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Day 1: The packing was completed two days prior. In all, I was lugging around a huge hiking backpack, a huge duffle, a laptop case, and my camera bag. It was to my delight that the check-in line at the airport was ridiculously short. After all 17 of us made it through check-in, we all crowded our way over to security. The line was a bit longer here. I made it through no problem, however, a few of us got yanked aside for special screenings. We waited a good while for that process to finish.

O' course, we had the Duty-Free store to entertain us... Just imagine. 25 dollar bottles (The big ones!) of Grey Goose with no tax at all. Genius. Unfortunately, alcohol had been outlawed on this particular trip... (Didn't stop me!)

The unlucky ones walked up, their luggage now adorned with thoughtful little "Lufthansa Approved! Carry-On" tags hanging on them. The group of us headed out towards our terminal and the 10 hour flight that awaited us there. On the way, I made the best purchase of my life: a fifteen dollar neck rest. It proved invaluable.

We milled about the airport for the next hour or so, for our flight wasn't due until later in the afternoon. Eventually though, the time came for us to board. Individually we gathered up our carry-ons and walked down that tunnel into the plane.

Before I go on, let me say something. I've only flown once in my life. It was a trip to Tennessee with my Mom. I don't actually remember the trip.

So I suppose it was somewhat understandable that when this huge, two-tiered Airbus took off I started hyperventilating. My heart was beating, I was giggling like a loony, and I just couldn't slow that increasingly fast breathing. The rumble, the shaking and my own crazed glare towards the vibrating wings ended as soon as they started, thankfully enough.

The rest of the flight... was pretty good, actually. We were flying to Frankfurt, and from there a connecting flight would take us to Milan. Freedom Writers played... it was decent. Night at the Museum played after that. I just listened to music. We had a fun three hour night, and it was daylight after that. It was mid-afternoon when we arrived in Frankfurt.

In the Frankfurt airport our group leaders ushered us through security at a fairly brisk pace... unfortunately for us, this means they ushered us away from any and all substantive food. A McDonalds mocked us just on the other side of the Passport Security check. I don't remember what I munched on.

The flight to Milan was much easier for me than the flight from the USA. Takeoff was a breeze, and on the way to Italy we passed over a great deal of German countryside, as well as the famous Alps. Then there was Italy. Wow. Red, tiled roofs as far as the eye can see. I think everyone else fell asleep in that flight, but I was wide awake, sipping on a cup of bad airline wine and taking in the sights.

Landing was just as easy as take off. Just like that, we were in Italy.

T.B.C.