This blog has sat at the end of the apron for quite some time, waiting for its cue and an opportunity to take off on another adventure into the great unknown. Similarly, that’s where our plane to Europe will be sitting in about 16 hours. We’re off  to Europe tomorrow for a trip the likes of which neither of us have ever experienced. It’s true that, despite me working in the wine industry, we’ve never been across the Atlantic. We’re excited to say the least. Not for the 11 hour direct flight to Barcelona, mind you, but for the 15 days thereafter.

I’m intent (not that it’s meant much recently) to blog every day. I want to post a picture or two, express some feelings and perhaps recollect on that day’s education and experience. Here goes the practice post:

Day 0, July 24, 2010:

T-minus 16 hours 15 minutes until we take off for Barcelona. I’ve heard reports that there are locked out fuel workers at YVR, striking (by way of mass calls-in-sick) air traffic controllers in Spain, and a still-belching Icelandic volcano. Despite these oddities our flight is scheduled, on time and theoretically awaiting us. I did most of my packing this evening so as to save time for cleaning tomorrow before our flight. It’s my plan, as it usually is on longer trips, to have the house spotless, every dish clean and put away, the laundry done and fresh sheets and towels on for when we return.

The speed with which this trip has snuck up on us has been quite remarkable. I wasn’t expecting much in the way of stress during our preparation or anything, but I’ve got quite the knot in my stomach wondering if everything’s sorted out the way it ought to be. Most of our restaurant reservations have been made; travel tickets bought, printed and collated; itinerary printed, checked, edited and printed again (yes, this really is how I operate – ask my wife sometime)… But this is it. No time to forget a particular charger or adapter or document.

Anyway, I need to get some sleep before the crazy day that awaits us tomorrow. Such a long day. I haven’t experienced a nine-hour time difference since I was in grade 11 and I remember how it kicked my ass then. I can only imagine what it will be like when we finally land at 4:30am Pacific Time (1:30pm local) on Sunday. But it will be great. Pictures to follow.