Arrive at the Edmonton International airport at 8am to check in.

Stand in line behind a number of successful hunters. In front of me are 7 racks from 5-8 point bucks and a half dozen coolers. Apparently, it’s been a very good deer season for traveling US hunters this year.

The previous ticketing agent was correct – the ticket seems to be confusing everyone in sight. After explaining that the ticket was printed one line off, the agent is able to read it correctly and generates 4 boarding passes.

At the advice of the ticketing agent, all electronics in my checked baggage are moved to my carry on bag. So much for trying to keep it from weighing a tonne! I now have more wires and battery packs stored in my backpack that I can count. The security teams are going to have fun with me…

Drew was right, US Customs asked where I was headed et voila, I’m waved through customs. This is the quickest and easiest time through US customs since September/October 2001.

Flight to Minneapolis was uneventful, and when I arrive at the gate for the Amsterdam leg, I’m greeted with announcements that the flight has been oversold. Luckily, my seat was confirmed yesterday, and I don’t have to worry about being bumped off the first of my two international flights. As we’re boarding, it’s discovered that a number of people did not arrive at the gate for boarding, and while the flight is packed, no one is left behind.

The couple sitting next to me is on vacation. She’s extremely excited, as they’ll be spending 6 weeks traveling Europe. They have accepted exchange students into their home for the past few years, and this year, they are doing a tour of their exchange students’ home towns. She’s nervous, since other than the length of stay and airline tickets, they’ve made no other arrangements. The families of their exchange students have planned and organized their entire journey – from village to village and country to country – for the next six weeks.

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