Aruba...

Is beautiful, but really, I think I am more excited about the trip we planned today.

Yes, we were in the bar in Aruba, on the phone with a wonderful man.

I will be in Jost Van Dyke for New Years Eve. On a private boat, with plenty of my favorite people.

In the words of Jane "Lisa, you better not screw this up."

I did not burn like everyone else today.

I stayed under my hut until the sun got low, then I got some. Just enough that I can do it all again tomorrow.

Almost finished with my book. I'm sure I have more to say, and I will do that later.

Love from Aruba,

Lisa

If I could ever offer any piece of travel advice it would be this-

Pretend your luggage won't get there.

Also face the fact that, you won't either in the time you thought you would.
I spent two hours Friday trying to help a friend get from DC to New Orleans.
Then, quite obviously, when he got there, his luggage arrived before him, and was locked away.

Always, always, always carry on at least-

-Toothbrush & toothpaste (in your ziplock it's a liquid)
-Clean underwear
-Clean shirt
Depending on the climate-
-Clean Pants/shorts


Technically, if you get there without luggage, you can sleep naked, so that's all good. When you get to the point that you haven't slept in 36 hours, you have a new appreciation for a toothbrush and clean drawers.

Also, since you're carrying on a bag now. Do yourself a favor and throw in a granola bar, some peanut butter crackers, and maybe some goldfish. When the unexpected layover happens late, there is no food. Goldfish are also great to bribe the small child seated behind you so they don't kick your seat.

Unless of course, you're the carry on pro like myself. Then you take it all, except your liquids, which you ship domestically. Internationally you must do the small bag puzzle and figure out which you love more, your eye cream or mascara.

I'm not in Europe anymore...

But I did make it to Naples Florida. Barely.

We left Hampstead at 2:45am Wednesday morning.

At about 3:45ish, we are almost to Newton Grove, and a tire blows.

Newton Grove is the best place to get a flat tire. There was a Highway Patrol Man, A Sheriff, and a Newton Grove cop. It took only 20 minutes to change the tire. It would have been less, but we had trouble getting the tire out from under the truck.

So, we get to the airport later than we wanted. Went through security. Dad forgot to take his liquids out. They took his Proactive and hair gel, and through it away. Ok fine. We get on the plane. Finally get to Naples.

Walk in to the rental car place, they ask for Dad's drivers license. He dropped it somewhere between RDU-ATL-and Naples. Great.

The rest of the trip, has gone pretty well. We've had a blast. Met some great new people. Poor Dad.

Happy Birthday Mom!

If anyone can promise me that I can get home, or come pick me up in Chicago that would be great.

I am supposed to fly on a MD80 from Chicago. Yes, the plane that they have grounded thousands of this week.

AA says you can switch without penalty, which means I would need to leave ASAP, but, I can't do that!

So, I'm trying to figure it out.

Hopefully, I will be home tonight.

Bon Anniversair a Ma Mere.

En Paris

This is quite possibly my last blog entry before I fly back across the pond Friday.

We're in Paris! (After a LONG train ride here yetserday).

We have a nice hostel, but the bunk beds shake whenever anyone moves. That's a story for another time.

Tomorrow, we move to a hotel, and have dinner and a sleep over with Soph.

Today, we went to the Musee D'Orsey. I saw lots of paintings by lots of famous people. We had lunch at the restaurant there.

Can't wait to get home Friday.

Still in Switzerland!

It snowed six inches last night.

I have pictures from my window from first thing this morning. I felt like I was ten and they cancled school or something. It was beautiful.

Michelle and I are about to go to the train station to get our reservations for our train to Paris tomorrow (more like three trains to Paris tomorrow). We´re also going to see about taking a gondola to "The top of Europe"!

I will come back here for my birthday to ski one year, be it the next one, or a few years from now. I´m not keen on renting clothing. I don`t want to wear someone elses goggles or ski mask. So, I plan on being back here in January. Lift tickets are insanely cheap. I look at how much Colorado costs, and this is comparable, even if you count the plane ticket.

