So here it is...

Hello family and friends!

Instead of a large mass email, I've decided to post my adventures here. So when I find some time and an Internet connection, you can read all about my adventures.

Some background info

(If you care...)

When I was in grade 8 I had the opportunity to go on a school trip to Japan or to Florida. It turns out that I didn't go on either trip, but that was when I made my decision to go to Europe after I graduated from university. Since Dad always talked about how important it was to graduate from university debt free, this was also when I made that decision. So here I am, just over 9 years later, graduating from university debt free and off on a 6 week trip to Europe. (Thanks Mom & Dad for all of your help making both of these dreams a reality!)

Proposed Itinerary

I leave Calgary at 6:40 pm on April 30th and after a layovers in London and Amsterdam, I'll arrive 19 hours later in Berlin. (May 1 @ 9:40 pm their time.) Carla will meet me at the airport and then take the next couple of days to show me around the city. (My chemistry teacher from high school, Gabrielle, originally had me contact Carla's Dad. He then gave me Carla's address, and now I get to meet the person I've been contacting since the fall!)

After Berlin I don't have a specific itinerary, so here's the general gist of my trip:

• Austria
• Hungary?
• Italy
• Switzerland (Say hi to Josh at the farm?)
• Liechtenstein (Just so I can say I've been there!)
• Luxembourg
• Belgium
• Netherlands

Once I get to the Netherlands, I'll be visiting some family in the Utrecht area. I am looking forward to meeting Ans (Oma's sister-in-law), Wim (Oma's brother), and both of their families. What's really cool is that I get to be there for Wim's 76th birthday! (Please pray that I'll be able to sort out the details of this lag of the trip while I'm over there!)

So there you go. It will just be me, my train passes and my walking shoes! I wanted to hit so many countries, but 6 weeks just isn't enough time! I'll definitely have to head back some time to visit Denmark, Sweden, Ukraine and the Czech Republic. If anyone is going to these countries over Christmas, or summer break in the next couple of years ... count me in!

~Andrea~