Trip A: City Two, Day Two

Introduction:

    Day Two in Paris is where things get really interesting! We are going up the Eiffel Tower, baby! This was probably my first item to ever be on my bucket list as a three year old. I wanted nothing more that to see the Eiffel Tower. 

Morning:

    It is going to be an early morning in Paris as we have timed entrance tickets! Breakfast in France is usually nothing more than a croissant and espresso (I do not drink coffee... so I, of course, get a cold Coca-Cola). Directly from breakfast, we go to the Eiffel Tower. I love watching cities in the morning and what better way to do so in Paris than from atop its most iconic structure. Reserving tickets to summit the Eiffel Tower is easy to do, I would just make sure to do it a few months before your trip. The cost is around $40 to use the elevator to the top (you won't see me taking that many stairs willingly). Seeing Paris from event the second floor of the Eiffel Tower is amazing, however, from the top is magical and majestic. I think back to when it was the tallest human-made structure and folks would climb to the top for the view... they were on top of the world. 

View from under the Eiffel Tower.

Looking down the River Seine from the top of the Eiffel Tower. 

View looking up the Seine from the Eiffel Tower. 

Afternoon:

    The jet lag has set in folks. we are exhausted. and I am very pro-naps on my trips. It keeps me going so I can have more time to enjoy. While I might run from one train to another, I always need my nap! Today is no different and I highly suggest after spending the morning atop the Eiffel Tower to take a nice nap. 

Evening:

    Dinner time in Paris means you are trying to find what you want to eat and quickly, especially after that nap! For dinner tonight, I chose a place with some casual French food as well as some international favorites. To Brasserie Dubillot we go! It is just a short metro ride from the hotel and is absolutely amazing. I ordered the steak with Bearnaise sauce and fries

with a strawberry lemonade type drink. It was delicious and I highly recommend. Do not ask for ketchup for your fries. 

Steak with Bearnaise sauce and frites. 

Paris Pro-Tip: 

    Menus in France (and a lot of Europe) have different labels than what we see in the United States. Appetizers might be called "starters" or "aperos" and are usually meant to share with the table. Entrees are usually more of the one person's appetizers, might be a soup, a small salad, or oysters. Plates are what we would call mains or entrees in the US. And dessert is dessert. 

    For dessert, I ordered a lemon tart which seems to be a seasonal item as it is not on their current menu. It was all delicious and I highly recommend going here for a meal. 

Dessert options my friends and I chose, I only remember mine was the one on the bottom left. 

While this meal was not a cheaper option, it was about what you would pay at a steakhouse or mid-level restaurant in the states, somewhere around $35.

Check out the Menu: 

https://lanouvellegarde.com/en/brasserie-dubillot/

Night:

    Paris at night is fabulous. It is known as the city of lights for a reason. I loved walking to the 'Palais de Chaillot" or the 'Trocadero' for the great views here of the Eiffel Tower. It is a free photo spot full of tourists and folks selling knick-knacks. Hold tight onto your phone and your bags here as it is a known pickpocket area. With the Eiffel Tower lit and every hour on the hour until midnight, the lights sparkle. While Paris is not my favorite city in Europe, this is my favorite thing to do while I am there. 

Picture of me on the Trocadero in front of the Eiffel Tower. 

We have one full day left in Paris and lots more to see! In the next post we will talk about the Louvre, Notre Dame, Luxembourg Gardens, and more! 

   

Trip A: City Two, Day One

 Introduction:

     Let me first say Paris was always a city I wanted to visit growing up... I mean Tommy Pickles and the gang had a blast, so of course, I would! However, after visiting it 22 years later, I am not a HUGE fan. It very well may be my least favorite city in Europe. Paris is expensive and depending on the airport you fly in or out of, hard to navigate. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS check which airport you are flying in or out before you book the plane ticket. Flying into Charles de Gaulle or ORLY are not the end of the world, but using the Paris-Beauvais airport is a sure fire way to make your trip start off or end in an odd scramble. While not the end of the world, you will have to ride a bus from the weirdest station I have ever experienced for over an hour to the airport... pay the extra money and fly into Charles de Gaulle. 

Flying from Madrid to Paris:

    Unlike in the United States, flights within continental Europe are not overly expensive. In fact a flight from Madrid to Paris is only $62. (It would be even cheaper if you didn't have luggage or was flying into Orly or Beauvais!) The best part of this flight is it is only 2 hours long!

