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Day One, 3-22, Saturday
Woke up at 3:30 am to the radio and Hubby Bee’s phone alarm. We couldn’t trust the iHome today. We had breakfast at home and headed to the airport at 4:50am. Early, Early. But, I think there were at least 4 flights leaving Bozeman this morning. It was so crazy! We got in line behind a familz with 4 children and 8 bags. Nuts. Oh well. We ran upstairs to security to beat the crowd. Totally uneventful. Besides the guy in front of me who apparently stuffed the entire hotel mini-bar in his suitcase, and as the TSA lady-agent began to pull out the bottles one-by-one for the whole security line to see, tried to explain that he “forgot” they were in there. How one forgets about 6 bottles of Jack Daniels, I’ll never know. Bozeman, a small town airport? Don’t try telling the TSA that!
Currently, We’re over the clouds, looking at my personal in-seat screen, where it says I’m somewhere over Gypsum Hills and I’m thinking, where the HELL is that? Turns out, Oklahoma. People around me? Family of 4 plus one (grandma); cute, but are totally going to miss their connecting flight. Family of 3? Behind. Sweating about missing their flight. They’re on some other international flight that leaves 20 min. before our. And older guy, across aisle, who is CONSTANTLY blocking traffic. Meanwhile, Brother Bee’s watching Wedding Crashers on his iPod eating the entire bag of Goldfish because neither one of us is going to pay $5 for a snack box. Christ, we just paid $200 for 116 Euros. Ouch.
As promised, Airplane Blues. Wow, I’m a huge whiner. It’s more that I’m a travel worry-wart. Seriously, ask my mom. When I was little and we used to fly, I used to freak out that we were going to miss our flight, so much so that I got the jitters. Or, when we were driving across country, which we did a lot, I would be the first one up in the morning. If my parents said, we’re leaving by 4:30am, BY GOD and my watch, we were going to be pulling out of the driveway by 4:25am. And I drove my parents nuts. I worry.
Sooooo…I booked our plane tickets in July on Orbitz.com, which I trust. But since then, I’ve gotten 6 e-mails stating that they have changed either the arrival time or the departure time of one of our connection flights. Now, since we live in Nowhereville, USA in the realm of flying anywhere, you have to pond hop to get to your destination meaning we’re going to be visiting 5 airports in one round-trip flight to Amsterdam and back. Not the worst case, but still 5 airports!! I’m freakin’ out man! The sheer numbers of times they have changed our flight times makes me worry because not only are our layovers decreasing in time, but how will then know for sure that we’re on the right plane, etc? This whole thing is reminding me of my jittery days. No to mention the fact that sometimes now they split up the plane with different carriers. So, they’ll have Delta and United on one flight, and whoever doesn’t own the plane, if the plane is too heavy (which happens more than you’d think) THEY’RE bags get thrown off. I can’t even begin to imagine what would happen if I tried to track my bag down in Amsterdam. Crap. What doesn’t worry me? The train ride from Amsterdam to Hamburg. Figure that one out. But I digress…
One thing I did learn while searching the customs sites (to make sure I don’t take contraband into Europe) is that you can’t take counterfeit items into Netherlands. So that fake Louis Vitton bag you have will be confiscated upon arrival. Interesting…
Ok, stop me if I sound like a whiner. Which I probably am. But, for the past month I have been contemplating my suitcase situation. I bought an awesome, huge square suitcase that I was super excited to have because Brother Bee and I can put both of our stuff in there and call it good. Then I had buyer’s remorse. Should I really take a backpack? Of course I would look more like I was roughing it. However, I’m more of a traditionalist. This is where my Tourist vs. Traveler comes into play. I would love to take a backpack, but then my clothes would get wrinkly, my back would get sore, my treasures could get hurt, blah, blah, blah. So I’ve resorted to this big pack. THEN, I got sharer’s remorse. I don’t want to share my bag with Brother Bee. BUT if I don’t, then we have two bags, and he won’t help me carry it, blah, blah, blah. So, back to the old plan. We’ll both take this one ginormous suitcase and share the load (think Lord of the Rings and Samwise) …SHARE the LOAD… Now on to my Airplane Blues…but that’s a whole other story. Let’s just say, more terrifying that not knowing German (did I forget to mention that?) is the fact that there’s a HIGH possibility my bag will get lost.