75 on Saturday at Topsail. CANT WAIT!

Happy Monday everyone!

So we are in Switzerland!

It is SNOWING!

It is also the last major ski day of the year, thus I am not skiing.

Tooo many people!

Michelle is better.

I should have listened to Dad and brought a hat and gloves, the headband doesnt cut it in 2 inches an hour snow. (Yes Dad, write it down, I said it).

Off to eat cheap hamburgers (6SFs, which is less than 6 dollars!)

Also, when we walked in "Have you heard about the lonesome loser" was on. I love Europe. It is like one big collection of Now CDs and totally 80s weekend.

Michelle is still sick.

We're pretty sure she got food poisioning from a spinich sandwich in Florence.

She did ok yesterday, but last night and this morning have been pretty rotten for her.

Switzerland is absolutely breathtaking!

I just got a chocolate bar for .50 (thats in Swiss Francs, which are acutally less than the dollar!) and bought Michelle some yogurt.

I've thought about skiing, but I hate skiing alone. I fear I will break something and no one will ever know.

They have a place here that does Zorbing (You know, those big balls on the toyota commercial, where they're rolling down a hill). I have a feeling Michelle won't be up for that.

We're going to spend an extra day here since Michelle is sick, that will cut in to Paris time, which is fine. I need to find somewhere to do laundry. Here they'll do it for you for 12 SFs but, I need my clothes sooner than tomorrow morning!

Yesterdays train ride was uneventfull. I took a Phenagrin since I would be riding backwards(Michelle couldn't), so I was knocked out for most of it.

Did you know, in Europe, they still dump waste from the trains on the track? It is so gross. You go to the bathroom, you can see the ground moving beneath you. Someone tole me the US stopped doing that in the 70s. I have no proof for that though.

I bought my first souvinere for someone else today... I got Dad a package of Tempos at the grocery store! Haha.

I posted a few pictures...

On facebook, because that was the easiest way to do it.

So, if you have an account, check them out.

We're headed to Switzerland tomorrow. I may have to invest in another pair of fur boots, seeing as mine are chilling at Topsail.

We had a ball last night for Bailey's birthday. We ate at a very authentic restaurant. Off the beaten path. It was great.

I'm excited about getting to see Soph on the 10th.

I am really excited about getting home on the 11th.

Don't kid yourself, I'm having a ball, but I really miss my bed and I am about tired of baguettes. Finding out that Miss Annette (Kip's wife) isn't doing well at all really brought down my spirits. I feel like I need to be sitting on my barstool with the people I love.

Instead, I am here eating lots of carbs and drinking too much wine.

I am so excited about Switzerland though. Everyone has said "It is SO expensive." They have their own money, way to go Switzerland. In other news, the dollar went up a little. Really, I haven't spent as much as I thought I would, which is a great thing.

I have had no more McDonalds. I feel like all we do sometimes is eat. It seems like the entire trip is based around locating another meal, and a bathroom. Meals are way easier to locate.

I just thought of Jessie, and I cannot wait to drop lines in the water when I get home!! (Anyone up for a fishing trip April 13th?)

Room lockout is in six minutes, seeing as I haven't showered and Michelle is asleep, they will have a difficult time getting us out to clean! (Room lockout is the dumbest thing ever, they want everyone out between 11 and 2:30 so they can clean the bathrooms, rooms, and lobbies). I would go do laundry, but I can't figure out what to wear if I do laundry.

Michelle wants me to stay another week so we can get a house, somewhere, I don't know exactly. I told her I had to be home for Mom's birthday, and, really, I want to see if Bryce gets married as planned.

Happy Birthday Bailey!!

He is the entire reason we are here. May God rest his sweet soul.

People in Italy look at you like you are crazy when you're wearing flip flops. They will stare at your feet. Also, most public restrooms don't have toilet seats, or toilet paper, but in Italy, they have been free!

