Island Time. Koh Lanta.

Koh Lanta at sunset.
(Photo by Rushen.  Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

We only have a few days in Thailand and while we could've have spent it all in Bangkok, I decided we needed to see another part of the country. At first, I had thought of going to Chiang Mai and doing a village trek.  I even spent quite a bit of time looking into a trekking tour and accommodation in Chiang Mai.  But, then the beach called with an invitation of white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters.  I answered.  A few pictures of the beautiful beaches that Thailand is world renown for and that was it.  To the beach are going.

Then, there was the question of which beach?   Thailand has extensive coastline - along both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand.  Right off the bat, I eliminated Phuket - it's much too touristy for my liking.  I also eliminated Krabi because it has beaches but why just do a beach if you can do an island.

Not Your Usual Fair Lady.

She's a better looking woman as a man than I am as a woman!
(Photo by Andyindia. Licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

If there's one word that grabbed a lot of attention in the US this year, it would be *transgender*.   There were plenty of articles and even a TV show focused on transgender individuals and the struggles they go through as they evolve into what has been labeled as their *true self*.  
Of course, the transgender community was handed its most celebrated member when the Olympic athlete formerly known as Bruce Jenner transitioned to her true self - Caitlyn Jenner.  She came out on in a big way, introducing herself on the July 2015 cover of Vanity Fair.  She even appeared in her own reality show on E! TV docu-series called "I am Cait".

Packing List. Myanmar and Thailand.

Miniature suitcase made from an Altoids mints tin.  It's so cute!
Crafted by Julie McGufee. Photo taken from her blog - Life in the Craft Lane.

We don't leave for Thailand and Myanmar for several more weeks but for me, it's never too soon to put together the packing list.

Every trip I go on, I try to reduce the load but I'm afraid I've not been very successful.  On my first trip, to Peru in 2006, my suitcase weighed in at barely 8 kgs....that was including the 2 kgs that the suitcase weighed!  Now, my suitcase generally tips the scale around 13 kgs and really that's not all that bad considering I'm packing for at least 3-4 weeks travel.

This trip will be to the tropics so it's going to be a lot of lightweight clothing.  However, for visiting the temples, I will need to bring a long sleeve shirt and a pair of long pants that I can then also wear on our day long trek from Kalaw to Inle Lake in Myanmar.  Keeping the clothes thin will also be important.  Except for the first few days in an apartment in Bangkok, the rest of the trip, we will likely be doing our own laundry though I hope that by the time we arrive at the hotel in Mandalay, we can pay for a load to be done.

The Food of Armenia.

This could easily be my plate of Armenian food.  It all looks very familiar and tasty!
(Photo by Ketone16.  Licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

Like so many global cuisines, Armenian food reflects its history, traditional cultures and geography. Although the food of Armenia has its unique tastes, it is very closely related to eastern and Mediterranean cuisine - a big reason why so much of it looks familiar to me.

The main characteristics of Armenian cuisine are a reliance on the quality of the ingredients rather than heavily spicing food, the use of herbs, the use of wheat in a variety of forms, pearl barley, legumes, nuts, and fruit (as a main ingredient as well as to sour food), and the stuffing of a wide variety of leaves. The pomegranate, which features in many a dish has a symbolic association with fertility that represents that nation. The apricot is the national fruit.

Introducing Armenia.

Central Yerevan view from the Cascade.  Snow capped Mount Ararat in the background.
(Photo by Raffi Kojian.  Licensed under CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

A few weeks ago, I also spent an afternoon with my friend and former colleague, Areg.  Areg is Armenian and she was keen to bake some gata cookies for me, especially since I had never had them before. They are a traditional Armenian filled cookie made from flour, tons of butter and sugar and eggs, yogurt and a bit of yeast. Areg made two versions of the gata cookie.  One that was filled with just butter and sugar and the other with nuts.  She told me she found her recipe on YouTube but I found a few on the web with very easy to follow instructions:  A recipe from plain gata from The Armenian Kitchen and nut filled gata from Food'n'Chef.

The Food of Georgia.

(Photo from advantour.com)

I have been drooling for the past hour as I read up on the cuisine of Georgia and look at one image after another of delicious food. At least it all looks so delicious. I think Pat and I are really going to enjoy our meals here!

