Not much has been going on lately in regards to my trip. I have just been counting down the days...35 days left! It is really hard for me to prepare for my departure because I really have no clue what I need to do. I will probably just end up scrambling at the end, but that is okay, I seem to get more done that way!

Flight and Hotel Information

Today I got my flight and hotel information from my tour leader. First and foremost, we are staying yet another day. We will still be departing on April, 3rd, but will now be returning to the states on April 13th.

There are 22 individuals going on the trip. 19 of the travelers (including myself and Melissa) will be on a direct flight from San Francisco to London (Heathrow). We will depart around noon and arrive in London at 7am their time. Returning the the US we will depart from Paris (De Gaulle) around noon their time and arrive back in San Francisco around 7pm. There will not be any layovers. :) We will be flying United Airlines.

The other lonely 2 travelers will unfortunately be departing a few hours before us on the same day but will have to have a layover in Chicago both on the way to London and back from Paris.

In London we will be staying in the Days Inn Waterloo Hotel. In Paris we will be styaing in the Bellevue Chariot d'Or hotel. On the last night we will stay overnight at the Mercure Massy hotel.

Extra Charge

So I just got an invoice from EF Tours stating that I have a balance of $75. Keep in mind that I paid off my remaining balance a couple months ago, so you can imagine my surprise when I suddenly owed more. It said the $75 was for "Private Group" charge. I emailed my tour leader asking him what the charge was for. He said tat because there aren't a lot of other colleges traveling at the same time, EF wasn't able to pair us with another big group for the bus. So, to have a "private bus" for our excursions they're requiring us to pay the additional fee.

I am not sure yet is having our own bus is a good thing or a bad thing. I was kind of excited to be traveling with a different college from another state. But either way, I will get the opportunity to meet many new people.

Another bit of maybe good, maybe bad news is that it is confirmed that both of our flights (to and from Europe) are direct (no changing planes in Chicago or any other city.) This is good to hear because I know that layovers can be quite a few hours. However, I was looking forward to being able to have said that I stopped in another city/state. Plus I am sure that I am going to want to have a nice stretch on solid ground. Oh well!

Don't Forget Your Toothbrush!

EF Tours advertised this website that may be useful for those o you that travel. It is called Don't Forget Your Toothbrush. You simply pick the type of vacation you are going on and then you can custom pick tasks and items to put on your checklist and packing list. DFYT will email you 2 weeks, 1 week, and 1 day prior to your departure reminding you what to do/pack. Beast of all, the wesite is free. :)

http://www.dontforgetyourtoothbrush.com/

support from loved ones

I just spent a wonderful weekend up in Rocklin with my friends and my family. It is nice to have so much support from everyone financially, emotionally, and physically. My mom secretly emailed our family and friends asking for their support financially if at all possible. And a few of them were gracious enough to send me some money for my trip. I am more than grateful for their generosity, it means so much to me.

Also, my friend Michelle surprised me this weekend with a special hand-decorated journal specifically for my trip, filled with dates, fun challenges, and of course plenty of journaling space. I cannot wait to be able to use this while in Europe.

It has also been awesome to talk to many of my friends who have traveled outside the US before (to Europe as well as other countries) beacuse they are giving me a lot of tips and most importantly pleanty of encouragement. Day by day I am looking even more forward to my departure!

Again, thanks for your support.

Tour Itinerary

Here is a brief tour itinerary of my trip below. However, for those who want a more detailed itinerary, you can visit the following PDF link provided:
https://www.eftours.com/eLiterature/CST/DBD/E/LAPA.pdf

Day 1 - Flight overnight to England

Day 2 - London
Arrive in London
Take a walking tour of London

• Trafalgar Square
• Leicester Square
• Chinatown
• Covent Garden

Day 3 - London
Take a guided tour of London:

• Grosvenor Square
• Big Ben and Houses of Parliament
• Tower of London
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace (if scheduled)

Enjoy free time in London

Day 4 - Oxford - London
Take a guided excursion to Oxford:

• Oxford Colleges

Day 5 - London
Enjoy a free day in London

Day 6 - London - Paris
Travel on the Eurostar train to Paris
Take a guided tour of Paris:

• Place de la Concorde
• Champs-Elysees
• Arc de Triomphe
• Eiffel Tower

Take a walking tour of Montmartre:

• Place du Tertre
• Sacre Coeur

Day 7 - Versailles - Paris
Take a guided excursion to Versailles

Day 8 - Paris
Enjoy a free day in Paris
Optional: Excursion to Chartres and the Loire Valley

Day 9 - Paris
Enjoy a free day in Paris

Day 10 - Depart for home

I have a very exciting opportunity in my life that is approaching. In only two months time, my cousin Melissa and I will be traveling to Europe for a week and a half. We are going on an educational trip to London and Paris. One of my instructors will be leading the trip over there, with the help of a tour guide and a translator. We will be going for 10 days total; 5 days in London then taking the 200-mile an hour train beneath the English Channel to Paris for 5 days. We will be visiting many different historical monuments and places while in Europe including Buckingham Palace, the Parliament Building, Trafalgar Square, Oxford University, the Eiffel Tower, and the Notre Dame Cathedral, among many others. I took out a student loan to pay for this trip, and while I know I will be paying it back over many years, it is definitely worth it! As my mom says, there could never be a better time than now for me to take a trip like this. I signed up for this trip a little over a month ago and it is quickly approaching. Mel and I will be leaving the States on April 3^rd and returning April 12^th. While I am very excited to be able to have this experience, I am also extremely nervous because I do not know what to expect. I ask that you just keep us in your thoughts during the time we are away from home and that we have a wonderful experience and a safe return.