, England
July 14-15 - Antwerpen, Belgium (staying with Roy's gf Hanne)
July 16-18 - Amsterdam, Holland
July 19 - Overnight Bus
July 20 - 22 - Copenhagen, Denmark
July 24-26 - Stolkholm, Sweden
July 28-31 - Tallin, Estonia
August 1-3 - Riga, Latvia
August 4 - Vienna

After this, the plan is to hit various places in Italy, Spain and France however it is sounding like the group may split off and do their own thing.

Perhaps I will meet up with Jeffrey Greening at one point. He is a colleague of mine here at Redvers school and has travelled Europe many times.

Places I hope to include: Venice, Florence (been before), Milan, Rome (been before) Nice (been before), Versailles, Paris(been before), and Barecelona... after that I don't really care. It might be nice to take it a little bit slower...