The added plus is that we get to enjoy at least of one those meals with Yuriy Klyuev, the Advantour travel consultant who coordinated our trip through Central Asia.  We had planned to meet up with him in Tashkent but at the last minute, he was relocated to Tblisi to help start up Advantour's offices there.  Yuriy and I have kept in touch, off and on.  I let Yuriy know that we'll be in Tblisi and we've agreed to meet up either for lunch or dinner.  It'll be nice to finally meet him in person!  I'm going to tell Yuriy to come starving hungry so we can order a lot of dishes!!  Oh....and he's not getting Uzbek food.

Introducing Georgia.

Tblisi.  Our two apartments are located somewhere down there :-)
(Photo by Nino Ozbetelashvili.  Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

Pat and I will arrive into Georgia via train from Baku to Tblisi, the capital city of Georgia. We'll be staying in two different apartments during our stay in the city - a few days in one located in the old city and a few days in one located in the modern city. I've probably allotted more time than necessary to see the sights in Tblisi but both Pat and I agree that it's nice to just have time to chill out.  Hopefully, there will be some nice cafes that we can do just that in.

Like its neighbor Azerbaijan, Georgia is located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. It is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan.

The country was incorporated into the Soviet Union in 1921 as the Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic and became an independent nation shortly before the collapse of the USSR in 1991.

The Food of Azerbaijan.

Tava (fish) kebab.  (Photo from advantour.com)

Both Pat and I love good food. As much as we enjoyed our visit to Central Asia, the same cannot be said of the food. Sorry, but we were not fans of plov, lagman or manti.  We did like the shashlyk, especially when it was pork shashlyk but in countries where pork is rarely eaten, it was a real treat for us when we got to eat it.

Before we left for Central Asia, Pat and I headed to an Uzbek restaurant in Brooklyn, New York to try out the food.  For this trip, we have been to an Armenian restaurant but not Azeri or Georgian.

Introducing Azerbaijan.

One of the gates of Icherisheher (Old City) of Baku.
Photo by Khortan.  Licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

Yay!! I have finally wrapped planning the Thailand/Myanmar trip so I can now return my attention to the Caucusus trip. Much has happened since I last posted up anything on this trip.

I managed to find a reasonably priced hotel for our stay in Baku.  For our visa, we have to get a hotel voucher, printed on hotel letterhead.  I reached out to the hotel and got an email back this morning informing me that they are having issues with their printer and I can expect to get the voucher in two days.  Of course, I am anxiously awaiting for that day to come around.  I just hope they don't forget!  In anticipation that our names might have to appear on the voucher, I replied back to let them know that there are two travelers and what are names are.  Fingers crossed that I will see something in my email inbox on Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.

Burmese Cuisine.

A traditional Burmese meal.
Photo by Wagaung.  Licensed under CC-BY-SA-3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

I know the country is officially known a Myanmar but when I think of the food, I still refer to it as Burmese cuisine. Hence, the title of this blog posting.

I am a foodie.  Food plays an important part in my travels and while I have been to many countries where the food is not very palatable, the opposite is also very true.  There's a lot of lip smacking good food in the world!

I have been lucky to have worked with several people from Myanmar who have also graciously invited me to their homes for a meal.  The food was always utterly delicious.  More often than not, it looked familiar but tasted nothing like the Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese cuisine that I know.  Unfortunately and this is my fault, I've not kept up contact with those friends and colleagues from long ago so it's been a long time since I've had any home cooked Burmese food.  We do have a few Burmese restaurants and the food is okay but it's never been the same or as delicious as the home cooking I've enjoyed.  So in many ways, I will be (re)discovering Burmese cuisine on this trip and I am very much looking forward to it.

The Markets of Bangkok.

Floating Market.
(Photo by By Georgie Pauwels.  Licensed under CC by 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

We're lucky that we'll be in Bangkok over a weekend.  That means we get to explore the famed floating markets that are open on Saturday and Sunday.

This is Ayşe's first trip to Asia so the markets will definitely be fascinating to her.  Everything is going to be exotic to her.  Although Bro and I have been to many a market in Asia, they are always interesting places to us and we very much feel at home in them.

All three of us absolutely love visiting markets so I decided to set aside one night to check out a night market and one weekend day to check out one of Bangkok's iconic floating markets.

Bangkok's Historic Landmarks.

View of the Grand Palace from the Chao Praya River.

