Did we really just go backpacking in Europe?

I just got back from 3 weeks in Europe, and yes, I had a backpack. Over the next however long it takes me… I am going to be sharing the experiences and sights enjoyed by myself and my husband on this trip. It was my first trip to Europe since the Euro went into use, and my husband’s first trip ever!  

It was a long trip, and the jet lag is still killing me. Therefore, let’s start at the very beginning (a very good place to start). Even us getting to Europe is a story! We left on June 13th (Friday the 13th with a full moon!). After work we went to the movie Maleficent with my coworker who drove us to the airport. It was a red eye so we didn’t need to be there until at least 9pm. When we got there and checked in we were greeted with “Oh YOU’RE the ones going to Zurich! I spent 30 minutes on your reservation!”  

Turns out the plane was delayed on the way into Kona, and the flight was going to be at least one hour behind, causing us to miss ALL the other connections. We were upgraded to first class for the Pacific crossing and given a hotel room in San Francisco since the delay of one hour in Kona meant a 24 hour delay in the rest of our flights. 

So we flew to SFO, checked into our hotel, took a nap, and called some friends in the area. I ended up having a dream about a place I wish existed, with a system of pools and falls and hot springs in a cave. Wish it were real! We took the cal-train and the BART into town and wandered around Union Square. It was odd to see it without the tree and ice rink, since the majority of times we have been there have been for AGU. 

Taken from the Macy's Building. Unions Square looking bare without a tree and rink!

After our friend Charity got off work we BARTed over to her place. We then went with her to a party of some of her Chinese Traditional Medicine friends and had a BLAST! She gave us a ride back to our hotel, and we set our wakeup call to try to get to Europe again!

Sign across the street from the Cafe where we had dinner and watched a bit of World Cup. Cafe La Boheme was very good!

What a wonderful 24 hour delay! 

Sunday morning now, we got to the airport and got checked in and ready to fly cross country. We flew back of the bus to Newark where… after landing early we had to wait, and wait, and wait for a gate to open up. We made our transfer to the next flight where we were seated in Business First! We had pod seats that lay flat so you can sleep! Also you get real blankets and pillows!

FIRST CLASS TRANS-ATLANTIC!? 

We were given warm towels, a placemat, real silverware, a three course meal, and lots of on demand movies! It was truly amazing. I watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Saving Mr Banks. Then I slept and woke up in ZURICH!

First glimpse of Europe as we ate breakfast on the plane.