I remember when I was 24 and about to leave for Europe for three weeks. It was my first time out of the country, besides visiting Canada, but that doesn't really count. :) 
I was still living at home, and my Dad came in the house from being out in the fields to say good bye. He told me to enjoy myself, because who knew the next time I would get back. And then he said, "your dad may never get over there, so enjoy it for me, too." 

Newly retired and at almost age 76, Dad and I are heading "over there" together. My sister Melissa and brother John will also be joining us. So this trip will be different, not only because I'm not going solo, but also going with family members. We're just over a week out, and I'm finalizing some last-day plans for us. 

My Dad and I will fly out of O'Hare together on Turkish airways. I have been fortunate to find some excellent fares on this airline. The caveat is that you have to layover at its hub in Istanbul, which makes getting to western Europe a little longer. But we have time, and I'll happily fly to Istanbul if it means saving $300. Because it's his first time on a long flight, we're going to do a long layover and spend the night at a hotel in Istanbul. This will break things up a bit. 

We will meet my brother and sister in Amsterdam, where we will stay on a working dairy farm. The B and B looks really cute, and the couple who own it seem very pleasant. We have plans in Amsterdam to visit the Anne Frank Haus, and the planner that I am already booked those tickets. 

Dad has a huge interest in history, especially World War II. So before heading to the Normandy coast, we'll stop for a night in the adorable town of Bruges, Belgium. Once we're in Normandy, we have a private tour planned to see some of the D Day sites, which I think Dad is looking forward to the most. My mom said he has been ferociously reading books from the library about the war. We'll end the trip in Paris for a night before we all fly home. 

I think we're all really excited, and our family is excited for us. 

Until next time,
Jamie