(Photo by Mda from the Thai Wikipedia. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.)

We'll have about 3 days in Bangkok, enroute to Myanmar. It's not a lot of time but we'll make the most of it. In considering our city itinerary, I want to hit the major historic sites but still leave time for wandering the markets which Bangkok is so well known for.   I also want to visit an important historical site, Ayutthaya, located a short distance away from the city.

The Caucasus. Itinerary and Cost Comparison.

Azerbaijan Landscape.  Photo by Matthew Hadley. Licensed under CC BY 1.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

It's hard to believe that at the same time that I am planning a trip to Myanmar and Thailand, I'm also planning a trip to the Caucusus! 

It's been crazy juggling the load of keeping destinations, travel dates, local guides, and flights all in order but I've gotten good at it having done it for so many other trips now.  Last year, I was handling Turkey and Greece and the five Central Asia countries all at the same time and before we even left for Central Asia, I already had Madagascar in the works!   Hi, my name is Julee and I am a travel addict :-)

Myanmar. Itinerary.

Kalaw, Myanmar.  (Photo from travelmediate)

It has been a couple of months since I reached out to several of my travel partners to see if any of them would be interested in doing a trip to Myanmar. I was lucky that two responded - Bro and my friend, Ayşe.  The three of us traveled through Mexico in 2011 and we had so much fun that I've been looking for a follow up trip ever since.  This will be that trip!  I'm very excited.

The Splendor That is Versailles.

Z and I at Versailles.  Our only photo together.  Glad we remembered to take *group* photo!

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  e ended our Paris trip on a high note today.  We went to visit Versailles.  I had booked onto a conducted tour before leaving on this trip.  I found a tour that would not only skip the line but it also took place on Sunday which is the one day in the week that the fountains are operating.

Z and I made our way to the Invalides Metro stop and followed the directions we were given to meet up with the rest of the group.

At the Cemetery and the Taxidermist.

Sharon at Père Lachaise Cemetery.

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  spent today with a group of 20-somethings and survived. In fact, I had a lot of fun hanging with them.  Nothing like being in the company of three college age adults to make you laugh and feel young again!

Earlier this week, I had exchanged text messages with Sharon.  After all that we had all gone through to get her laptop to her, Z and I decided we should all spend more time together over a meal.  Since Sharon works, it's difficult to nail down a good time for a meal plus there's no time to really just relax and enjoy each other's company.

A Night in Paris.

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efore coming to Paris, I had said that I wanted to see the city at night when the historic landmarks are all lit up.  Up until tonight, I've been too lazy to head back out once we had finished our day of sightseeing.

Tonight, we had tickets to see the cabaret at the Lido so we had to be out after dark.

Paris From the Seine.

Looking towards the Left Bank.

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   am about as fond of city river boat cruises as I am hop on hop off bus tours but again, a boat cruise along the Seine was included in our City Pass so we had to take it. I decided to keep an open mind.

A Glimpse of Montmartre and Sacré-Cœur Basilica.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

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 ur Big Bus wound its way up through the 9th Arrondissment. Montmartre was whizzing by us as Z and I sat on the upper level of the bus. It was getting chilly and the not so inspiring views of Montmartre were adding up to a not so fun experience for me.  So many people have told me that I would enjoy staying in Montmartre but as we made our way along the streets, I didn't see anything that would make me want to stay here. 

Big Bus Ride.

Crossing Pont Alexandre III, approaching Grand Palais.

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 ypically, I don't do hop on, hop off tours of any city but a Big Bus ticket was included in our Paris City Pass so of course, we had to make use of it. In hindsight, the experience wasn't as bad as I had somehow feared it would be.  Our plan, which worked out perfectly, was take the Big Bus Red Route to the main Big Bus stop near the Opera House and from there, hop off and switch to the Blue Route which would take us to Montmartre and from wherever we were dropped off, we would walk the rest of the way to Sacré-Cœur Basilica.  In hindsight, I would recommend taking the Big Bus tour before doing any sightseeing as the bus goes around the main landmarks and will give you a good idea of what the city has to offer.  You can then adjust your sightseeing plan accordingly.

The Panthéon.

"Monument à la Convention Nationale" by François-Léon Sicard (1913).

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  fter a quick breakfast in our apartment, we headed out for another day of sightseeing in Paris. Our first destination of the day was the Panthéon. We had come here late yesterday afternoon but unfortunately, we arrived just a few minutes after the place had closed for the day. Bad timing.

