Today I leave

ooooohh lordy....

So today is June 9th... the day I fly out... So much to do... I am literally starting to become overwhelmed (again) at everything that needs to happen.. Leave in less than 10 hours.

So this morning I need to: Go to the pet store, buy a card, get euros, turn in my change, inspection and anything else that pops up.

I had wanted to do this earlier, but I ran out of time. I wanted to take my cat to the airport to have them verify everything was good to go when I fly. Need them to check the cat, the carrier and the paperwork.. don't want any suprises at 4:45 when I go to leave.

So I pack the cat up at 7am and head to the airport... kitty loves (not) being in his carrier.. he meow's the whole time just like always and I'm concerned about how he will be on the plane..... so we get to the airport.. and I go to the counter.... and the lady says "you can check in there at the kiosk"... and I tell her.. well, I don't need to check in, I fly later today and just want to make sure all my things are in order (cat)...

So she comes and says OK to check in ill need your confirmation #... well I look for it b/c its with my documentation and i give it to her.. and i said that I don't want to check in, I just want to make sure everything is OK with the cat.... she says "Ok oh i need your passport so you can check in" and I said... I don't have my passport... I don't want to check in, I just want you to look at the cat, the carrier, the forms make sure everything is OK".... so.... she says "Well.... if you don't have your passport, you can't check in"....
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Again..I explain that I don't want to check in. I am traveling internationally with my cat and I want to make sure the dimensions for the carrier are OK, the paperwork is OK and anything else that could go wrong, I want to find out now before I fly....

she says "well.. I don't think cats can fly internationally".....
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So I explain that they can. He is confirmed on 6 flights and unless something has changed in the past 2 weeks, he can fly. so she goes in back.. talks to someone... and blah blah blah... finally commes out and says he can fly.

So I ask if she can look at the things I have to make sure everything is in order. She looks at me and says " yep, you are fine"........(without looking at anything)

So.. I leave... just wondering what is going to happen later.....


My inspection is at 11 so in the morning I used my time to run to the bank to get cash. I had thought about exchanging money in the US, but it turns out the exchange rate in Europe is MUCH cheeper... Think I'll end up with about 200euro more ($230) by exchanging in Europe.. So I go to the bank and withdrawl a large sum of money.. enough to last me 3 months... I knew I would need some Euro's when i get there b/c I would have to pay for my bus ticket back to Tampere.... So I was going to get $200 worth of Euros... problem is, the Euro is so low, people are buying them like crazy.... So the only euro's the bank had was 110Euro.... in 5 euro bills.... They said they should be getting more anytime now.. but.. I did not have any time to wait... so I took it...

Now off to Petco. Since I am traveling with my cat and he will be in his pet carrier for 20 hours, I thoguht maybe I shouuld buy a small litter box, water bowl and some litter to carry with me so perhaps during layovers he might try to eat/drink/poop. So I run to petco.. find a small litterbox, pet wipes (in case he pukes/poops/pee's on himself).. a bag of litter and a small water bowl.

Now off to best buy.. I need to get a notebook bag so I can take it on the plane with me.. and hold the kitty goods.... spend another $100 on a bag... now off to the halmark store so I can get a card for my friend Sara... Got that, not off to CVS to buy somme baggies for the litter, garbage backs to put the litterbox, bags of litter etc into so it does not spill all over the bag and my new computer......

Got it.. now rush back home for the inspection.... all goes well.. my landlord is totally awesome... we talk for a little bit and she tells me the good news that I won't have to pay rent through July... There was some kind of problem with my notice to leave and I had received a letter fromm the mgmt company stating I would have to pay rent not only for June, but also July... Obviously I freaked b/c an extra $550 at this point would be very very bad for me financially... but she took care of it.

Said the apartment looked good and I should get my depost back within a few weeks. I'm going to have it mailed to Sara and then she can just deposit it in my bank account.

So Sara was comming over around noon to help me finish up and take me to the airport. Will really miss Sara as she's one of my best friends and someone who I can talk to about most anything. I am sure she will miss my bitching and whining at work :O).. but I'm sure she will be more productive since I won't be wandering into her office every 30 minutes to talk about something....

So she comes over and helps me pack.. and literally I am panicked about everything that needs to happen and mentally I start to shutdown due to being so overwhelmed... Thank god Sara was there b/c she was so supportive and really helped me make it through that afternoon. If she was not there I'm quire sure I'd still be in cedar rapids.

So we finished packing.. had planned on going to lunch one last time... but... now in panic mode i realize (3 hours til my flight leaves) that I need two more locks for my suitcases, and a strap to hold one together in case it explodes... we rush to Walmart and buy the strap and the locks.. and some tape (so I can put tape on my luggage so 1) it looks shitty and no one tries to steal it 2) its easy to identify

My flight is at 4:45 and well.. its now 2:45... late for the airport... throw everything in the car.. and race to the airport..... I'm completely sweating like mad.. and just knowing today is going to be awful.

So we get to the airport... go to the ticket counter.. explain I am traveling with the cat.. it took about 20 minutes for things to finally get checked in.. I guess its not normal for someone to fly to Europe with their cat so they had to verify some procedures.. they looked at my documentation.. and was finally given tickets....

So Sara and I went outside to talk some more and so I could smoke.. It was really sad talking to her b/c I knew it would be the last time for quite a while.. well.. I guess at the least 90 days..

After two cigarettes and a hug goodbye.. she left and I went back inside the airport... preparing to make this big journey to Finland.. with my cat.......