There are a few things I was told to bring, that I didn't, because I thought I knew better. Things I should have brought, but I'm stubborn-
-A Wine tool *because wine comes with corks*
-A book light *Why would I need a book light, I don't read before bed, I watch TV... Oh wait, there is no TV. You also don't want to wake up the world when you go to the bathroom in the dark*

Something I'm glad I brought, my own pillow case and top sheet. Even when the pillow sucks, it has my pillow case on it! Also, a wash cloth, so far places have had towels sometimes, but never a wash cloth. When you wake up and have to leave, and your bar soap is still damp, you just wrap it in your cloth and pull it out at the next place. My bag always smells Zestfully clean.

Another irksome thing... When you hand someone a 50, it's like handing someone a 100 in the US. They HATE it. I even tried to use a 20 earlier to pay for something 3.50, the guy said "Come on, I know you have coins" I did, I just didn't feel like counting them!

Did we April fool you?

We got Soph. A few of Michs co workers, and I had Craig for a few seconds. Mich changed her Facebook to say she was married, and now a member of the EU, which many of her previous co workers believed. Sophie (until she reads this) was told that we ran in to Mr. Clark, our high school Civics teacher in our hostel. I called Craig and asked if he was in lab and if he could look up something for me. He said *Sure, what?* I said *Annulments in Italy* to which he replied, "Interesting, do I dare ask?" (I just found the question mark, which I am quite excited about!) Then I said "April fools!" He didn't think it was that funny, of course if someone called me from Europe while I was at work, I think I would be ticked too.

SO, where we've been- We got in to La Spezia and there was a regional train strike. So, we had to sit there for three hours. The first hour not knowing why they kept cancling our train. Then we met some people from Seattle who explained it to us. So, the strike ended at 9pm. While waiting for that to roll around, we had to eat at McDonalds *again* I have eaten more Micky D's in the past week than I have in the past three months, it's cheap, and fast. I have also drank more water than I usually do. Back to the train story. So, we get on the train at 9. Get to Riomaggori at 9:30. We get to our hostel at 10ish. They closed at 4:30, mind you it is Sunday night. So, we call both numbers, no one answers. So here we stand on the street in Riomaggori (not scary, would be like standing on the street in Topsail Beach, but with a mountain). At which point this woman from Sascatchawan (sp?) comes out of a restaurant and tells ut that they're staying in this great hotel up the mountain, for cheap. Funny thing is, she miss understood 80 and 18, but it's fine. This is what travel insurance is for. So we get to the top of this mountain, with Nola, her husband (I believe he was Bob), her son, and his friend Tim. Tim speaks Italian. They call the hotel keeper, and someone comes to check us in. Well, instead of servng breakfast in the AM, they have everything you could ever want in your room for breakfast, and it is included! Michelle and I went crazy eating cookies in Nutella, drinking milk, eating apple sauce and yogurt. Then we had nice showers, watched some CNN and went to bed.

The next day, we took the train to the highest point in Cinque de Terre so we could hike the trail. When we got home that night, we found out we hiked the hardest trail from the toughest direction. Yesterday, we hiked two more (very flat ones compared to this first one, the first one is one of those trails that the wrong move could have been tragic). Then we got on the train to Florence. Arrived at our hostel, went to dinner, then went to The Fish Pub for drinks. Had a ball. The music was all 1999-2007. I laughed so hard.

We have a computer in our room here, so hopefully I will write more later, and upload some pictures. Google Cinque De Terre. It was BEAUTIFUL!

I am Medditeranian burned now

but unlike the old women, thankfully I did not take off my top, so part of me is unburned.

Nice is as Michelle says ''Nice''

I went grocery shopping today and to the ,all to buy another shirt or two and some more undies.

We ate at the cutest restaurant last night. It was quite reasonable.

When we returned, there was lots of police tape one block down. Come to find out a girl jumped out the window of her university, she was 20. Glad we missed it.

Taking the train to Italy tomorrow!!

Avignon, Arles, Marsaille, and a real Chich Kabob

No idea if I spelled any of that right.

Last night, we ate at one of the down town places in Marsaille, I had a real Chich kabob. That means, a baguette with a ton of meat and fries, all on the baguette. I am going to turn in to a baguette. They're so good though. Cheap!