Getting from the Airport to the Hotel:

    Just like Madrid, Paris is well connected by a metro system and for around $12 USD, you can ride the train from the airport to the hotel. 

Accommodation:

    Staying in Paris is not cheap, there are hotels and hostels that will be much cheaper than the option I am going to talk about. I am an All-Accor member which gives special rates for the Ibis brand of hotels, my preferred hotel chain in Europe. My recommendation is to stay within walking distance to the Eiffel Tower which keeps you close to public transportation and not relatively hard to find anything you may need. The Ibis Paris Eiffel Cambronne 15th meets these requirements, plus you will have a view of the Eiffel Tower from your window! A double room with a view of the Eiffel Tower is $236 per night, for a total of 3 nights, is $708 USD. And personally, as someone who has been to Paris already, I would probably stay somewhere further out of the tourist area closer to Place de Bastille in the 11th Arrondissement. You can easily find a cheaper accommodation there and still be really well connected to the public transportation system. I found a hotel with a shared bathroom for $90 per night in just a simply search. which cuts the cost almost in half if necessary!

View from the Ibis Paris Eiffel Combronne 15th 

The Language Barrier:

    While English is widely spoken in most of Europe, Parisians tend to be taken as rude to Americans specifically. However, this was not my experience at all. I was visiting in March 2022, France had just opened its borders post COVID-19 and I think folks were excited to see tourists again. This also meant, I was traveling to Paris for a much cheaper price than what I have listed here. I think the room with the view of the Eiffel Tower was only $85 a night back then. My best advice when traveling to any non-English speaking country is to learn some basic phrases: Hello, Thank you, Where is the bathroom?, Please" and my favorite French term, "Je ne parle pas Français" meaning, I do not speak French.

The Food: 

    The French are known for their cuisine, however, I do not have the budget for a $500 meal, so I am looking at small places with a good price point and might have one mid-point meal on the trip. For my first meal in Paris, I highly recommend going to a little bakery or grocery store and getting a baguette, some French cheese, and prosciutto and going to the Champ de Mars right under the Eiffel Tower and just have a little picnic. It is inexpensive, you can people watch, get some great pictures for the 'Gram and people watch.

My first night in Paris... after an 8 hour flight and a 4 hour layover in Portugal.

Day One Activity: 

    While I have said "Paris is an expensive city" there are plenty of things to do for free. Walking around the city is an amazing thing to do, there are little boutiques you can browse, maybe a bookstore or two, and the architecture. The buildings in Europe all have a charm about them, probably because they are so much older than many buildings we have in the United States. Just looking at the intricate designs in the marble and limestone is amazing. 

Square Franck Bauer in Paris.

Trip A: City One, Day Three

 Introduction:

    My general rule of thumb is to take 3-4 days to explore a city unless you genuinely want to immerse yourself into the city and stay for a month or two. Three to four days lets you see the highlights because you can always return! 

Morning:

    Madrid in the morning is something spectacular, when I lived there, I would get up around 5:30 in the morning and just people watch. I would watch the deliveries to the shops, the garbage trucks wind through the narrow streets, the older couples go out for their morning cups of coffee, and the hustle and bustle of the folks heading to work. While this is a favorite pastime for me, it is not for everyone and while I am on vacation, I am not one to get up that early! 

Porras and Churros with a piping cup of hot chocolate.

    So we are getting churros and porras at a decent hour instead! We are heading back toward Sol to go to a churro spot that opened in 1894. The Chocolateria San Gines is a chocolate and churro lovers DREAM! For about $7USD, you can have 6 churros, 2 porras, and the cup of HOT chocolate delivered to your table. 

    Churros are different in Spain than those you get at your local Mexican place as they are not filled with caramel or have the same cinnamon and sugar on the outside. These are simply fried dough that are beyond delicious. Porras are a more doughy version and about twice the size. And while I am not a chocolate lover, this chocolate is something to experience! 

Afternoon:

    For the afternoon, I suggest a day trip out of the city by train. Atocha station is super close to El Retiro and just a short metro ride away from our station of Estrecho. We are heading to the town of Segovia. Segovia is known for its beautiful castle, a Roman aqueduct, and roasted suckling pig. I am sad to say if you are a solo traveler, you cannot order the pig as it "too much" for one person and you will not want to waste it!

