EUROPE-BOUND! - EuroTrip 2012 - Day 1

So once again, as it pretty typical for me, I delay, and delay, and now I've been here 5 days before actually making a post on here, so that people back home that refuse to get Facebook (namely my family, included both my parents and grandparents). Regardless, I do want to look back and read about this trip years from now, so here goes nothing. DAY 1 SUMMARY. Flew from YEG (Edmonton) to LGW (London-Gatwick) - London has 6 airports, so this happens to be one just south of the city by 45min. Made friends in the airport. Mike x 3 (Each from Edmonton on the same roundtrip flight June 11 - August 6th) as me. Slightly diffrent travel paths, but both attending the EURO's and the OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES. Spent the day in the rain (in typical London Fashion) enjoying what we could on foot, as we walked to their hostel. After having a couple beer with them, I headed with my backpacks on , back into the ity to meet up with my mate from Katimavik (Dallas) who I'm going to be staying with later this month during my return visit for Wimbledon, and again in July for the Olympics. Had another beer, and was sent on my way via the train to the airport north of the city this time. London - Luton. Small airport, and the train doesn't connect you to the actual airport, and a combination of multiple events, not limited to a later than advertised departure of the shutte bus, no notice of needing said shuttle bus, and missing my stop led to me missing my flight. Argh. Day 1. Off to a bad start here. Another flight booked, I used the Wifi there for 7.5 POUNDS / 3 hours. Hmm, I need to find a hostel or somewhere to spend the night. Watching the Russia vs. Poland EURO game. Ended 1-1. Great result for the co-host POLAND. After coming up empty on the Hostel / Employee room at the Holiday Inn next door, I explored CouchSurfing again, and found a local who was willing to pick me up, put me up for the night, and drop me back off THREE HOURS before my flight so I would be nice and early for the 8am flight the next morning. DAY 2 -

Time to Start-Up Again

Another Year gone by without a post, and this will be the last time that happens. I've come to relize that my life is actually quite interesting and I want to re-read it many years down the road. Alright... what has Jacob been up to... 2011 - in a nutshell. Year long relationship (ended Feb 2012), California Roadtrip (8 days, 6700km with my best mate Justin) was the highlight of the year. A couple Edmonton Eskimos games (Canadian Football League), many Edmonton OILERS (National Hockey League) games, and BOAT LOADS of Edmonton OIL KINGS (top level of Junior Hockey - Western Hockey League - aged 16-20) games. Much of last year was spent at the PINT OFF WHYTE (avenue) - and became Justin / Eric / my preffered 'Adult-Beverage-Location' - we also called it HOME, more often than not! 2012 has been a year of some heavy changes. The WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY TOURNAMENT was held in Edmonton, and Lauren C, Justin, my mate from Blacks Jordan, Eric, and other friends attended a few of the Denmark, Czech games. New Years Eve my mate from the Vancouver Games (Lee) came up with his girlfriend from Saskatoon. we made plans to have a Eurotrip. I changed careers in February and have parted ways with the Photography shop I managed. I took 5 weeks off, and took a step back break from most of my regular habits. I've since returned to the hotel that I used to work at, and was recently approved for a 7 week Leave-Of-Absence to make that Euro-trip a REALITY. I'm GOING TO THE LONDON GAMES!!!! ticket booked!! (UEFA 2012 European Championship included in the trip as well!) Another post soon!!