Avignon was beautiful, a huge church and castle over looking the Rhone.

Arles is the home of Vincent Van Gough, and I saw the cafe from "Cafe in the Night"

My brain is now thinking in French and English, so it makes it hard to write and speak either.

I dislike this paying to go to the bathroom thing. I had to pay ,50 at the train station earlier just to potty. It's not like that in the hostel. It is one thing that America gets right, free use of toilets.

This morning before going on our train trips, Mich and I went to the fresh market. Most of our trips go like this. Michelle misreads the maps, she is leading, we get lost, I have to ask for directions. Yes, it thrills me. At the market we got lots of fruit, and bread at the Patesserie (bakery basically). We've muched on that most of the day. While in Arles we ate Crepes.

On the train to Arles, we met these guys from there, who were trying their english and asked if we listened to "funk" but, they said it like "fuuuneek" I said you mean "funk." He said "NO NOT THAT!" Which, is what he meant. He thought I said the other f word, it was very funny. Then a guy asked us Obama or Hillary, of course Michelle had to tell them I voted for Bush. Thanks Mich. Thanks. Then when they were talking, it was half French and half english, but I kept forgetting to translate for Mich. Then I wondered why she would look at me so funny.

I must head out to switch rooms. It's a long story that involves and Asian and a phone call to America.

Well, I must get off the computer from 1998. I type faster than it thinks!

In three minutes flat I will tell you about my day..

My internet time is about to expire!

We took a train from Barcelona to Marsaille, google map it, it is quite a long way!

I think it was my first serious train ride, other than Tweetsie, but how serious is that. I was told in Montpillier that I spoke better French than he did english. Which, felt good seeing as I haven't used my French in years. Michelle is going to strangle me before the week is over.

The hostel here is hot. Soph compared Marsaille to Durham, which, as far as I can tell is close. I'll let you know more on that later.

Michelle is napping...

We went to Gaudi Park today.

I am pretty sure it is where we get the word "gaudi"

He was an artist that used lots of mosaic.

I have pictures, none of which I am going to upload here!

We leave for Marsaille tomorrow morning at 8.30.

I wish you could see this keyboard, I am struggling, note the period in 8.30. The at symbol is so bad I'm not even going to prove I can't use it.

I had a baguette with a pepperonish meat on it earlier, it was very thin. I'm hungry again, which is good, because it is time for Tapas.

Funny story from earlier, I was looking at these girls and how rediculous they were dressed. Then I heard one of them say "We're from Chicago." I wanted to shoot them.

This money belt is for the birds too. It is always stuck to you, and when it isn't, it is in your pillow case! I had a dream last night that I called Maurice and Zac and told them that they needed to send me a new bed. The ones in the hostel are just very firm cheap foam. I slept though!

I'm going to go drink some more coffee!! Adios!

I´m here!

After not sleeping for 30 hours, I slept for 14.

On my last flight, they took out the exit door in front of me to repair it. That makes you feel really good.

When I get a chance I will write about the cluster that was the Madrid airport (moral of the story, get all your boarding passes at first).

I had great wine last night. Great coffee this morning, and we´re about to go do whatever Michelle has planned.

The weather is beautiful today, about 60 and sunny.

There is a girl staying here from ECU and a guy from NCSU. Small world. We leave tomorrow to go to Marsaille.

So, I leave tomorrow...

I've sent my out of office e-mail.

All my clothes are laid out.

I just need to put some medications in some bags, and I think I'll have it all together.

The nerves have been getting to me in the past few days. I've been eating less, and having a hard time going to sleep at night because I'm excited!

I got my e-mail from Michelle earlier, if something happens with my flight, we'll meet in Madrid instead of Barcelona. Actually, she and I are supposed to be leaving Madrid at about the same time!

I'm very excited, but this is so far outside my box it isn't even funny. That's good. You learn more about yourself that way. I think it all sunk in when I stepped off the boat earlier. The idea that I will not be on or near a boat for quite sometime is different to me. (Except Monaco, that is the boat country).

