Hello friends :)
So this is going to be my blog about all the adventures I'll have in Salzburg and all over the rest of Europe. I don't know how good I'll be at updating blogs, but I'm going to try my hardest. It'll be pretty hard for me to stay in contact with everyone over the next year so hopefully this will allow us to stay somewhat connected. Well here it goes, enjoy!
The last couple of weeks I've been (somewhat) focused on getting everything together for Salzburg. It was pretty exhausting work. I'm pretty sure I've gone shopping everyday for the last two weeks. I probably set a record number of visits to the mall. Buying new clothes was really nice, it just made it so much harder to pack everything. When I first started packing it really wasn't that hard. I though packing my stuff up to leave Portland last year was really difficult. As my UP friends know I had tons of extra stuff then. But this time I just looked in my closet, took out what I wanted to bring, and then put it by my suitcase. Well the hard part came when I had to eliminate clothes. Oh it was so painful! It took me about 2 hours to decide which two shirts to take out and I had to cut back from 13 pairs of shoes to only 6. The space really wasn't even a problem for me. I used space bags and they were miracle workers, I just wish they could eliminate the weight. Once I had packed everything in it was only 5 lbs overweight, and again I had to make more sacrifices with my clothes. I finally got my suitcase to weigh 45 lbs and I hope that in the next 4 hours before I leave that I do not add anything. I'm waking up at 4:00am tomorrow to leave for SFO. From San Francisco I'll fly to Washington D.C. and then to Vienna and finally take a flight from Vienna to Salzburg arriving at 11:20am Wednesday! I'm super excited for the adventure that's ahead and I'll miss you all!
Petra took off this morning with her one suitcase, one backpacking pack and one school pack, but not before the weight in her suitcase crept up to 52.5 lbs. She eliminated some things at home (big tube of toothpaste, contact lense solution, and mousepad, also all painful decisions) which brought it to 50 lbs exactly, on the home scale at least. She took out a couple more items in the airport parking garage and checked the bag without comment from the airline employee, so we don't actually know how much United airlines weighed the suitcase. In true Petra style, she also pulled an all-nighter, so much for going to bed at 1:30 and waking up at 4. Although I suspect this will actually help her adjust to the new time . I (Mom) got out of bed at 2:30 since 1) I couldn't sleep anymore, 2)sensed Petra needed help with the elimination decisions and 3)was going to wake up at 3:30 anyway. I don't need to adjust to any new time zone, so I just get to be tired.
ReplyDeleteKelsey was a bit sad leaving for school this morning, the sisters will miss each other even though they sometimes get on each other's nerves when they are together. Andrew didn't say anything one way or another, but he wouldn't admit it even if he did miss Petra . Dad, who will miss Petra, was just tired, he got up at3:30 to say goodby again. I'm missing her already too, but it is quickly fading as I start laundry etc. It will be significantly quieter at home now that she is gone, but we are all looking forward to hearing about the great adventures. We love you Petra, have fun and learn alot, afterall this is school. Mom
P.Barton! I know you will have an amazing time but we miss you all so very much and you're just now getting to Salzburg. I know it will be a long 6 months without you and you're awesome Petra-isms but I look forward to many skype dates and pictures and FBing!!! LOVE YOU!!!! <3 Tynishia
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