They say that safety is all in the eye of the beholder. And that safety comes from how safe YOU ARE. However, I can’t shake the feeling that having a safe bag will help a lot. So, I set out to find a bag that will save me from pickpockets, thiefs, creepy European men, and myself, hopefully. Yes, if the bag is secure enough, even I won’t spend as much money. Wait a second.
So, I found this bag at Schnee’s Boots and Shoes Downtown: the SHERPANI Trevina Urban Bag in Midnight Blue. It’s great! Expensive, but great. It will not only fit all my travel things (guide book, water bottle, camera, sunscreen, lip balm, wallet, treasures, etc.) But the secure snaps on the front will hopefully stall any sticky fingers long enough for me to get away. I know, I know, if a person is determined enough, they’ll get into my bag. Whatever! I have a $60 bag and I’m not afraid to use it! This definitely beats the heavy, back-poking backpack I carried around Japan for two weeks.
And Mommypie was right, a shoe store IS the best place to find a good quality travel bag. They have a great assortment of travel bags.
Safety is in the eye of the holder of a SHERPANI bag.
One might ask, “Why are a sister and a brother taking a foreign trip?” Might seem odd, might not. But this is how it got started.
In the fall of 2000 the Queen Bee met German Bee. She was an exchange student from Hamburg, Germany. These two bees became very good friends over the year. As German Bee was preparing to leave in the spring, they made a pact: German Bee said to Queen Bee, “When you get married to Hubby Bee (boyfriend bee at the time) I will come and be a bridesmaid.” Of course these were the dreams and goals of two high school girls who just wanted a reason to see each other again.
Fast foward to Summer 2005, Hubby Bee proposes to Queen Bee. (trying not to be too romantic here) Queen Bee calls German Bee. YES! She’s coming and she’s a bridesmaid. Guilt sets in. Now Queen Bee must go see German Bee IN Germany! Something that I’ve been longing to do for a long time. Both of my parents have been to Germany, and I long to go! So, plans started. Who better to go with than your Brother Bee?
So, we’re leaving! March 22nd we fly to Amsterdam. Brother Bee is making this is Senior Trip/Senior Present and Queen Bee gets to go to Germany to see her friend again.
And that’s the short and sweet history of the Germany Trip. 13 days.
Queen Bee and Brother Bee are about to embark on their adventure! Check back for more information.
We bees have begun packing. We have two weeks! Brother Bee and I are getting very excited. However, it’s always very nerve racking trying to pack for a trip in spring, to a place you’ve never been. What do I take? Will I need 6 sweaters (probably not)? Will I need 5 pairs of shoes (probably?!?)? And though all of these questions are incredibly relative to the situation…the most important question I still have to answer is:
Will I be a traveler or a tourist? Yes, there is a difference. Tourists are the people that walk around, looking uncomfortable in clothes they call “vacation clothes,” meanwhile blinding everyone by their obnoxious hibiscus flowers. More over, they are trying to balance their umbrella, map, guidebook, camera and god knows what else in their two sweaty palms. BUT, regardless of all of this, the number one, numero uno, way to spot a TOURIST is their luggage. These folks insisted on taking the train to see fun and backpacky, but they have the LARGEST, HEAVIEST piece of luggage you have ever seen in your life! No, I definitely don’t want to be a tourist. However, I do need to spend more time thinking about this. A savy traveler takes only what they know they will need; only the essentials. So, what is an essential? I already have a huge suitcase…not a backpack. But brother bee and I are going to pack together. To answer the essential question, i went to the world travel gurus~Lonely Planet. Who knows better travel than them and Rick Steves? No one. However, this is what I found: The Ultimate Travel Checklist. Wowza, I had no idea that traveling light meant THAT. Have a look for yourself and then see what you think.
I better get packing.
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