On the road: European trip prep!

Now is about the time before any trip that I have a few moments of panic.  Take this morning when I was only half awake.  In my sleepy haze I had a major panic attack.  My passport.  Where was it? Had I lost it?  Had it gotten carried away with something?

I rolled over onto my other side and tried to banish the thought from my mind.  I ran through the worst-case scenarios in my head and realized that I could just wait until the alarm went off because what would five minutes do, really?

And the passport?  Exactly where it was supposed to be.

I've found it's better to let myself have a few freak-out moments before a major trip. There are last-minute trips to Target, re-checking of lists and reservations, and fretting about the idiots that we'll no doubt be seated next to on the plane.

And then, predictably and wonderfully, a fantastic calm settles in the day before a trip.  I can remind myself that I'm not going to Siberia and I will be able to find face wash or spare socks or most anything we need there.  Food, in the very least.

It's always good to take care of the essential things -- paying bills, confirming the petsitter, getting a pedicure -- before leaving.  The travel docs are almost complete and I just need to shove everything into my backpack.

I can't even express how excited I am about this trip.  I've never been to Spain or Portugal, so I am thrilled to drink in everything they have to offer (plus rely on Sergio for his Spanish skills!), both the views, the art, and the people -- not to mention the people!  I'm excited (and a little nervous, considering how out-of-practice my French is) to go back to France, both to walk the streets of Paris again and to soak in Provence, which will be new and hopefully lavender-scented.  And we are flying out of Amsterdam, so I hope to spend our last day in Europe biking around the canals.

Time to go explore again -- I just can't wait!

xoxo
Sarah

Paris, we're coming for you!