Packing

It's very unusual that I actually start packing three days before leaving (and not because I'm such an expert on planning or travelling - rather, it's a combination of two bad personality traits: 1) being completely disorganized all the time, and 2) having such a huge ego that I figure either I can't forget anything [which, of course, I do all the time] or I'll just figure out when I get there). However, I've started setting thing aside this morning. I'm having such a busy, comfusing and utterly exhausting semester that I can honestly say that I've never felt so completely incompetent in all areas - so I'm getting an earlier start than usual. It may just be the combination of teaching a heavy load (including two new preps), running the Global Modules, chairing the By-Laws Committee, and organizing things for students out here at the Q - or maybe I'm just passing effortlessly into my dotage - but either way I'm perpetually at my wit's end. That said, the upcoming trip is coming together. I sent my passport away to extra pages added (this is now passport number four - the first one that went missing in Cairo, two temporary passports, and now this one which is now a lot fatter). It used to be free to add extra pages to your passport, but I guess the government realized that it was missing out on an opportunity to squeeze a little bit more money out of its citizens so in-between a new charge for adding pages and the money to expedite the process it suddenly cost $142 (which was a budget-buster last month). The plane and train tickets are purchased, although I'm still working on a few hotel details. I'm flying out of Burlington on Wednesday around dinner time and will be spending a few days in Washington, DC, which will give me a chance to see my good friend Debi, her sister Deanie, and the Chinese babies, before flying out to Vienna Saturday morning. I'll spend one day in Vienna, which will give me a chance to get caught up with some GM contacts there, and then I take the train to Bratislava, Slovakia Monday morning, and then switch to another train which will take me on to Ruzemberok, to visit the good folks at the Catholic University there. On Wednesday I grab another train to Prague - it seems to me that I should be travelling through Poland, but my long-suffering travel agent Rochelle wasn't certain (and I've been too busy to check it out myself). I have meetings set up with several Czech universities on Thursday and Friday, and then on Saturday I take a train back to Vienna, and Sunday I fly back to the States. So much for a relaxing Thanksgiving break. I'm tired just thinking about it.