A Parisian Gem. Saint-Chappelle.

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ith two museums under our sightseeing belt, it was time for something different.  From the Rodin Museum, we headed back to Île de la Cité. After all my visits to this lovely city, I have never been to Saint-Chappelle. We tried yesterday and got there too late. Today was our day and since the entry fee was covered in our Paris Museum pass, we had to go.  We made our way via Metro.

The Musées d'Orsay and Rodin.

Admiring the marvelous architectural details of the Musée d'Orsay.

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  ur day started with breakfast at home.  I had bought some items from our local supermarket yesterday and today, I whipped a quick and easy meal in our teeny, weeny kitchen.  I ate my share, gave it some time and then woke Z up.  Today, I wanted to make sure he had a fairly full belly to start the day with.

The Louvre.

Capturing a photo of one of the Louvre's most famous residents.

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   rom Rue Cler, we headed over to the Louvre, one of the greatest art museums in the world!  If you come to Paris and you don't go to the Louvre, you've missed out!

Z led us to the entrance via the Carrousel de Louvre, an underground shopping mall filled with some very nice looking shops.   We arrived under the glass pyramid.  Thanks to our City Pass, we didn't have to wait in line to get entry tickets but we did stop at the Information Center to get a map.

The Eiffel Tower.

At the Eiffel Tower.

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rom the Arc de Triomphe, we made our way over to the Champs-Élysées.  We were on our way to the Eiffel Tower and we had to be there by 1:30p.  The number of people who can go up the tower is tightly controlled and when you buy your ticket, which we did when we got our City Pass, you are given a specific timeslot.  I knew we had quite a distance to walk and not a whole lot of time so I tried to rush Z along.

Arc de Triomphe.

On top of the Arc de Triomphe, admiring the view of the Eiffel Tower.

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  let Z sleep in a bit this morning.  I'm sure he could have slept for a few more but there is no rest for the traveler.  Poor kid,  he wasn't feeling much better this morning than yesterday and I didn't even have breakfast for him.  Bad aunt!  He's a real trooper though - not about to let a cold slow him down!

Before we left the apartment, Z spent a few minutes looking at the metro map.  Our first destination of the day was the Arc de Triomphe and he had to navigate us to the Charles de Gaulle Étoile metro stop.

Creepy Paris. The Catacombs.

In the Catacombs, beneath the streets of Paris.

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   e spent part of our afternoon on a tour of the Catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris.

We arrived via metro, exiting at the Denfert-Rochereau stop. It wasn't hard to figure out where the Catacombs were located - we just had to follow the long ling around to the front entrance. It was almost 3:40p when we arrived. The tour was slated to begin at 4pm and we were suppose to arrive 15 minutes before then but I knew Z was hungry. We needed to get some food into him.  I had no idea where to go get fast food.  There was a McDonald's and for most 20-somethings, they would have made a beeline to the place but not for this 20-something.  He is not a fast food kid.

Disappointment and Delights.

Inside the at Pierre Herméshop at 39 Avenue Opéra.  It's all about the macarons!

I

   woke up well rested and ready to go.  I looked over at Z and he was still sound asleep.  As I made my way to the kitchen to make a cup of tea, I could hear the sound of raindrops hitting the skylight.  Ugh.  Another crappy weather day.

As I sipped on my cup of tea, I did a bit of reading but nothing related to Paris.  The only confirmed activity I had for today was a tour of the Catacombs at 4p.  Otherwise, the day was wide open to explore the city as we wanted to.

An Afternoon in Paris.

Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxembourg Garden)

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   fter our visit to Notre-Dame Cathedral, Z wanted to know where to next. The only thing that came to mind was Saint-Chappelle, royal medieval Gothic chapel, located very close by to Notre-Dame.  Saint-Chappelle is one of the buildings that were part of the former royal palace which today is known as Palais de Justice (Palace of Justice).  I have never been inside Saint-Chappelle and everyone, whom I know has been here, has told me that I have to come see the place. 

A True Icon. Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris.

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  e had made our way to Île Saint-Louis, crossing over from the Left Bank. We turned onto Quai d'Orléans, walking towards the famed cathedral.  I stopped several times just to take photos.  I was glad it was overcast today - without the sun to cast shadows, I think I got a nicer shot.