    Segovia is a short train from Madrid and costs just $21USD! Once you arrive in the Segovia station, you can buy a bus ticket to the city center for a small price (genuinely cannot remember the price and did not write it down!) It takes about 10 minutes and you are dropped off right next to the old Roman Aqueduct.

    When I arrived to Segovia, I was starving... probably because I almost missed my train and had to run down a platform to get on. And Luckily, there is plenty of delicious food to partake in Segovia! My favorite being scallops and more papas bravas. 

Fresh Scallops in Segovia

Chicharrones are also popular in Segovia, personally not a huge fan!

Papas Bravas (peep my cold coke with lemon!)

  And about a 15 minute walk to the main attraction in Segovia, The Alcázar de Segovia. There are Ubers and busses in Segovia that will take you to the castle as well, but I travel cheap and think I am a marathon runner. The Alcázar de Segovia is one of the most well known medieval castles in the world. It has been here since the 1100s, which is a huge feat! For you Disney fans, this castle was Walt Disney's inspiration for the castle in Disneyland California. For around $11 USD, you can explore the castle, the museum, and the tower which gives you stunning views of the surrounding valley. 

View from atop the tower.

    I am going to say something controversial, once you have seen one castle and one cathedral in Europe, you have seen them all. And while I have visited so many across the continent, I am not always sure they are worth it-- this being said, I loved my time in the Alcázar. 

    Segovia is also home to an old Roman aqueduct, which I nerd out over! When you are dropped off, it is the first thing you see. It is a huge engineering master piece. As an ancient world history teacher, I nerd out over it all. There is also a bronze statue of Romulus and Remus, the fathers of Rome. Aqueducts, of course, helped the Romans transport water across great distances without the need for any pump or electricity. 

Just me and the aqueduct. 

Evening:

    Once we return to Madrid, there is one more thing everyone should check off their bucket list, visiting the San Miguel Market (Mercado San Miguel). And while there is a ton of tourist traps located in the market, there are also some great bites. Some of my favorites are fried calamari and barbecue pork buns. You can easily make an entire meal here with just small bites. I also love to watch the professionally trained jamon iberico butchers cut perfect slices of the best ham ever onto plates for folks. I personally do not buy mine here as it is outrageously overpriced and the local supermarket has just as good quality for a fraction of the cost.

What's Next:

    For the next leg of our journey, we are going to go to a much faster paced city, one filled with baguettes, escargot, and frites. We are heading to Paris, folks! 

Trip A: City One, Day Two

 

Introduction:

    Day Two is where I start to really feel the jet lag and would like to sleep in, but we have things to do and a siesta can be had later!  Day Two is also when I usually love to traverse the city the most! Today, we will visit Retiro Park, the National Cathedral, the Cibeles, and the Royal Palace. All while eating more delicious food!

Morning:

    For breakfast, I really suggest hoping on the metro and heading back to Sol and having some pastries and a coffee for breakfast. Or what I usually get, a croissant with Jamón Ibérico and cheese and a freshly squeezed orange juice from La Mallorquina, which has been in operation since 1894. This place is a bit touristy and more pricey than others in Madrid, but I fully think it is a place everyone should experience. The place is VERY packed and you might have to wait for a table, but it is worth the experience, I promise.

    From breakfast, I would then get back on the Metro and head from Sol to Opera station. Opera is the station closest to the National Cathedral and Royal Palace. While I have only ever toured the cathedral, the Royal Palace is stunning from the outside and the changing of the guard is neat to watch. However, my favorite part of this area is the amazing views from the almost giant balcony that looks toward the west, you see the gorgeous Central Mountain System. It is one of my favorite views in the city. The tours and the time taking pictures consume between 1-3 hours.

Inside the National Cathedral. 

The view from the Royal Palace looking toward the Central Mountain System. (yes, that is snow capped mountains in April!)

Mid-Day: 

    To my favorite restaurant in the entire city, Taberna la Buha, located in the Chueca neighborhood. This place has the best and I mean THE BEST tortilla de papas in all of Spain. I will not take arguments here, it is hands down the best. Tortilla de Papa or Spanish Omelette is hard to explain, its almost a potato latke but giant and almost an omelette, but with more potatoes than egg. Whatever, it is delicious. My favorite on the menu is the one filled with caramelized onions and goat cheese with a roasted red pepper sauce. I have, and will again this summer on my next visit, eaten the portion for three people by myself... I have no shame in that. While eating, yes I drink my Coke with lemon, I also have a glass of Tinto de Verano, which is usually a cheap red wine mixed with lemon/lime soda and is delicious.