So, remember me in your prayers, and hold it down here in the States. Sign up for my feed so when I update you'll know!

Because I keep forgetting where I will be when...

Barcelona- 24th-26th

Mersielle- 26th-28th

Niece- 28th- 30th

Cinque De Terre- 30th- 1st

Florence- 1-4th

Switzerland- 4th-8th (I think, I don't know, Mich doesn't tell me things).

Paris/France again- 8th-11th

I'm excited!

Screw it... I'm wearing flops and Reeboks...

I have these Reeboks, but in white and in lighter blue. I will be wearing them in the lighter blue. Today, I got an email from Michelle that said she is wearing sneakers, flops, and ballet flats.

Problem solved.

I also found my money belt and ordered my two 2GB cards.

My back pack came in today. Along with my very light, yet absorbent towel.

Tomorrow, I will go to Target to get Mich the things she wanted, and buy another pair of pants.

I'm SO excited! It is now hard to sleep at night.

Food. Food. Food.

Sunday is one of my favorite food holidays. I also happen to be leaving after that. At which point I cannot wait to get to Spain and EAT!

I don't really consider myself a foodie, but, I like to eat. Granted, I don't eat a ton, because I'm not very big. I just looked up some info on Spanish food. They like fat. I'm excited. Pork, lamb, rabbit... They eat at different times too. Lunch is 2-4 dinner isn't until 9pm.

I CAN'T WAIT!

I'm not ready!

I just ordered my backpack, and it will be sent overnight. I should see it Tuesday.

I also got my quick dry light towel.

I bought my shoes the other day. They are not going to work. I don't wear real shoes ever. I wear Rainbows, Sperry's, or Sam & Libby ballet flats. If I'm running, I wear running shoes. If I'm in Disney World, I wear running shoes. I cannot wear running shoes in Europe. You don't do that. So, I bought some Sketchers heavy soled Mary Jane's. Heavy sole= BS. I don't know that they'll make it through the airport.

So, I will go back and try to get some cuter running shoes, that aren't so running shoe like. I had a woman tell me the other day that "All the kids in Europe wear hiking boots." I don't wear hiking boots. I own a pair of "tree boots" (they have tree print all over them) for hunting. They're hot (uncomfortable, not Paris Hilton). If I wear boots, they are cowboy boots or are covered in rabbit fur. So, this is a problem.

I wonder what shoes Michelle is wearing? She is not a boots person either.

I realize that I intend to wear flip flops, but Switzerland is cold, and I do need something closed toed for that occasion.

Things I still need to do-

-Call the bank, tell them not to stop my card for "unusual activity"
-Find bar laundry soap
-Make copies of all my important documents
-Buy a money belt

Random things I need to pack-
-Magazines for Mich (birthday gift)
-A book for when I can't sleep on the plane
-Lots of meds (Ibuprofen, Allergy, Sleeping, etc).
-Plane headphone jack converter
-Batteries for my camera

Tommy's advice on wine...

One of my parents good friends (the one that named Dad Fred, and introduced him to Mom), is a wine connoisseur who frequents Italy. Mom e-mailed him inquiring as to how I can ship wine home.

He called us with a very Tommy response- "The best way to bring wine home from Italy is to drink it."

I wish he would write a book on travel, he always has great stories!

I'm excited, and nervous

I just got my train ticket. That set me back about $500. Putting my current "I haven't left yet and this trip is costing me..." total to $1,500. That gets me there and gets me around. Wonderful. I did buy some quick dry underwear the other day, and a few other things that I don't recall right now.

I just started thinking about the entire thing. I am a fairly routine person. I get up, go to work, eat lunch, go home, have a beer or two (depending on if I go to the bar, or just home), and go to bed. I live in a small town where people are constantly asking me where my ex boyfriend is who I don't see but maybe twice a month. My life is filled with most of the same wonderful people on a daily to weekly basis. There are currently a few older quite ill people in my life, and honestly, that really scares me. I am really going to miss seeing the people I see everyday. Or the people that I know I can always pick up the phone and call. At the same time, I cannot wait to leave. I cannot wait to set my business e-mail to "out of office response." I cannot wait to not hear Zac call and ask a stupid question at 9am on a Saturday (I realize I work all the time, but people, I don't want calls all the time).

