London is always a good idea

Today began as an ordinary day. I woke up, showered, ate breakfast. I was running my normal 5 minutes late for work, which ended up being 8 minutes due to the sheet of ice that covered my car. I got to work went about my normal routine and by two o'clock I purchased an airline ticket to London. Okay not so normal. In fact it definitely was not in my schedule for the day. I hadn't even thought about going to London. However when I got to work my friend Lindsey asked if I wanted to go to London for spring break. She had found round trip tickets for $650.00 (including taxes and fees.) and her dad would help pay for the hostel where we would stay. I told I would think about it. And four hours later I had the ticket.

I am scared to tell people I am doing this because once they find out they will think I am crazy. Especially considering the other things I have planned for this year. But I honestly thought it through. I did some slight money planning and decided I could pull it off. And then I asked my mom, (who is supposed to be my voice of reason, the smart and wise one, who is also aware of everything that I have coming and who I thought would remind me of all the reasons why I shouldn't go.) what she thought I should do and she said I should go for it. "Oh, ok. If my mom says I should then I should. Mommy knows best!!!" So I am heading off to London in 20 days. YAY!!!! (Yes that is right after Abby's wedding.) I love London. I also will be scrimping and saving a bit more for the next few months (as well as taking back the extra pair of shoes I just bought.) and praying for a big tax return. That will be paying for the bulk of this trip. Yes I know I'm crazy. Lindsey and I are ok with that. =)

Israel or Bust

So I have two main goals this year.
1. Be out of debt by the end of the year.
2. Go to Israel and Egypt.
Not the best two goals to put together. One makes the other more difficult. But I am determined to do it. I'm not sure where all the money is going to come from yet. But it will come. To make this dream happen I am making a few sacrifices.

• Shopping for any unnecessary material good or substance; this includes: clothing and accessories, (Its amzing how many cute outfits appear in the stores and the sudden need for new shoes that comes when one is determined not to spend money.) Books (this will give me a chance to catch up on the books I already have.)and extra treats and snacks. (the best diet there is.) And toys or other electronic devices I thought I might need are on hold.
• I am not taking any roadtrips or traveling any farther than I have to.
• Eating out is out!! For the most part. I am finding that it is hard to have friends and save money. Friends like going out to eat and doing things that require money.
• I also decided to pass on the gym pass. One of the hardest things to give up. I love working out. Cutting this out also meant I couldn't train for a triatholon this summer. (Sorry Matt.) I still bundle up and go running.
• I considered selling all my worldly goods to help provide for this pilgrimage. But no one wanted any of my junk. All well.

Some highlights of the trip include:

• Cairo Museum
• Citadel Mohammad Ali (Alabaster) Mosque
• Horse-drawn carriage ride along the Nile and past the temples of Karnak and Luxor.
• The Giza Pyramids
• Clamel ride to top of Mount Sinai to watch the sunrise.
• Snorkeling or scuba diving or visiting an underwater museum
• Petra
• Swimming in the Mediterranean Sea
• Morning boat ride on the Sea of Galilee
• Swimming and a watermelon bust on the beautiful grassy picnic areas overlooking the Sea of Galilee.
• Mount of Olives
• Mount Moriah
• Church of the Holy Sepulchre
• Church of the Nativity
• Yad Vashem (Holocaust) Museum
• Gethsemane
• Garden Tomb
• And a lot more!!

For the complete iternary click here. I think this is worth a few sacrices, don't you?