FINAL COUNTDOWN

Germany.  On MONDAY.  I'm so excited I can't stand it. 

I really should have made one of those elementary school paper chains so I at least could have been snipping one off every day.  Instead my countdown has more closely resembled a prisoner marking days passing. 

twenty three more boring-non-horsey days until GERMANY. 

three. more. sleeps.

(can we say a quick word f thanks for the new emoji? I've used the champagne bottle like 400 times already, and between that and the taco - I hardly need to use words anymore.)

I fully acknowledge that my life does not resemble jail in any way shape or form, BUT OMG, the WAITING.  Especially when it's consumed by obsessively checking for new videos of Brads, or re-watching the olds ones over and over again.. That's a mental prison of it own I suppose..

At least the waiting is almost over. 

You guys should know that aside from being horse crazy and tack obsessed, I'm also a huge travel nerd.  I secretly enjoy long haul flights, and get a tad OCD about trying to learn everything I should expect about service levels, airports and routes I'm unfamiliar with.  I acknowledge this is a really weird thing to be a geek about, but there you have it.  And when I say "travel" I don't mean "oooh I want to go to Thailand," (although I do.. want to go to Thailand).

I mean, travel an in the act of traveling.  Like the process of getting from point A to point B. 

I can assure you that the blog presence on this topic is EPIC.  You can google any airline, or airport or train or whatever and get serious play-by-play posts on just about everything. 

It's amazing.

For a nerd anyway.

So when BA started sending me my "get ready for your trips, oh, and btw did you book your complimentary spa appointments?" 

excuse, me, wha??  How did I miss this detail??

Somehow I managed to snag a mileage ticket for our trip over in First Class, and apparently that comes with spa treatments. 

I usually make an extra effort to upgrade to business class when flying to Asia or Europe, because- sleep.

But since most airlines offer flat beds in business (and booze.  Let's be honest I'm also concerned about booze), I've never seen a reason to travel First Class internationally.  It's always seemed like an unnecessary use of extra miles. 

But for this trip, there was no availability in Business, so on to First it was.  And apparently with British, that means a facial and massage during our layover at Heathrow.  I'd be lying if I wasn't sort of excited. 

Plus, when we're going to be surgically in and out of Germany in only four total days.... I'm looking forward to enjoying a new travel class and fun experience for the first 10 hours of the trip :)

Other things I'm nerding out about?  Packing. 

I am an obsessive carry-onner and take pride in rarely having to check bags (unless I'm traveling for more than 3 weeks). 

Ski trips? CARRY ON (wear your coat and rent the damn skis)

Week long weddings that require 8 costume changes and 11 pairs of shoes? CARRY ON

Thermal for 3 weeks with a baby:? CARRY ON (though I cheated and sent some stuff with my parents)..

So I will be dammed if I will check a bag for what is functionally three days on the ground.  Even if that means I have to wear my boots and helmet through security. 

I'm sure the Kardashians have worn weirder crap through LAX.

So the organization is well under way.  There are small piles in my bedroom of riding clothes, a few shirts just in case we make it out to a meal, and lots of warm layers. 

Oh, and a new Alessandro Albanese coat I obviously justified for the trip because my love for outerwear is fueled by the fact that tack ho-ing without a horse to... tack, is pointless. 

Gametime!