Safely landed at RDU

Well, the vacation is over and it's back to work tomorrow. I had an incredible vacation and I can't wait to go back in July when I will have the honor of being in George and Sarah's wedding.

Thanks to Stephanie for picking me up at the airport today! Time to get unpacked and settled at home before I drive to Virginia for the holiday weekend.
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Time to go home

On the flight to London, back in Raleigh this afternoon.
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London Update

The queue is beginning for my flight back to Raleigh. Ugh.

Nothing big and exciting to share other than the fact that the crazy woman from my flight to London from Amsterdam got the boot. Security took her boarding pass so they could remove her bag from the plane and the Dutch police escorted her away from the gate.

It's really easy people, don't act crazy and yell at airport security - if you do, you definitely won't be making it home or to your holiday destination today.
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Tot ziens Amsterdam

Time to depart and it's hard to go, but I suppose it is time for me to return to the real world end the vacation (for now).

This morning's wake up call was at 4 am; Dad and I caught the 4:43 train to Schiphol airport and soon had to part ways once we arrived as we were in different boarding areas. Bummer.

I couldn't find anything that was open where I could grab breakfast so I ended up with a €2.90 bottle of my favorite SPA water. Probably the most I have paid for 20 0z of water, but it's hot in the airport and exactly what I needed.

Interestingly enough, as I sit here and blog past the security for my gate, there's an ignorant American fighting with security about bringing in his jelly and some other spread. As that is going on there is another woman from the Caribbean is yelling that her liquids are being taken away (since she brought a gallon liquid bag) and chewing out security. They are telling her to leave the gate and escorting her to a place I would rather never visit.

Well, who knew my early morning flight would be filled with so much drama? I hope it stays here and doesn't come on the plane!
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Looking for dinner...

Happened upon the Red Light District...
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Heineken Stables

Meet Mike (far left) and Karel - some of the Heineken horses that still deliver beer by cart to local shops.
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Mijn pannenkoeken!

Lekker! Ham & Kaas
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Amsterdam

On the train to Amsterdam. Sad, sad day. We had an incredible time with the Huffakers and it is truly hard to leave. It really gets more and more difficult for me to leave the Netherlands with each visit. Hopefully I will be able to call it home in the next few years...we'll just have to see what life has in store for me, right?

Today, Dad and I be taking a tour of the Heineken factory (his belated birthday present) and other than that, we'll be wandering the city until dinner. Early to bed tonight - I have to be AT the airport by 5:30 am. Ouch!

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Almost forgot...

Can't forget the pomme frites!
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Monschau Pit Stop

We had to make a pit stop to have a German pils in Germany. Priorities people, priorities!

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Monschau

Such a picture perfect village!
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Driving through Belgium

Driving to Germany via Belgium for a bazaar on Spangdahlem AFB (where I played softball once or twice in high school).

Shopping for some more goodies - perhaps some polish pottery in my pattern and who knows what else!
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Dinner @ Restaurant Thull

Let's go!
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My FAVORITE

The best dessert...can't go home without it.
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Gluhwein Time!

Mine! All mine!

(Well really just the blue one)
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Let the Christmas Market Eating Begin!

Here we go...starting with potato pancakes!
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Lindt Chocolate Factory

Fun with Dad in the Lindt Chocolate factory in Aachen, Germany. I picked up a few goodies and accomplished the task of getting my advent calendar for next month's Christmas countdown.

Now we're off to the center of town to park and grab lunch at the Christmas Markt.
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Trein & Bus

My tickets from today's travels.

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Meet Zwarte Piet

Ok. I want to begin this post with an explanation that you may find this offensive, but it's a Dutch tradition...this would never fly in America.

"Black Pete" can be good and he can be bad following around St. Nick - giving kids candy if they are good. OR if they are bad he might beat them with a tree branch or stuff them in a bag and take them to Spain. The choice is up to you kids! All of this takes place on December 5.

Follow the link below to learn more about "Black Pete":
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet?wasRedirected=true

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Training to Heerlen

Mrs. Huffaker dropped me at the Sittard train station this morning so that I can get to Heerlen by the intercity train. The ticket kiosks no longer take cash so you have to use a pin card or pay by cash at the counter. Without a Dutch/EU bank account or pin I am left to the cash option. So I have my second class ticket for €4.20 and now I am standing by the spoor (track) waiting for a train that is late - which isn't too typical around here.

