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!