First Sights of Paris. Jardin des Plantes.

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   fter a very relaxing lunch, Z and I set out to explore Paris. He asked me if I had an itinerary in mind and I did not. I suggested that we make our way to Notre Dame as that would be a nice starting point.

Thrilled to Pieces to be Back in Paris!!

Staring down six escargot, wondering how to get to the little nuggets of meat.

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   e're in Paris!  Flash back a few hours ago.  Today, I had to rustle Z up awake, bright and early for him.  We had to catch the 9:23a train that would take us from Ghent back to Bruxelles-Midi in Brussels and from there to Gare du Nord in Paris.

Last Views of Ghent.

On St. Michael's Bridge, gazing over at Korenlei.

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    started my second day in Ghent with making breakfast for Z and I. It was nice to be back in the kitchen but more importantly, it was nice to not have to get dressed and go out for breakfast. I took things slow this morning. No need to rush. As expected, Z was still fast asleep.  The kitchen in our apartment is teeny tiny but very well equipped.  I found the two burner stove in a drawer and got it set up and plugged in, ready for the frying pan.

An Afternoon in Ghent.

Ghent.  Posing in front of the most beautiful place in the city - Graslei.

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e arrived into Ghent around 1p and by the time we settled into our Airbnb apartment and hit the streets, it was close to 3p. One nice thing about traveling at this time of the year is that the day is still relatively long. We have a few hours, to see the historic city, before night falls.

Bound for Ghent.

At the Bruges station, waiting for the train to Ghent, to arrive.

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  oor Z. Had to get up early this morning...well, that would be early for him.  He had to get early not because we had a train to catch but because we had to make it for breakfast which meant up by 9:30a.

The Long Walk Back to Bruges.

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 t was just past 4p when we decided to walk back from Damme to Bruges. It would be at least an hour and a half walk.

We set out on the path that would lead us back to Bruges.  It was a nice tree lined path.  On our left side was an embarkment that shielded us from the canal.  On our right side were fields of green punctuated by the occasional quaint country cottage.

A Break from Bruges. Damme.

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    woke Sleeping Beauty, aka my sleep loving newphew, up at 12:15p. He had slept for two hours and if I had let him, he could have slept for two more but we're not in Belgium to sleep.

For today, I had planned for us to go to the nearby town of Damme - an opportunity to see another place.

Bruges Day 2. Off to a Slow Start.

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    dragged myself out of bed this morning as I did not sleep well last night. It was much too hot. Our room opens out onto a ground level patio and all we have are patio doors so there was no way to cool down the room so I could sleep comfortably.  I'm debating whether or not to ask for a new room.

Whirlwind Tour of Bruges Continues.

He's so photogenic and thankfully, still willing to pose for photos.

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  he short canal boat was so relaxing! When I got off the boat, I was re-energized enough to walk on!  Believe me, I need all the energy I can get - it's not easy keeping up with a 22 year old!  Historic Bruges is undeniably charming but it's especially charming when the sun is shining.

Bruges. Cruising the Canals.

Posing on a one of the many bridges in Bruges.

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ruges is as walkable a historic city as it comes.  In fact, there really is no better way to see it.  Thankfully, I don't even recall seeing a single of of the now ubiquitous hop on, hop off buses.  We most certainly did our share of hoofing it - first making it to Grote Markt and from there to The Burg.  Everywhere we walked, I just soaked in all the views of this charming historic city.  There's so much medieval splendor, it's not wonder it was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2000.

A Whirlwind Tour of Bruges. Part 1.

Posing in front of Provinciaal Hof (Province Court) in Grote Markt.

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 e kicked off our afternoon in Bruges with a quick bite at a pasta bar called Bocca. It was a simple meal but enough to fill two bellies.

Once again, Z fired up the city app on his iPhone and led the way. The app is really useful. It uses GPS but does not require data which means it can track where Z is. The app not only provides a map but also indicates the tourist highlights. It also has a search feature so all I have to do is tell Z the name of the place or spell out the name and he'll find it!  It was very useful in Brussels. Hopefully, it will serve us well in Bruges.

We're off to Bruges!

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 oday, we left Brussels for Bruges.