On a daily basis I do not have to ever use another language. I don't wash my clothes every night when I brush my teeth. I'm very routine. Europe will not be remotely routine. I do look forward to the vast kinds of coffee I will consume while I'm gone (when did I become such a coffee drinker?!) and the vast amounts of wine. I was just looking at how much to budget, $50 a day. That's fine and dandy, until you think about how much red wine I plan to ship home. Dad should have never given me his FedEx number!!

I am also stoked about getting to spend time with Michelle! I haven't spent quality time with her (more than a few hours) in years! I hope she won't kill me. We are totally opposite, but it is why I love her so much.

I still don't know what kind of pants to pack. I have pretty much decided I won't take a bra, I'll just wear camisoles the entire time (we'll see if this really works out or not). Good news is, Mich got away with carrying on her backpack at RDU. She wasn't sure it would make it on her British Air flight, but we'll see if it did or not. I'm going to try to upgrade my ticket to business class.

I want to go buy a pair of the spiffy shoes Jane was wearing yesterday. I've got to get on top of the shoe thing this week. I also need to download a French podcast or five to brush up on that.

My point of this blog was- I'm a southern girl who lives in a small town. Granted, I am in charge of some pretty big things at work, but this isn't like me. I am excited to pack my two bags and head out of the country. Then again, I am scared to death! I mean, I meet people in Virginia that love my accent. Can't wait to leave the country.

I'm making my list of who has to have what. Let me know what you expect, I'll let you know if you're getting it or not. Haha. The one thing that I have promised to send home, Timmy wants a t-shirt. He could have asked me to send him a camel and I would have tried to do it. That, and post cards to little kids like Lexi, Graysen, and my little cousins Stewart & Melinda. I will send tons of postcards. I don't think I will get my sister anything for her birthday (March 12th, same day as Mich's). I will send her great stuff from each country instead! My cousin's wife needs to hurry up and have that baby!! So I can run to the mountains and kiss it before I go.

The One Thing I Dreaded the Most...

Was telling Dad.

Everyone told me it would be fine. He would be excited for me. I didn't believe them really. This morning. I finally told him. He wasn't mad at all. He was excited for me. He said "Who is going to do your job?" I said "I've already worked that out." Now, I need to sit down and make a master plan for how things are to get done while I'm gone. 21 days!

I just got my hostel reservations from Mich...

I am stoked. I haven't even looked over them well yet. As I was reading one of them I noticed it said "Across the street from Mac Donald." The other said something along the lines of "Just past KFC." I laughed.

I bought my ticket yesterday...

For Europe. I am VERY excited. I decided to start a separate blog for it so you will know where to find my updates, and while I'm gone/when I get back, my pictures and stories. Michelle started her travel blog when she quit her job. Europe isn't the only interesting place I will travel to this year. I will also be headed to Naples, Florida in May.

The title, "Flip Floppin' Through Europe" comes from me freaking out about what kind of shoes to wear. I have decided, I'm wearing my Rainbows. That is not saying I won't take another pair of something closed toed, but, for all my previous travel adventures (except Vail) I've worn Rainbows. Your feet get really dirty in NYC wearing flops too. I have to thank my favorite travel guide for telling me that is what he wore on the majority of his year long expedition around the world.

I'll be gone almost three weeks.

I am really nervous about my Gatwick layover. It's only an hour, but the RDU > Gatwick flight is usually early. Also, I change in the same terminal (thank goodness). Then, I'm changing planes in Madrid. All the Spanish I know I learned from Sesame Street. Another thing I'm thankful for, Michelle has agreed to meet me at the Barcelona airport, so we can get a cab back to the hostel. She's taking a train there.

I'll let you know what's going on as I figure it out!