Following Your Dream

Well, I leave tomorrow! WHAT? I cannot believe I have waited for this day, longed for this day for so long, in dreaming and in actuality-and it is actually finally here!

I can confidently say that I have dreamed about the day of setting foot in Europe more so than my own wedding day. I have really only given minimal thought to the aspects of my wedding day, but Europe....I have dreamed about this for as long as I can remember.

Which reminds me of a scene from one of my favorite movies of all time, Tangled, that really hit home with me. It is when the two main characters, Rapunzel and Flynn are sitting in the boat waiting for the moment when she finally attains her lifelong dream of seeing the lanterns that are lit for the princess (her) every year.

Flynn Rider: You OK?
Rapunzel: I'm terrified.
Flynn Rider: ...Why?
Rapunzel: I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?
 Flynn Rider: It will be.
Rapunzel: And what if it is? What do I do then?
Flynn Rider: Well,that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream.
Here is a lovely video of it, on youtube:

This scene PERFECTLY describes everything that is racing through my head. I mean, this is my DREAM.  My life long dream.....I can completely relate with her fear of, what if its not everything she dreamed it would be? And, what if it is? Then what?.... I guess I can say I am blessed enough to be reaching one of my dreams at the age of 22 (and I'll be turning 23 in Paris!) and I can pick a new dream from there...probably something more to do with travelling the world!

I am so excited . Of course a volcano has decided to erupt today next to the Airport I am scheduled to connect in 6 am Tuesday, and the airport is closed until tomorrow noon. So, fun. Hopefully that won't be our first disaster. Luckily though (thank all my guardian angels) that I am flying with a couple others in the tour scheduled to leave from NY. I don't know what I would do if my flight was cancelled and I had to rebook for another time...or wait in the airport for a whole day like some stories you hear on TV. Ah!

Anyway, All stress aside, lets focus on the POSITIVES! 

1) I will get to see a VOLCANO on my trip from the air! WOOT! 


No really though In all seriousness- Hopefully I will be able to blog every night-providing that my hotel I'm in has wifi. If it doesn't, then, no blog for you. My goal is to blog every night even if its just to touch in, announce I'm alive, post a picture and a little blurb. BUT, do expect and prepare (get some popcorn maybe?) for some really long blog entries. One of my flaws is that I can talk  type and talk type and talk  type forever and forget that my blog entry is astronomically long and painful to read. So I will TRY to find a happy balance of not too long but long enough to adequately describe my experiences :-)

If you would like to know where I'll be at and what I'm doing each day just in case I won't be able to blog every night, here is my itinerary:

Day one (5/23): 830 pm flight. Yay day one!
Day two: arrival in Amsterdam, hotel by 3pm. Dinner scheduled tentatively at their version of the Hard Rock Cafe. After that, relax hotel time/free time in Amsterdam/walking tour.
Day three: Sightseeing tour of Amsterdam.

•  Anne Frank House
• Dam Square
• Amstel River
• Rembrandtplein

Day Four: Biking the dutch countryside!!!! WOOT!  2 1/2 hour Bike ride! OMFG! :D
Day Five: Transferring over to Heidelberg, Germany's oldest college town.

• Heidelberg's Palace
• Neckar Valley
• Marktplatz (where witches were burned at the stake back in the day....)
• Heidelberg Castle Wine Barrel

Day Six: Transfer to Munich, walking tour of Munich.

• Frauenkirche
• Marienplatz
• Hofbräuhaus (Germany's most famous beer hall)

Day Seven: Travelling to Venice, stopping midway in Innsbruck for a small tour.
Free time in Venice at night.
Day Eight: Touring through Venice

• St. Mark's Square
• Grand Canal
• Doges' Palace

Free time in Venice at night
Day Nine: Traveling to Switzerland, while stopping in Verona for a couple hours.  Arrive in Lucerne at night.
Day Ten: Tour of Lucerne!

• Löwendenkmal
• Kapellbrücke

Day Eleven: Travelling via train from Zurich, to Paris.  Arrive in Paris at night.
In Paris:

• Latin Quarter
• Notre Dame Cathedral
• Evening Seine Cruise (woot!)
• Climbing the Eiffel Tower at night

Day Twelve: Walking tour of Paris, mostly just free time.
Day Thirteen: Eurostar train to London!!!!! OMG!!

• Walking Tour of London
• Haunted Pub ghost walk- So excited for this.

Day Fourteen: Double Decker bus tour in London all day. Free time in london at night.
Day Fifteen: Last Day, flying home :-(


I AM SO EXCITED!!!! TOMORROW!!!  <3 my NEXT blog entry will be live from Amsterdam (probably). Unless I'm drastically bored in the airport and something strikes me as interesting enough to write about.

< 3 Wish me luck, see you when I get back!


~ A Writer in a Nurse's Body

LOVE