Not sure what I will do first in Heerlen, but I will walk about and figure out my plan...it is SO nice not to have a schedule!

I am going to catch a bus to Brunssum this afternoon and hopefully meet up with my friend Sheila before heading to my old school to meet Mrs. Huffaker to head to Schinnen for a workout at the gym.

Chilly and blustery today but no rain in the forecast. The cool and clean air feels great in my chest - I am trying to take in all the sights my eyes can spy before it is time to go home.

Dad is off digging with the guys in Luxembourg today - I was invited but politely declined as I am not too interested in being wet and covered in mud (without appropriate clothing) for an entire day digging up WWII relics. I will just enjoy looking at what they bring back tonight! Shopping will be much more entertaining!
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Best Italian in the NL

Napoli is the best Italian restaurant in Maastricht! Time for lunch!
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American Military Cemetary at Margraten

Dad woke me up this morning and we got dressed and ready to go out. The door bell rang and it was the "Fast & Furious Snel Delivery" with my suitcase! We were off to a good start!

We picked up Dad's friend Jan and we drove to Margraten to the American Cemetary where we had been to in years previous for Memorial Day ceremonies.

We are now in Maastricht for lunch, shopping and so I can visit Ms. Elliott.

It is freezing cold! Happy to have my gloves today as well as my scarf and coat. Brrrr!
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Nederland

I love the Netherlands. Need I say more? It's hard to share how much I love it here in words. From the kind people to the shops to the lifestyle. Today we drove by our old house in Schinnen, stopped in at the Alfa brewery (which was closed), shopped in the AH grocery, visited the Army base (I am glad to have some new *clean* clothes), and had a great dinner at the house with our lovely hosts. I fell asleep watching BBC1 and dragged myself from the living room to clean up for bed and write a quick post.

For all intents and purposes I am in the town of Sittard (if you want to look it up on a map, be my guest). Tomorrow we go to Maastricht to visit the American cemetery, shop in the town and I will get to see my friend Angela who is finishing up her chemotherapy treatments. I was happy to call her tonight to see she was up to a visit.

Perhaps I will stop in H&M while I am there as well as the music shop to get my lovely Josh Groban's new CD that was released on Monday...won't want until next week when I get home if I don't have to!

Slaap lekker!
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Traveling without luggage

Well, despite the fact that I threw out last nights receipt for the necessities I purchased and then found out I could be reimbursed - I am glad I learned about that fact today so I could pick up a few last things.

I also learned the value of the Duty Free shops that have all of the makeup and perfume. Since all of mine is in the bag abyss somewhere, I was lucky enough to find my sample foundation in my purse and use it along with a bit of Chanel blush to add a bit of color to my very tired face. Thanks Duty Free for helping me to look presentable.

I am waiting at Gatwick for my gate for Amsterdam to open in about 10 minutes and then I will be off to see Dad who made it safely to Paris from Saudi and is also now on his way to the Schipol airport.
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See what had happened was...

My bag was lost by easyJet and I am at the B&B with only the clothes on my back, IDs, and laptop. They won't be able to get it to the UK for a few days from Italy so I hope to have it by week's end before I go home to Raleigh. Needless to say I had to stop at Boots (the UK's CVS) for a hairbrush, toothpaste/brush, conditioner, lotion, and I will get whatever else I need tomorrow when I get to the Netherlands before lunch. Couldn't be more excited to be with Dad tomorrow!
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Ciao Italia

Time to leave Italy. Hard to say goodbye to Erica, but happy knowing I will get to see her in a few months when she is stateside.

On another note, did I mention I love Italian ice?
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Gnoccheria

My porcini mushroom gnocchi dish from dinner. Delish!
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Venice

Venice for the day!
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Prosciutto di Parma

Tasting the prosciutto was delicious, but walking through the different vaults/rooms where they were aging was quite a stinky sensory experience! Whew! I had no idea there was such an odor. We also sampled salami, prosciutto (crudo and cotto), and pancetta. An array of drinks were also provided including sparkling wine, beer, and still/sparkling water.

On the bus and back to Vicenza!
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Cheese please!

We toured and tasted Parmigiano Reggiano (aged 28 months to taste). Now off to the city center of Parma!
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On the way to Parma...