My friend, Requi, cutting the Tortilla at Taberna la Buha.

A cross section of the Tortilla... I had 3 of them?

Evening: 

   Finally, it is siesta time! After I eat my tortilla, I am ready for a nap. And thankfully, they are completely normal in Spain, especially in the summer. So after a couple of hours, I get rested and ready to go out again. From the hotel, I would ride the metro toward Retiro Park or El Retiro. This is a giant park in the middle of the city, think Central Park in New York, but cleaner and more beautiful. El Retiro was originally a royal garden for the king and his family until the 1800s when it became a public park. There are so many things to see from the Palacio de Cristal (Crystal Palace) to the man-made pond where you can rent a paddle boat and enjoy the sun. The Palacio de Cristal usually has a FREE art exhibit to view, which I am a fan! While I have never paddle boated in El Retiro, I have fed the giant fish in the pond that could probably eat all of us and still be hungry. 

Me and my friend, Requi, enjoying an afternoon in El Retiro. 

    From hanging out and walking El Retiro, heading to Cibeles is the next stop on my itinerary. Cibeles is essentially the White House, sort of, it is the office of the government and more importantly where all of the gold reserves in Spain are held. If you have a Netflix subscription, watch 'Money Heist', a Spanish show that talks all about it! 

Palacio de Cibeles, an amazing marble structure. 

Just Before Sunset:    

    An hour or so before sunset, I would head to Parque del Oeste (Western Park) to watch the sunset. Grab a cheap bottle of wine, some jamón and cheese, and just enjoy the evening. While drinking in public in Madrid isn't legal, the activity called "botellón" usually isn't policed. Spain literally has a verb for drinking socially in a public space, that is pretty awesome. Botellón isn't about drinking, it is about the social aspect where you connect with your friends after a long day or week and just enjoy life. 

Sunset in Parque del Oeste.

Dinner:

    My dinner plans will likely turn some of you off, but I always say be adventurous when you travel! We are going to a restaurant called Los Caracoles. Caracoles are... well, snails. While I have had escargot in France, caracoles in Spain are a bit different, as they are in a paprika sauce. They are delicious. I could eat them every day. Take the bread and dip it into the sauce and mmm. Yum! 

Snails from 'Los Caracoles' in their paprika sauce.

Nightlife:

    I am a partier by no means and cannot keep up with the Spanish and their party culture... Let's just say they go out when I want to be back in bed. I have been out twice in my time in Spain and had a blast, however not going somewhere until 1am and staying out until 5, 6, or 7am are not my cup of tea. The Spanish can party hard. They can out dance, out drink, and out live us! And while Madrid has nothing on Ibiza or Tenerife, there is still plenty of opportunity to have some fun in the capital city. 

The Twenties Music Festival in June 2023. 

Outro:

    I am not finished with Spain just yet, however, we are going on a day trip from Madrid on Day Three. We will head to Segovia, a small town about an hour train ride out of Spain in the next post!

    

Trip A: City One, Day One

 Introduction:

    Madrid, España. My favorite city on earth. The one city I have visited four times and have a fifth visit planned this summer. Madrid is such an amazing city with so much to do. Over the course of the next week or two, I will give you a 3 day itinerary hitting all of the best features of Madrid, eating at my favorite spots, and seeing the best city in Europe. 

Arrival:

    I am going to assume we are spending two full weeks in Europe with a total of four countries to mark off of our list. I found an American Airlines flight from Washington's Reagan International (DCA) to Madrid with a two-ish hour layover at JFK in New York for $974 (with return from a city you'll read about in the coming weeks). We leave DC on Monday, June 2 and arrive in Madrid the following morning around 10am local time. Madrid's airport is super easy to navigate with signage in English and Spanish, I have only gotten lost once and someone pointed me in the right direction not long after. 

Inside the Madrid Airport Terminal. 

    Within the airport, we will go through customs, show our Passports to the officer, they may ask you a couple questions as to why you are visiting Spain, how long you plan to stay in Europe, or even ask for your accommodation information. As someone who travels often, I have rarely been asked any questions when going through customs aside from when I traveled in 2021 when everywhere asked for a COVID-19 test and my vaccination card. 