I had researched the train schedules before leaving on this trip so I knew there were frequent trains to and from Brussels and Bruges.  Ride time is about 55 minutes.  I also knew that getting Z up at an early hour would not be easy and besides, we weren't in a real rush so I decided to go easy on the poor guy.  I woke him up at 10a.  Thankfully, he's easy to wake up.  All I have to do to rustle him up is just say "Wake up", in a fairly loud voice.

Last Views of Brussels.

Grand Place.

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  fter a few hours of fun at the Atomium and Mini-Europe, Z and I made it back to the Central train station and from there, we walked back to the old city.  I wanted one last view of this place - tomorrow morning, we leave for Bruges.

Teeny Tiny Europe.

Posing in front of mini Grand Place.

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rom the Atomium, we made our way over to Mini-Europe.  I think we came in via the *back door* so it took us a while to find the place as we first had to wander through a section of the park that was filled with all sorts of eateries.  There was absolutely not a soul around but I can imagine just how packed this place is on a nice summer day.

Brussels. The Atomium.

Riding down an escalator inside the Atomium.  He was perfectly centered for me to take the shot!

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hen we arrived at the train station at Heysel, rain was gently falling. Z was taking full charge of getting us to the Atomium, so I just followed his steps.  With each step I took, the rain came down harder.  In a matter of minutes, I had stopped walking, reached into my backpack for my rain poncho and had draped it fully over me, my backpack and my camera.  I looked liked a giant blueberry.  Not in the least bit attractive looking.

Brussels. More Wanderings.

Kunstberg or Mont des Arts (Mount of the arts) gardens with a view of the unmistable spire of Town Hall in the background.

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fter patiently waiting for Z to wake up on his own, I finally gave up and rustled him awake at 11a. Like so many kids his age, he stays up to the wee hours of the early morning and then sleeps til past noon, if let be.  I'll let him sleep but not til noon!

Today was Z's day to decide on the itinerary and he decided we should go see the Atomium.  I know from pictures that I've seen on the structure but beyond that I'm clueless.  It'll be a nice change from the historic landmarks that filled our attention yesterday afternoon.

Brussels. We Wander.

Taking a bit of a rest in Egmont Park, next to a statue of Peter Pan.

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e pretty much spent the entire afternoon in old city Brussels. Considering that we had just arrived into the country earlier this morning, after an overnight flight into Paris followed by a train ride to Brussels, I was surprised at how well we had held up. We were pushing through jetlag as I had hoped we would do!  Nonetheless, by late afternoon I was beginning to lose some steam and was ready to head back to our apartment.

Brussels. The Old City.

Guildhalls, Grand Place

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fter taking a few minutes to settle into our Airbnb apartment, we decided to head out and explore Brussels.  As tired as we were from our overnight flight from the US, we were both excited to finally be in Brussels and neither of us wanted to waste any more time.

Before leaving on the trip, I had tasked Z with being in charge of navigating us wherever we needed to go.  He took the task on and apparently, has an app on his iPhone that has a map of the city that includes the tourist spots highlighted on it.   So with his iPhone in hand, we set out.  I decided we should start with Grand Place - undoubtedly, the highlight of highlights in Brussels.

Belgium and France. Here We Come!

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 esterday, was a travel day and it was a long one at that.

Waiting at BWI.

Flash back to earlier in the day. My plan was to *call* Uber at 12:30p. I figured they would take anywhere from 15-30 minutes to get to my house but as our luck would have it, there was a driver less than 4 minutes away! We were leaving from BWI and I factored in some travel time in case the traffic was bad on 95N but as that turned out, there was no traffic. In just around 1/2 hour, we arrived at the airport....well ahead of our 3:55pm departure time.

I had checked us in yesterday so all Z and I had to was go through security. Thanks to my Global Services membership, I automatically qualify for TSA PreCheck and since I bought the tickets under my name, we both could use the line. There was only one person ahead of me and we breezed right through. It took us about 10 minutes to get to our departure gate leaving us more than 2 hours to wait for our flight! With the task of getting to the airport out of the way, I could relax a bit. Both Z and I occupied ourselves with our iPad.

Our flight to Charlotte left on time even though the plane was full. I was seated in the middle row and in no time was happily chatting away with an older African American woman seated in the window seat. Her name was Joanne (sp?) and we bonded over our love of traditional southern cooking. Our hour and half long flight arrived a few minutes early giving Z and I a comfortable window to make it to the Paris departure gate.