Day: 0

day 010.JPG

Chicago O’Hare International Airport, USA. Feb 28. 2006

Wow, I never thought I’d be this nervous before I left. I have butterflies of anticipation and am starting to feel like a bride on her wedding day getting those last minute jitters. My plane takes off in 2 hours. I was up by 5am to shower and spend some time alone just thinking about the adventure I am about to embark on. I have been so excited about leaving for the last six months and now the day is here, it seems unreal.

I was up early and had breakfast at the Original House of Pancakes (wonderful restaurant and family favorite) with my Grandpa and brother Aaron. We chatted about travel, art (seeing as the are both artists), and a little family history After breakfast Aaron drove me from Orange County to LA and left me at the curb to begin my solo adventure.

Well, to start the day no one at American Airlines was in a good mood an spent the better part of 15 minutes bothering me about my one way ticket and when I was going to leave Switzerland, fortunately for me I bought my $0.01 ticket from Milan to Bratislava for 3 weeks from now and had the reservation printed out. They said they would let me slide and sent me to baggage security check. The only good thing that came out of check-in was that they didn’t charge me the $80 fee for bringing my snowboard like their website said they would. Two points for Rob!

Rest of the day was spent on a plane from LA to Chicago reading Wicked and listening to some Johnny Cash on my Ipod. A quick hour long layover and I was on a plane from Chicago to Dublin, where I should arrive at 9am tomorrow to grab a quick Guinness and my connection to Switzerland. Should be sitting in the Alps by sunset tomorrow.

day 013.JPG

Sunrise just east of Ireland, 6am March 1st, 2006