We are officially less than 3 days away from embarking on what is likely to be our landmark family vacation – 18 days covering Italy, Switzerland, and France.  The schedule, as is typical for us, is insane but will afford us a great opportunity to explore and learn where we may want to return and take more time.  We started planning almost a year ago, which has turned into a great choice since the ability to finance the crushing expense over 10 plus months has at least prevented me from easily knowing the total and having an immediate aneurysm.

As you’re correctly expecting, we are not alone on this trip.  We will be reuniting with the Wanamakers, and modifying the ever popular Walamaker moniker into the more appropriate Griswalamaker as an homage to the family who clearly inspired this journey.

The preparation for this trip – with roughly 2500 miles between the decisionmaking adults – has been pieced together through phones calls and literally thousands of text messages. There have been endless discussions about schedules, transportation, and meals.  But most of the discussions have centered around packing.

Being the only man in what is now a family of women you can imagine the challenges of explaining there is no actual need for a fresh and an alternate outfit for each day of the trip as the Middle Ages are over in Europe and washing machines are real.  Couple this with the general minimalistic attitude Tim and I share toward packing: he once beat me in a competition about who could would take fewer clothes on a week long beach vacation because I brought one pair of shorts, three shirts, and a bathing suit.  Yes, I acknowledge he’s the master.

Through planning, it became apparent that each of the adults has a super power, and what fun would that be if we didn’t share them here.

Brad – Gear.  I can’t help it.  My whole life I have focused on making sure I was prepared for whatever circumstances arise, and the easiest way to accompish that is through having the right tool for the right job.  In this case, one of my prerequisites for this trip was that everyone carry a pickpocket proof bag.  Which is the best segue imaginable…

Tim – Getting locked out of his own antitheft bag.  Twice.  It is one thing to have something that prevents random people from rummaging through your belongings.  It is something completely different to have something that once locked even you can’t get in and you need your 12 year old son to burn hours trying every possible combination to get in.  Better still, you change the combination, and proceed to get locked out again.  I can’t wait to see this show at a border crossing.

Susie – Souvenir ponchos.  There is nothing Susie likes better than an over priced trash bag with arm holes with some name or logo printed on it.  This was such a point of discussion, that she was even texting us while purchasing ponchos at Disney World even though she had packed some for the trip!

Michelle – Unfounded anxiety about everything.  God bless her, but there is literally no part of this trip which hasn’t at some point been the source terror, angst, or cited as reason why we just shouldn’t go.  Packing was the beginning.  The amount of time spent in transit.  Notre Dame burning ruined the thought of Paris.  At least as time has drawn closer the general state of panic has been replaced with a cyclical version making it an exciting game who am I talking to next?

With all of those things in mind, the trip is happening.  We have each gotten past the crippling effects of our super power (okay, maybe not Michelle) and we are poised to see this through.

As a quick rundown of our schedule so you know when you plan your life to read the posts, here’s the preview:

• Depart Las Vegas July 3, connect through Chicago and Paris before arriving in Rome,
• Rome from July 4 through July 8,
• Catanzaro Lido and Gimigliano (Michelle’s ancestral homeland) through July 10,
• Venice until July 12,
• Milan, meeting up with Tim and the older kids and a day trip to Como, through July 15,
• Zurich, with a day spent in the Alps, until July 17,
• Paris, meeting Susie and The Dog Catcher until July 21 – including day in Disneyland Paris,
• Long London layover to tour Buckingham Palace before chasing the sun on a direct flight landing back in Las Vegas just after dinner local time.

For any of you reading this and think that we are insane, no argument here.  Most days a planned from dawn until dusk, as we are trying to get in as much as possible.  We have a couple relaxing days in there, and a few long travel days with not a ton of time in any one place, but this was our plan.

We are excited to go and feverishly loading phones and tablets with music, shows, and movies to keep ourselves occupied during transit.  But most importantly, we are looking forward to time together.