Where did I pack the...?

Here goes: one of the only posts I'll probably ever do that does not include a photo! I'm pressed for time, you see. And technology. I don't know where my camera is at the moment--oh wait, I do, but it's buried in a carry-on bag full of things I couldn't fit in my regular suitcase. In fact, I don't know where I put the toothpaste, but I'm trusting it's in one of the bags, somewhere...

In a nutshell, I'm about to depart! Thought I'd throw out a quick update since I suddenly find myself with about an hour to spare and nothing more to pack. I could cuddle with my cat for a while, but he's napping and it would probably just piss him off. I got in a really nice last-minute coffee date with my mom and nana, and said goodbye to my sister and her lovely coffee shop. That's one place I will definitely miss -- the regulars there are like none other. Seriously, just about everybody knows everybody. There's some serious value to a place like that.

I finally started getting "nervous tummy," which my sister corrected me (correctly) and called "excited tummy." Not really wanting to eat anything, feeling a little anxious about all of the little things that really aren't all that important, but somehow seem hugely significant right now: Is my suitcase below the weight limit? Do I really need to bring that extra purse? Is mascara considered a liquid? Where is the toothpaste?

All in all, though, I feel really good. I feel prepared, and that's about all a person can ask for when she's about to embark on a big trip. And not just a big trip, but a long stay. A move, but a university move, which isn't really the same thing--but kind of. I find that the more I tell myself to go with the flow, the better I feel. So, to leave you with, three little day-of-departure tips that I'm finding useful right now.

1) Daily routines are important. I was distracted enough this morning with packing that I totally forgot to put makeup on. And not that makeup is a necessity -- I don't mind not wearing it. But the point is that it's a regular morning routine, and I didn't do it. So, to my surprise, late in the morning I was surprised by my appearance in the mirror, and felt like I had forgotten something. Moral of the story: stick with your routine and you'll feel better about the excitement and uncertainty that lies ahead.

2) Do a last-minute cull. You're getting down to the wire and you think your suitcase might be a little heavy or overstuffed. Open it up and make a snap decision or two about a few things you don't need. If you're like me, your last week or so has been, at least in some part every day consumed by thoughts of what to bring, what not to bring, what fits, what's too heavy, etc. When you've got a deadline (ie. actually have to getcho bad self to the airport), it's easier to just be done with it. Stop thinking, just pull a couple things out. It's so much nicer to have a little wiggle room in the suitcase.

3) Take some time to just relax. Scan your Facebook feed, have coffee with your mom, read a book, watch TV... just chill. It's good to get your mind off things for just a moment--just to pause--and refresh a little bit before hopping on the plane.

See you there!

Kate x

Going-to-the-Sun

On our third day in Glacier National Park, my sisters and I decided to drive north from Two Medicine and check out the famous Going-to-the-Sun road, the only through road in the entire park. Starting in St. Mary, MT on highway 89, we passed through the main entrance -- where we would have ended up had we stayed the course when we first arrived. After the fact, though, we thought that Two Medicine was our preferred place to stay, and visiting the more heavily-traveled Going-to-the-Sun road made for an excellent day trip!

The road winds around amazing vistas, past numerous falls and sliding snow/glaciers, and in many places the melting snow falls onto the road, so we got a cool sprinkle on the car every once in a while!

This guy was super cool, although seemingly sort of cornered in the middle of a little visitor walkway that led to a scenic view point. Eventually he managed to get out of there, but not before taking a little stroll in front of me. My sisters were patient for a second while I waited for Mr. Goat to figure out which way he was going to go. 

The photos above were taken at a falls, looking westward toward the Weeping Wall on the right.

 

We drove to Lake McDonald on the western end of the park, and decided to call it. Since there's only the one road, we had to drive all the way back, so we stopped to get our feet wet and my sister was able to actually swim for a second, since the water in this lake was much warmer than the lake at our campground.

We spotted a little more wildlife, just hanging out on the mountainside... and came back around St. Mary Lake on our way back out. It was such a gorgeous day for a drive. The campgrounds and stops along the Going-to-the-Sun road offer a lot in the way of recreation and views, so no one's bored. Perhaps if I made it to Glacier NP again, I'd stay in another campground there just to get a different perspective on the park.

Skipping ahead to day 4 of our journey at GNP, we woke up early and did a little canoeing on Two Medicine in the morning. Although this area is known to be windy, the previous couple of days had been calm, but this morning the air and the water was a little choppier, so we were challenged more than we had anticipated. Not to mention that since there were three of us, one of us had to be sitting duff, and it was freeeeezing. The water was so cold and with no help from the aluminum canoe, we cut the trip a little short. But it's something to keep in mind for a calmer day. I do love a good canoe trip!

The last full day that we spent in the park, apart from the canoe trip early on, was very lazy. We sunbathed a lot and read books and cooked food over the campfire, generally taking it about as easy as we could. A lot of driving lay ahead, and bright and early the next morning we ventured onto the road en route to Wisconsin -- by way of Yellowstone National Park.

In the late afternoon, just as we were starting to approach Yellowstone, the weather began to roll in. This particular storm was fun to watch because it seemed to hover over the small cluster of mountains and the lightning was amazing. Eventually it caught up with us, though.

We made a point to go see Old Faithful, if we saw anything at all. Luckily, we arrived just in time, and only had to wait about ten minutes to see it. The rain started falling pretty much right after it died back down, and we ducked into the gift shops for a second to grab t-shirts and stickers and all those must-have items. The place was packed with tourists -- it seemed so much busier than Glacier, but we had also arrived just in time for the start of July 4th weekend, so the campgrounds were fully booked and the crowds were enormous.

We arrived on the much quieter eastern side of the park in the evening, entering Buffalo Bill State Park and Wyoming proper. As the weather swept through and darkness fell, the landscape became increasingly creepy-looking, and well into the night, through Wyoming's Bighorn National Forest, the Black Hills of South Dakota, as well as a little of the Badlands -- the landscape was weirding me out in the dark. By the time it was morning, I (the other two were zonked) was treated to an amazing red sunrise and then we were straight home as fast as we could possibly get there.

All in all, it was an amazing week, and the first real sister road trip I've ever taken! We wanted to be able to get one in before I move, and before other busy life events come along... 

___

Tomorrow I'm headed to Milwaukee to get my biometric information recorded for my visa! Documents are rolling in and that is getting wrapped up pretty quickly. Soon enough I'll purchase a plane ticket -- can't wait to get that taken care of!

Days to Edinburgh move-in: 60