    From the airport, there are many ways to get into Madrid proper: Taxis, Ubers, Buses, and my favorite way to travel, the metro. There are signs all over Madrid's airport directing you to the Metro. Once in the station, you can buy a few different types of travel cards, but we are going to select the 'Multi-Card' option as it allows travel on the metro, buses, and trams. The machine will accept Euros or Credit Cards.

Ride into the City:

    The Metro ride is about 45 minutes into the area of Madrid where the hotel I have chosen is located. The metro in Madrid, as I have said, is very easy to navigate, I use Apple Maps to help with directions in the stations. On this trip, you will only need to change lines twice to get to the hotel, from the airport you take Line 8 (Pink Line) to Line 6 (Gray Line) Nuevos Ministerios Station. From Nuevos Ministerios, take Line 6 to Cuatro Caminos, change for the last time to Line One (Blue Line) toward Pinar de Chamartin and get off one station away in Estrecho. Once you are out of the metro station, head toward the hotel on Calle de las Mercedes, Far Home Bernabau (about a 5 minute walk).

The Accommodation:

    This hotel is one of my favorites in Madrid, I think because it was the first hotel I stayed in while in the city. Far Home Bernabau is technically a hostel, but has private rooms available, which is my preferred way to stay! There are shared bathrooms, but they are super private and super clean and even play smooth jazz covers of popular songs. The room is super basic, but I do not travel to sleep! I like clean, affordable, and easily accessible hotels when I am traveling and this one is just that! While it isn't in the center of Madrid, it is so close with the metro. 

    Unfortunately, it is only about 11am and check-in starts at 3pm... so going to the hotel is only to drop off bags for a few hours and then going to get a bite to eat and a cold Coke. This is my favorite time when I am traveling, the "unknown",  trying to figure out what the heck is going on, getting my sea legs, and looking around a new neighborhood. Unfortunately, when I stayed here in Summer 2021, COVID had many of the little cafes and stores closed, but after looking on Google Maps today, the community looks alive again!

Hotel Cost: (June 2-6) $293 with an option to upgrade and include breakfast.

The basic room at Far Home Bernabau (July 2021).

What's Next?:
    On Day One, I truly recommend staying within 30 minutes of your hotel, the time difference will make you want a nap, but I am telling you, KEEP GOING! I always go to the local grocery store first and grab my go-to items: Fruit, pre-made sandwiches, and some chips to take back to the hotel before I really get out of the neighborhood. 

    And because we just had a small meal, we will likely skip a true "lunch" and wait on dinner. Meal times in Madrid are a little different than in the US and it is normal to have dinner at 9, 10, or even 11pm. Luckily, the time change makes that a perfect time to eat as it is about 5pm on the East Coast and my West Virginia body will appreciate food. Dinner in Spain is a social experience where you will need a reservation if going, so gotta check out the menus of restaurants now to get that reservation. One of my favorite places in Madrid is called 'Lateral' which I would describe as a modern restaurant serving Spanish classics with a twist. But we will talk dinner later!

    My first day in Madrid is always the same, go visit Sol and Plaza Mayor which are two incredible areas of Madrid and both of which are just a short metro ride away.. Sol is a town square with restaurants, museums, stores, and areas to sit and people watch. Sol is also home to the 'Tio Pepe' sign where Spaniards have their big New Year's celebration. Plaza Mayor, seen in the title slide,  is the old center of Madrid which dates back to the 1400's and was the biggest market in the city. Today, it houses many tourist stores and overpriced restaurants and hotels, but is definitely a place to stop in and have a glass of tinto verano or in my case, an ice cold Coke, and have a tapa or two. 

    There are plenty of organized tours you can take, however, I am lucky to have several friends in Madrid who act as my tour guides. If I were to take a guided tour of Madrid, I would use the app, "Get Your Guide" which has a variety of activities from free walking tours of the city to wine tastings to day trips out of the city. 'Get Your Guide' has made my trips abroad amazing and so affordable. This will not be the only post you read with them mentioned, because I truly love the app.

Me and Requi in front of the Real Casa de Correos, the old royal post office in Sol, that is now just a government office building.

PRO-TIP: There are little old ladies in the Sol and Plaza Mayor (and many other places in Madrid) who will try to give you a sprig of rosemary as a "gift" however, they then want you to pay for it... and will chase you down. Thankfully, if you politely say "no, thank you" or "no, gracias" they will leave you alone. 

