Getting ready for the trip..!

Hello everyone...
Welcome to my 2009 European Vacation

I am a couple of days away from travelling to Europe for the first time.
If you ever been to Europe I would love your input, by the way.

I talked to Sabrina Corsi today (she is my step cousin) and she is going to be picking me up at the airport on Friday night.

I have my backpack ready...
well, technically, it's Gio's (my step brother's) backpack... it's a perfect size, and that bag has been to Europe a couple of times before.

I packed a pair of jeans, a pair of black pants, and a pair of khakis, six shirts, one sweater, a toque (Canadian for Bennie Hat), undies and socks. I am also taking one pair of walking shoes and one pair of rain/snow shoes... and my toiletries...

On a small carry-on, I have my camera, a book, some travelling books, and the charges for the camera battery and my iTouch.

I think I might be taking too much stuff, but after all, I am going to be there 3 months...

Where am I going..?
I truly, don't know...
I know I will be landing in Berlin, and eventually I will make my way down to Ostia, but I am taking one day at a time... one City at a time... in all it's going to be an experience of a lifetime in only three months.

My expectations..?
NONE..!
Just to take it all in... go with an open mind, and an empty memory stick for my camera.

What do I want to see..?
ALL..!
I want to see historic places... where the old Berlin Wall used to be, a concentration camp, where Hitler was found, where important people where born, where Civilization was born, the Vatican... well, castles, farms, everywhere where tourists go...
Know that I have family there, I also want to go to places where locals go, and see art, culture, nightlife, nature, architecture, beauty, football stadiums.

Countries that I will visit..?
Germany for sure...
I will start in Berlin, eventually go to Stuttgart, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfort, and more.
Holland, it's a maybe.
Czech, Austria, Switzerland are a sure..!
and Italy for sure..!
I will start from the North West and make my way to Rome, after a few weeks, I will continue South and then East and eventually head up North through the East side of Italy.

Oh, a couple of more thing...
Some of you already know that I am an official volunteer for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, and I am sorry that I will be missing my first assignment (the Jr Curling Championships)
And my 38th birthday (March 18th) - for that, I want to be at a special place that day...
In the middle of San Marco's Square, at the top of the Swiss Alps, or even Euro Disney hehehe..!
But where ever I will happen to be, I will have a shot of Tequila and smoke a cigar.

Well, this was only an introduction for my 2009 European Vacation...
I'm not traveling with family, so I wont be in the same predicaments as Chevy Chase...
Nor will I be travelling with friends, so I don't care if Scotty knows or not..! hehehe

Auf Wiedersehen for now...