GMC in Europe 2008

We’re counting down the days, and soon the hours. On Thursday, most of us will start our journey to Vienna.

A word is in order about what to expect from the GMC in Europe 2008 blog while we are traveling. My past experience is that people expect too much—and sometimes too little—from this form of communication. An advance word might help with that.

• Our overall goal as members of the Greater Middletown Chorale is to experience and enjoy the tour. This blog in some ways goes along with that goal, but it’s not the reason we’re going. No one is getting paid to write it, and it’s strictly a volunteer activity.
• Updates will happen when and where they can. We expect to have good Internet connections at our hotels, or alternatively at Internet cafes, but sometimes those connections (or our schedules) just don’t work out.
• This blog is not a place to relay messages to travelers. Most of the GMC and friends won’t even see it while we’re in Europe. I’d suggest, as one alternative, looking at the itinerary and sending messages to the hotels.

Did I leave something out? Add a comment to this post!

For those of you boarding the bus at Cheshire, and planning to park your car:

Yes, we will have a designated section of the church parking lot set aside for you. There will be signage when you arrive.

Yes, it’s a safe place to park. No, it’s unguarded. Yes, the Cheshire police often stop in to have a cup of coffee and write reports while they sit in their cruisers. And yes, we like that.

Yes, I’d like to know your license plate number and name when you arrive. Yes, I’ll have a list at the door of the bus. And yes, we’ll hand it to the good people at the church office so they know your car is there.

Yes, this is likely to be much more convenient than driving your car to the airport and back. And no, I am completely not envious of the folks who are driving to Boston (unless of course they’re having a Wednesday evening “out” and having a great time, in which case my answer is Yes, I’m kind of envious).

And finally…

Yes, I made up some of these questions, based on questions I’ve already been asked.

But yes, I hope the questions I made up, and their real answers, will be reassuring to those of you who plan to park their cars here.

Leavin’ on a jet plane,

Don’t know when I’ll be back again…

Well, there is an itinerary. I suppose I could consult that.

We’re leaving one week from today. I’m excited!

I’m also checking to make sure

• I’ve made arrangements for the house while we’re gone
• I can see (heading to the optometrist this morning!)
• I have tickets and passport for the journey
• I’ve memorized my music where called for (why don’t those words stick?!)

We’ve received itineraries in an email from John C., and I plan to post them in the tour pages when I get a breath.

See you Sunday at Trinity, and again on Tuesday.

And again on Thursday morning, a week from today!