Dinner:

    Spanish culture is so unique in my opinion, the lifestyle makes you want to slow down and just enjoy life. I can truly say it is the one place on earth I have to live before I die. I love to just walk the narrow streets and people watch. There are generations of families who go out together and the interactions are what I crave in a society. Which brings me to my favorite aspect of being in Spain, the food! Since we made a dinner reservation at 'Lateral', there are several locations of this restaurant in Madrid, but I prefer the Fuencarral location near the Chueca neighborhood. There are a variety of food items here, I usually order several small tapas, which are small plates of food, usually some croquetas, calamari, papas bravas, and chicken strips, which in Spain, they simply say "fingers." For a main plate, there is this awesome barbecue rib and sweet potato puree that is delicious and I highly recommend. 

BBQ pork rib with a sweet potato mash and a cracker of some sort. 

'Fingers' and Papas Bravas with a red pepper and garlic aioli sauce. 

    After dinner on the first day, I am usually beyond ready for bed, so I begin to make my way back toward the hotel on the metro, which is a straight shot from the Chueca station back to Estrecho. Once in my room, I shower and go to bed. I will say the first couple days of traveling means I will likely skip breakfast, so getting up at 7am is a negative, but I will set my alarm for 9am. Good night!

Pre-Trip Tips

Pre-Trip Tips:

There are so many tips I can think of for pre-trip checklists... and I know I am going to leave something out, so remember life is a journey, not a race.

    Passports. Apply early (6-8 months before the trip), there is a huge waiting period. Since this trip is hypothetically in June 2025, I would apply today. There are a few different ways to apply and the State Department's website will guide you through all of the steps. 

    Plane Tickets: I personally tend to buy plane tickets 6-8 months out from my trip, which is supposedly when the best deals can be had. I look to leave on a Monday or Tuesday for the same reason, Weekend tickets are more expensive. Book Directly with the airline, third-party websites make refunds, flight changes, etc. much more of a hassle! 

    Accommodations: I tend to start looking at accommodations while looking at plane tickets but I usually do not book until about 5-6 months before my trip. I have been known to book it all at the same time too, so I do not have a real method to my madness here. (Again, book directly with the hotel if you can!)

    Week Before the Trip: Call your bank. Make sure you call your bank and have them put a travel note on your account so you can use your bank card. ATMs are everywhere and you will need some cash in Europe. Buy your suitcase (if you don't have one). Do laundry. Clean your house bc who likes to come back to a dirty house (remember the fridge, throw out what needs to be thrown out). 

    Cell-Phone: because I travel alone, I have to have a working cell phone. I have the Magenta-Max plan with T-Mobile which means I can travel to over 200 countries and my phone will work on arrival. There is no need to purchase a local SIM card. While this makes my monthly bill a little more expensive, it is BEYOND worth the price. I have used E-SIM cards before, but make sure your phone is unlocked with your carrier before you purchase. Airalo is a great app for E-SIM cards, cheap, reliable, and easy to use. 

    Packing: I suggest only packing a carry-on size, hard-shell, wheeled suitcase and a medium backpack. Pack one pair of spare shoes and a pair of flip-flops. Take out the five extra pairs of underwear you packed (they sell them in Europe... I promise). and leave those books at home, we need space to buy souvenirs and your back will thank me later! I also suggest packing a raincoat, you never know and you might not have the hands to carry an umbrella.     

    24 Hours Before the Trip:  Take out the trash. Drink water. Avoid the nap. Check into your flight and if you are cheap like me, pray to the airline gods you didn't get a middle seat. 

    Night Before the Trip: Go through your bags one more time. Make sure you don't have anything you're not supposed to, pack your medicine (pack the NyQuil and Tylenol... I will share my German sickness horror story sometime... just trust me, pack it, you never know.) Make sure you have your chargers, your debit and credit cards, headphones, battery pack, etc. Charge your phone.

    Morning of the Trip: The day has arrived!!! We are heading to the airport, change those thermostats, remember Kevin, make sure you have your passport, lock your doors. Go to the Airport, park the car, get to the terminal, go through security, check to make sure your gate exists, go pee, grab something to eat, then go back to your gate. And because most flights to Europe from the East Coast are evening or night flights which get you there anywhere from 6-11am, try to stay awake until you are on the plane to Europe... which might mean you drink a little caffeine. 

My trusty carry-on bag! This bag has seen too many cobblestone streets and will likely have to retire soon!