Prepped Out

I have finally run out of things to think about in preparation for the trip.

Kind of a relief, but at the same time, kind of an emptiness. Identifying and solving so many different things has been tremendously enjoyable.

Here are just some of the investigations I have made:

• Best airfare and entrance/exit points.
• How to book Eurostar tickets.
• Suitable and affordable lodgings for all three of our destinations.
• Renting apartments in Paris (which we ultimately chose against).
• Upgrading my eight year old European GPS with a new model.
• How to return rental cars without having to park them overnight in London/Paris.
• How to buy groceries online and have them delivered in Switzerland on our day of arrival.
• How to get inside the barrier at Stonehenge without paying an arm and a leg.
• How to rent a houseboat on the Seine for lodging purposes (also ultimately chosen against).
• Where did La Grange, Texas derive its name? (Seriously. See more on this in the future.)
• Best choice in hiking socks.
• Setting up my American smartphone to use inexpensive European data plans.

Now with only 12 days left to go, I am going to just try to make it through the next two weeks without completely jonesing out. I am SO ready for dinner in Paris — and that won't even happen until the fourth night after we get to Europe.  Sigh ...