My Home Away from Home

Each day we get closer to Christmas and the reality that Michael and I will not be coming home becomes harder to avert. This will be our first Christmas away from home and to be honest it is going to be hard. I don't know exactly where we will be, but I do know we will be in England. The first half of winter term commences Dec. 17th, at which point we will be heading down to London via train. I am excited because except for the 2 hours we were getting from Heathrow airport to the Euston train station to catch a train to Capernwray, I haven't seen my home away from home. Michael has never seen London and it will be great to show him around. My hope is that I will get to show him the flat I lived in when I was there last, Ability Towers, off Macclesfield Rd (that one's for you Scotty).

Our friend Josh, that we met here, will be joining us for this 3 week adventure in which we begin to explore Europe. I say begin because we will only be going to two new destinations for the both of them: London and Rome. The plan, which we just confirmed this week, is to spend Christmas in London, then on the 27th catch a flight to Rome, Italy where we will spend New Year's! The last time I was in Rome we just happened to be there for "White Night" which is basically a night in which a huge party takes place in the streets of Rome and lasts through to the wee hours of the morning. Being apart of that and surviving was crazy, I can only imagine how New Year's will be. We plan to visit the Cinque Terras as well as Milan before heading to Bologna for a day. I heard from Wes that some of the best food lies in that area so I must check it out and I figure at this stage in my food consumption, a little flavor will make the trip.

Then beginning on the 4th of January, we will be flying out from Bologna to head to Frankfurt, Germany (yes, again) to visit Samuel. Samuel is one of my good friends here that lives just outside of Frankfurt. He will show us around the neighboring towns and the hope is to visit Cologne during this time. Shortly there after (Jan. 9), we will be heading back to school but this time arriving in Manchester airport, not Heathrow as the journey back to campus is far less.

So there it is, our adventures beginning in two short weeks. The travel will be interesting as we will only each be carrying a backpack a piece as most of the airlines charge you an arm and a leg to check bags. The journey is sure to be challenging but I think we are going to have a blast. I think what I look forward to the most in visiting these places a second time around is how much more I notice, remember, and most of all appreciate from the last time. It will be comforting and also a completely different experience having Michael there this time and I can't wait for it!