We picked up the bus from the Vicenza military base at 6:45 am and have been on the road for an hour and a half before stopping on the road for snacks and a stretch break.

Back on the bus and away we go! First up, cheese tasting, followed by a tour of the city.
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Italia!

I am in Vicenza, Italy and staying with Erica, Mrs. Ashby (her mom), and Erica's two children. My flight arrived just before 7 pm and Erica was waiting at the airport. We drove about an hour back to Vicenza from the Marco Polo airport, drop my bags and walked into the center of town for dinner. I tried a traditional Spritz with Erica (neither one of us were enjoyed it) which was also served with potato chips - yes, odd. However, it needs to be noted that we did finish the drink since we didn't want to be rude (rude Americans in particular). We also ordered a mimosa each (made with FRESH) orange juice and some bruschetta to share. That was a bit of an ordeal but quite funny with our waiter. Bruschetta was ordered, he says no and turns us to the panino page but as we are looking he says, "we also have bruschetta!". We were very confused to say the least but when he served us, evidently he didn't even give us whatever it was we thought we had ordered, so he said something about, "I just charge you for a margherita". Oh Italy, you are already so interesting...makes me miss Europe even more.

Tomorrow we rise bright and early (and I mean bright and early) at 4:30 or 5 am to catch the bus to Parma for our tour. I have no doubt there will be plenty to share!

I am SO happy to be here!
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Lunch @ Gatwick Airport

I caught an earlier bus to Gatwick, dropped my bag, and made it through security in record time. There was another American on the bus named Steve, he was here on business from Nebraska working for a small company that makes t-shirts so he was here to make licensing deals with bands/companies. Pretty cool gig and now he is off to Spain (and was very late for his flight!).
I'm plenty early for my 3:50 pm flight, so I've grabbed a bit of food for lunch from a place called EAT. where Kate and I ate when we were last at Gatwick as well. Sparkling water and an avocado, chicken and basil sandwich. I have some crisps stashed away in my bag from last night's Tesco stop, so I have a nice little meal to keep me busy while I wait for my gate to be posted.

Breakfast Scone

A cheddar cheese scone from Harrods - it's the best cheese scone I've ever had and I scout it out at least once every time I visit London. If you know of a better one, please share!

The scone was for breakfast this morning as I pack and make my way out of the hotel in a few short hours. Off to finish putting everything away and then to Boots to cram a few last things into my luggage.
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Shopping, V&A, Harry Potter and more = My Day

Harrods was a grand success this morning. When I had finished my shopping I took the tube a bit further to a cafe called 'Ciao' where I knew I could get my spaghetti ice cream - it was absolutely delicious and I enjoyed every bite.

A short walk in the other direction put me smack in the center of a mob (much of which had been camped out since Tuesday) of Harry Potter fanatics. I got to see the setup for the film's formal world premiere and even had my picture taken on the red carpet (I'll upload it later to share). George and Sarah rang while I was in the crowd and we decided to meet at the V&A Museum. I saw the jewelry wing, theatre/performing arts costumes (Elton John, Dame Edna, Mick Jagger), and a replica of Kylie Minogue's dressing room from her last world tour. My favorite part of what I saw was undoubtedly the sketches and hand-painted drawings by Beatrix Potter. Many drawings of Peter Rabbit and his storybook friends. It was fascinating to see conceptual drawings, first published drawings and final renderings of the images for pass publishing. Potter's stories have always been favorites of mine, so to see her original pencil and pen drawings was an absolute treat.

Dinner followed the museum and George took us to a Japanese place called Misato. I had a sushi bento box and Sarah and George both had chicken. We chased dinner with a trip to a hookah bar. George ordered a tobacco-less mix which I tried, but my lungs didn't approve.

Before we ended the night we made a stop at Tesco to pick up groceries and essentials for me to take back with me to include: Cadbury chocolates, salt and vinegar crisps, Bitter Lemon, and Tesco's version of Lemsip.

In the hotel, up way past my bedtime, so I am going to call it a night. Tomorrow: wake up and make a stop at Boots before I catch the bus to the airport.
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A bit of shopping is in order!

