"This is URGENT!!!!!"

That is not the most pleasant voicemail/email to receive from your travel agent only 27 hours before you're first flight to fly out of the country.  But nonetheless, I received both the email and voicemail from my anxious sounding travel agent less than 2 hours ago (27 hours before I was suppose to leave).  And I am now sitting in the "Greater Rochester International Airport" waiting to board my flight in a half an hour.

So long story short, my travel agent got wind that Hurricane Earl might reek havoc with the east coast airports tomorrow, called me at 2 o'clock and told me that she thought I should move my itinerary up a day, and just spend a day in Madrid before continuing on to Granada for orientation. Instantly, I got dad on the conference call and we made the decision, we were going to go for it. I had JUST finished packing everything up and just BARELY made the weight limit (50.5 lbs... .5 above haha) but I was somewhat "Ready"... Barbara, the best travel agent known to man, was able to book me in the last seat for a flight out of Newark to Madrid tonight at 9. She also booked me a cheap hotel right near the airport in Madrid for my extra day.  During the madness I was running around double, triple checking to make sure I had everything while brushing my teeth, washing my face, and throwing everything together. Then mom got home and out the door we went, DRENCHED in sweat ha. We left the house at 2:50, made it to the airport by 3:30 (Mom drove, fast) and I had my bags checked and in line at security by 3:36. Poor Mandie was in class during all the festivities so we had to say goodbye through a very pixely Rochester airport internet video chat. But I'm at the gate ready to get on the first flight to Newark...hopefully it's on time and I can hustle and make my flight over seas.

Let's just say, it was a WILDDDDDD start to my trip. The adrenaline is still pumping as I type. Oh and a quick side story, I had wanted to wash my shoes before I left, so I had put them in the washer earlier today, thinking they'd have all night to dry them. Nope, I had to hold them soaking wet out the window on the way to the airport to try to get them as dry as possible. And although they're drying...I think a change of socks will be necissary once I'm on my plane out of Newark. But "families with little children, older people, and anyone needing extra time to board" are boarding now, so I'm nexttttt. Wish me luck on catching my flight out of Newark, and I will post again when I am at the hotel in MADRID!!!!