and we're off-- well, almost

Our big trip to visit dear daughter Nell in Prague is coming up at the end of the week.  We're driving to Seattle on Friday, catching a flight to NYC at oh-dark-thirty on Saturday morning, and then eventually we will end up in Prague mid-morning on Sunday.  I am so so so excited.  The last time we went to Europe, Nell was 13.  I was so happy that I started crying when we got off the plane in London.  I think I need more of a life. 

I've spent the better part of the day today making reservations.  I've always enjoyed making travel plans (that is the polite way of saying that I completely and utterly obsess about it, beyond any kind of reasonable.  I have a stack of at least eight guide books.)  I'm pretty good at it—we've had some great trips over the years.  But booking stuff for Europe is different.  It is stressful.  The fine print is different over there.  Not to mention that it is often in German.  I'm a little freaked out.  In the last two hours, I've spent quite a bit of money making reservations for hotels, trains, in-Europe flights and a rental car.  I hadn't planned on getting a rental car, but I really really want to go to the Cotswolds, and I just couldn't get us there on the day we wanted to go using public transportation.  Or at least, not without convoluted contortions.

So who knows if I'll be able to sleep tonight.  This will probably be my last post before we leave, and I'll be gone three weeks-- Prague, Munich, Berlin, London, the Cotswolds, Dublin and then back to London to fly home.  So, 'bye, you guys!!  I may be able to post from an internet café along the way, but I'm not sure.  There will definitely be pictures when we get back.