It is a blustery day, but that won't keep me away. I picked up a skinny latte at Pret and jumped on the tube to Knightsbridge. I'll probably be in Harrods for quite sometime, so if you have any specific requests, let me know!
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Shopping & Pizzeria Dinner

Sarah, George, and I shopped a bit after getting stuck in some serious traffic heading out of London late this afternoon.

Our stomachs were keeping us from shopping, so we called it a night and drove back into the city to get dinner.

George and Sarah picked a great Italian restaurant, Pizzeria Pappagone, and we were seated across from the wood burning oven - a perfect seat on a cold night. The oven kept us toasty, but not hot throughout our meal. Word on the street is that Sarah makes an incredible spaghetti carbonara and we had been talking about it earlier in the day so that was my dish of choice. We each chased our dinner with dessert (dark chocolate and mint gelato for me) before the evening came to a close.

George and Sarah dropped me off in front of the hotel and we have plans to meet up again tomorrow. I will pick up goodies from Harrods in the morning and in the evening we may crash the Harry Potter premiere that will be taking place in the city - if anything, it would be fun just to see the chaos and snap a picture or two. (Plus, Kate's mom would be TOTALLY jealous, so I could share the pictures with her.)

I have managed to stay up all day, so I am off to reward myself with a solid night's sleep.
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Cockfosters

After a bit of lunch and making sure everyone had my new mobile number, George and Sarah rang and invited me out for an afternoon of shopping outside of the city.

I'm all bundled up and back on the tube to see them both - it's been over a year since our last visit, so we have plenty of catching up to do. For those unfamiliar with the London transport, Cockfosters is a tube stop where we will meet.

Spending time with friends will be great and staying out with them will also help me adjust to the 5-hour time difference. So far, so good. I hope the energy sticks around well into the evening! (and that I don't fall asleep on the tube on my way there)
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Sunny London Day

Well, I must admit this was one of my easier overseas flights. The flight from RDU was more than half empty so there was plenty of room to take your own row of seats in order to have a better sleep. I managed to watch the beginning of 'The Blind Side' before falling asleep and waking just as breakfast was being served.

We landed right on time to blue skies and because the plane was so empty, I hopped off with my bag in less than 5 minutes. What was more astonishing was the fact that the customs line literally took 5 minutes and as soon as I had walked to baggage reclaim by bag rolled right past. Perfect timing. The only problem? SOS from the BlackBerry as it couldn't find ANY signal.

I topped up my Oyster card and took the first train on the Piccadilly line to my hotel. More luck? Why, yes! My room was ready so I checked right in and promptly changed to shower. Now I feel incredible; well-rested, clean and walking around in beautiful weather.

Topped up my Vodafone UK phone so I could call Verizon Global - they had my SIM card written down wrong, but now we're good to go.

Lunch today are my favorites from Waitrose - houmous, crusty bread, and tomato/mozzarella salad with sparkling water. Low key for the morning and once lunch is done I am going to look into theatre tickets.
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Black Diamond Traveler Through RDU

I checked in my bag at only 32 lbs. and flew through the Black Diamond security line. I am relaxed (and will soon be even more relaxed, thanks to Stella) and waiting by the gate for my flight to depart. Let's fly!
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12 Days/6 Flights/5 Countries (or more!)

This time next week I will be basking under the clouds in London (perhaps it will be sunny, or partly sunny – neither are a requirement). It has been slightly over a year since my last excursion to the UK and Europe. However, this time I am embarking on somewhat of a different journey – my first overseas vacation on my own. Now, let me note this will only be for a week and along the way I will be seeing many wonderful people. In London, I’ll get the chance to see George and Sarah – perhaps even Zoe’s Uncle Paul, his wife and their new baby, Cousin Bump. A few days later, I’ll be off to Italy where I’ll be staying with friends from high school – Mrs. Ashby and her daughter Erica (who now has a husband and two babies of her own!).

When my solo travel has completed, I will be meeting up with my Dad at the Amsterdam airport. We’ll be spending 6 days down south near Brunssum/Schinnen/Maastricht where we used to live. Dad has quite the extensive itinerary planned and mine isn’t much other than hotels and contact numbers for the week before we meet – so this should be very entertaining. I’m looking forward to relaxing and spending time in some of my favorite places.

I can’t wait to arrive at Heathrow Airport to take the Tube to my hotel and let the adventures begin. If only I could figure out a way to get overseas more than once a year! In time, in time…