Wrapping up

Well, I guess this is the end of this blogging adventure...I'd like to start another one, but I am short on topics to discuss.

Anyway, thanks to everyone for reading my blog. Also another huge thanks to Adam for providing food, shelter and gifts while on the trip. And again deep thanks to Terri, Erika and mom for the monetary gifts. Thanks to Audra and Courtney for their advice.

Also, I just wanted to let you know that my two guidebooks were awesome. Rick Steve's was a great reference and guide. We would stand aside before entering a site and read about it and then continue; these are called walking tours. Or if we got confused we would refer to the guide to figure out where to go next. (Thank you, Rick, for listing WCs on your maps!)

The Time Out guide was also good and it was used as much, but for different purposes. This one was more pocket friendly and I was able to refer to it's maps quickly and effectively. It indexed all the streets, so they were easy to find. It also had better sections on shopping and restaurants. I know I was hesitant at first, but I am really glad I bought two guides! (Well, technically three, but Adam adopted it as his own...that one was OK by the way, as the best restaurant we went to the whole trip was listed in it.)

OK, any questions, feel free to ask me. Until next trip...

Thank you

I just wanted to thank everyone who helped me prepare for my trip thus far. I couldn't do it without you. A more complete thank you will be done after the trip, I am sure.

Thanks to Adam for being the best boyfriend ever and for paying for my hotel room. :)

Thanks to mom for the early B-day present

Thanks to Terri and Erika for letting me be your personal shoppers

Thanks to Audra and Courtney for the advice

Thanks to Karah for lending me your giant suitcase

Thanks to Sheila for watching my cat

Thanks to everyone else for their love and support.

I am just feeling so grateful that I am able to go on this trip. I know I had to put it on my credit card initially, but with the help of everyone I should be able to pay off most of it. I am so lucky that this will be my sixth adventure abroad. My life is just full of blessings! It is equally exciting that I will get to share it with my love. We're going to have great memories that will last a lifetime.

I am just now rounding out the rest of my preparation. I see Adam tonight to discuss last minute logistics. I bought a daypack, travel toiletries and a watch yesterday at Volde-mart. Now I just need to do laundry and sit tight. I can work on my itinerary some more and there are few things I've been meaning to look up...I can't remember what they are right now.

Oh, I just remembered...belly dancing, of course. A nice, random person from Tribe offered to help with our trip and he suggested a particular dance teacher. I doubt I will go because it is expensive and the teacher doesn't speak English. It seems like it would take a whole day too. I would really like to learn Turkish Rom, but there is a workshop in town coming up after my trip. If I am not too broke, I should try it. It would be great to take a class while I am over there, but I won't be too disappointed if I don't get to.

Anyway, six days and counting...