Day 1 - Travel/Wassenaar

Well, I did talk about my travels and how I got to the Netherlands! After my friend came and picked me up, she took me back to her house, and then went back to school. I showered and napped a bit off and on, but tried to stay awake, so I could sleep that night. When my friend and her kids got home, we went for a walk around their town, Wassenaar. They showed me where the store was, and we had Subway for dinner. Yup, my first meal in the Netherlands is Subway =] But it was good. After that we walked down the Langstraat, which is where there is a lot of shops and such. Everything was closed then though because it was later at night. We then walked to the store to get ice cream, and then it was home again, home again, jiggity jig! I don't have any pictures yet of Wassenaar, but I'll get some, don't worry =]

The end of Day 1.

In the Houston Airport (my layover)

Dinner on the airplane. It was actually pretty good!

View of the Netherlands from the sky!

On the train from the airport to Leiden

Cool church between the airport and Leiden

These are the trains I take between Amsterdam and Leiden

Leiden Centraal Station

Leids University

Leids University

I made it!

Well, I made it to Leiden, Netherlands! My flights were all really great, especially the one from Houston to the Netherlands, because the plane was only half full, so I had a row to myself =] And the food was actually pretty good! Surprising! I had a bit of trouble finding the right train to take, since the train just stops at Leiden, but its final destination was elsewhere, but I made it on, and off, at the right place =] So now I sit and wait for my friend to come pick me up! So neat!!! I have already taken pictures and will post them later tonight =]]

In the Airport!!

I made it to the airport! Only probably an hour more till I board =]] I can't wait! I haven't been on an airplane in almost 2 years! Thats super crazy, after having been on an airplane almost every month for 2 years. I know, crazy. But I'm really excited! I can't wait to get to Amsterdam! Now that I'm actually at the airport, I'm not as nervous, which is good =]

T-24 hours!!!

I'm down to the home stretch!! Less than 24 hours now! I can't believe its really here! I'm packed (though I think I might take a duffle bag instead of the backpack that I currently have everything packed in...) and I've pretty much got everything else packed! I'm actually getting a bit nervous, but I'm not sure why. I know what I have to do, but I think its just never having been there that worries me a bit, because when I would fly back and forth to China by myself I didn't have any problems. This is going to be the greatest 5 weeks of my life! (or at least, up until this point =] )

Wow (in many respects)

Wow #1: Its May. What does that mean? It means that in 16 days I will be getting on an airplane on my way to Amsterdam!!! I can't believe the month of travel is actually here!! Its absolutely fantastic!! Ryan finally (or hopefully =] ) finally booked his hotels tonight. Cutting it close, I know =] Now all he needs to do is book bus tickets to Belgium and we'll be ready to go!!! I can't wait! Its really happening!!!

Wow #2: Osama bin Laden is dead. Now, I'm not into the politics, and I was only in the 6th grade when September 11th happened, but I do remember it, and I obviously know that bin Laden was the leader of al Qaeda and organized the terror attacks. It is absolutely incredible to me that this has happened. So much in the US has changed because of what happened on 9/11, especially including air travel (of which I will have to go through all the crap that has happened because of 9/11 in just 16 days). Its just incredible. This is a day that will never be forgotten.

Obama killed Osama.

3 weeks!!

So I'm a day early...I can't wait!! Things are coming along swimmingly =] I'm pretty much ready to go, except for packing. Ryan still has to get some bus passes and hotels, but hopefully he'll get that done this week =] My parents are getting our hotels booked for the rest of the trip as well as getting the car rental all arranged. I have some free time this week and then next week I'm nannying, and then I'll be down to my last week! I can't wait!

As for the Africa giveaway trip I had mentioned, turns out that the foundations and individual that were hosting it missed a few steps that would get them in trouble with the IRS and therefore had to cancel the giveaway and refunded us our money =[ I'm super bummed because that would have been an incredible trip to win =[ Someday though, I will go to Africa as well!!

One Month!!!

Well I am down to the wire (sort of =] )! Saturday marked one month till I leave! This last week flew by because it was the last week of classes for the semester, and so now I just have to get through finals this week and I'll be in the home stretch!! So this week, T-4 weeks, is deemed finals week, next week, T-3 weeks, is free week (though I have an online class I have to work on!), T-2 weeks is nanny week (I'm nannying all week so the parents of the kids I nanny for can get a vacation before I go on vacation =]) then I have T-1 week where final preparations occur, and then its here!!! Can't wait!!

Today is also my friend Ryan's (he is going with me =] ) birthday!! Happy 22nd Birthday Ryan!! We will celebrate when we get to Amsterdam =]

I'm trying to not think about going this week, as I need to study, but as you can tell, that isn't really happening, as I'm blogging instead =]

Also kind of neat to think about is I have a 1/100 (or possibly greater!) chance at getting to go on an all expense paid trip to Africa this summer as well! It would be a humanitarian trip, but that would be absolutely incredible if I won. I'm not holding out any hope, but I'll find out next Monday if a miracle happens and I win =] Who knows, this blog might go from Blogging in Europe to Blogging in Africa =] Wouldn't that be neat!

And I know these posts are boring without any pictures, but I have no pictures to post yet, seeing as where I live is so much more boring compared to where I am going =]