The countdown is on...


Getting super excited about our trip!  Less than two weeks away.  Yesterday I was able to grab some toiletries and packing items.  Still need to grab a few last minute clothes, which will be done this weekend.  And decide what to wear on the plane!  We'll be flying out in the early evening, then when we arrive it'll be early morning in Berlin so we'll have the whole day ahead of us.  So choosing plane attire will also bleed into our first day in Berlin.  So I need to choose appropriately. :)

The photo here is of Prague - one of the stops on our tour.  I have no idea if Prague really looks like this, but I assume we'll see something sort of like this at one point at least!

16 more days! Counting down to our Berlin to Budapest Contiki tour!

16 more days!  THIS month!  The days are going crazy fast and there's still lots to do!  I've got a few more last-minute clothing items and toiletries to pick up.  I still need to grab some jet lag pills for the plane (they are amazing!), and double-check my travel adapters (I haven't used them in ages so I need to make sure they cover everything).  I may pick up another travel adapter just in case.  With two girls traveling together, you can never have enough outlets!

My shoes and day bag arrived last week - very exciting!  I also need to pick up some remaining Euros aaaaand, figure out how we're getting to the airport. :) 

The trip is getting close... ! :D

The crucial stuff: shoes and a day bag for trekking around Europe!

I've stressed about this.  A LOT.  It's important to find the perfect day bag and shoe for Europe.  Here is the advertisement of requirements needed to fill such a role:
SHOES
Must be...
  • Comfortable (huge deal breaker here)
  • Not look ugly
  • Match almost everything I'm going to wear
  • Not give me blisters (refer to point 1, above...)

DAY BAG
Must...
  • Fit my huge Nikon 1 camera with both lenses
  • Hold a sweater if I decide I'm not cold
  • Be able to fit all the crap I buy that I don't want to lug around
  • Zip closed at the top
  • Work as a cross-body bag (for bike tours, etc.)

As you can see, this is a big deal.  Those are big lists!  Added to the fact that I don't care for cross-body bags on me, this made it a tough challenge.  Last night I determinedly marched into the mall with the single thought in mind that: I'm not leaving here without a day bag or shoes.  Tonight's the night!

And voila, I found the two items above at Aldo!  (Which incidentally is the same store I vowed never to buy shoes from again... but I'm desperate.  And they're cute...).   The shoes are super comfy!  And look cute on!  The day bag is amazing because the bottom expands for more room if needed, and the top flap can stand up to hold even more of my crap if I need to really shove it full!  And I can convert the strap into a shoulder strap or cross-body on the fly.  It's amazing.  Oh, and has lots of pockets - the cup holders of day bags!

Aldo store lady was very very nice and patient and offered to order my size shoes and new day bag online and ship to my house for free.  So I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival.

Countdown to our Contiki is 21 days!  Exactly 3 weeks!  Aaaaanndd... I still have stuff left to buy. :P  But, I'm getting very close to being ready!

Getting ready for our Contiki's ...

The tickets are in! We depart in 22 days for our Contiki trips! Berlin to Budapest, then the London Explorer!

The planning and prep has been crazy but we're just about ready! I've picked up some Czech Krona currency for Prague, Hungarian Forint for Budapest, and Pounds Sterling for London! Once I get some Euros we'll be all good on the money side. 

I have a new Samsonite suitcase on spinners (so much better than my old broken one) and almost all the clothes I need. Just need to hunt down some shoes and a day bag! :P