Conflicting punctuation

Ready!
I depart tomorrow afternoon for my trans-Atlantic flight and have been declining meetings and reminding people at every given opportunity that I'll be in Europe next week. And it sounds impossibly lovely each time. I'm spending time in London. Ending my trip in Paris. And when people say, "Oh, you're not going for fun?" I raise my eyebrows and remark that it's Europe and I'm profoundly grateful to be going for work. I don't have the $5,000 USD this is going to cost, frankly, and am not terribly good at taking vacations anyway.

So I've carefully written out my schedules. I've confirmed meetings with all the collaborators I'm eager to visit. I just re-packed for the third time, matching tops to bottoms to jackets to shoes and trying hard to pare down the load so I could carry on my suitcase and exquisitely-organized laptop bag. I'm so lucky and happy and excited about this!

Ready?
I also happen to be sick with nerves and wishing rather desperately this was over already. Will I have trouble at customs or get caught in some embarrassing search scenario at security? Have I forgotten something about international travel that will trip me up. Will the Germans and French be kind enough to forgive me speaking barely a word of their respective languages? How Will I cope with the time difference? Will I be exhausted and cranky throughout this wonderful opportunity? My cold lingers - will my ears ache through the lengthy and numerous flights? What should I wear on the plane for maximum comfort? Will I be able to get adequate pounds and Euros at my connecting airport tomorrow?

Ready.
I begin my drive home first thing tomorrow. I arrive in England Sunday morning and will post pictures at first opporunity. My plan - since I hardly flit off to Europe often (though the plan is to go once a year) - is to write and take photos and pick up small bits of prettiness that I can tuck away at home or give to people when I tell them about my time abroad.