Three full days to Zero hour!

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I came back from Virginia a bit earlier because my sister who was supposed to be coming back from graduation of her training school was delayed a day, and I was reminded that I am actually leaving for Moscow on Monday the 31 not Tuesday June 1. And also not realizing that Monday was Memorial Day (I know, I'm a dork!) I wouldn't have been able to get anything done that was needed because everything would have been closed. So I said goodbyes to the nieces as they went off to bed on Thursday night, my sister packed me a whole bunch of her delicious fruit and the last of their homemade venison summer sausage (which is amazing) ((THANKS, SISTER, YOU ROCK IN SO MANY WAYS!!!!)) I gave my sister strict instructions NOT to be popping out any baby in the next 24 hours, hopped in my car and hit the road driving all night back to Detroit with only one stop in OH, for a quick one hour siesta so I wouldn't crash and die.

It was a good thing that I did come back early, because I was able to get a lot done, including being around to collect my passport with the wicked cool Russian visa. Picked up some mail that I needed and wouldn't have gotten if I waited longer to come back. Funny, I've been going 24 hours on 1 hour of sleep and I am feeling fine.

My adorable niece said to her mommy, that I was going to get home and put on my pajamas and brush my teeth and go right to bed! Well, kiddo, I didn't, I am still going strong, though not sure how much longer. I did have to take out my contacts though, my eyes were blazing!

I got a lot of cool stuff while in VA, my sister hooked me up with her Prime Amazon.com shipping and I got my travel sheet, towel, umbrella, and universal plug adapters. Thanks for the hook up! And these great pictures are courtesy of my new camera that arrived just in the nick of time, thanks again sis!

You also see my new backpack that I broke in on my trip to VA. I was worried about being able to fit everything in, but it's deceivingly spacious and I don't think I will have much trouble packing all I need. That being said I can't account for how heavy it will be. Yikes!!

So things left to do: Final shopping for travel size containers for toiletries/bathroom stuffs so I meet the TSA requirements and don't get strip searched (though that might not be ALL bad), send out some last emails, make sure I have downloaded any useful apps to my phone, a practice run packing all I want and checking the weight, and put an itinerary together with addresses and phone numbers of all my hostels so I can send it to my mom and she can stop worrying (won't happen, I know, a fella can wish). And a big shout out of gratitude to my mom for coming through with a check. She worked her little fingers to the bone making bread to sale and raise money for her little boy to have some extra spending cash abroad. Who has the best mom? Me, I know.

All this planning and it's only three days away. In 72 hours I will be kicking it in 1st class sipping on an appletini. What's that Professor Thomas? My package didn't include 1st class?! What?! What do you mean I don't drink appletini's?! Ha.

Next entry will be from Moscow!!!

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