This morning went a lot smoother then I thought it would. Mom woke me up around 7 and we started getting everything together. Most everything was down in front of the front door so I ran up the stairs many times making sure that I had this or that. I almost forgot Puca! That would have been horrible! Haha. Warren, Tracy, Mom and I all loaded up the car and headed to the airport. I managed to get all my stuff into by two bags (at final weigh in at the airport they were 48.5 and 49 pounds). Dad and I checked in for our Air Canada flight and Bobbi-Lee was with us. After everything was situated we headed to security. I said goodbye to Mom, and Warren and Tracy. Then it was just Pam, Dad and I. We took some pictures and then said goodbye to Pam. Everything this morning went really smoothly. I was expecting everything I could imagine to go wrong. I didn’t forget my passport. We made it to the airport on time. So really it was great.

The flight from Nashville to Toronto was pretty good despite the fact that we were on a little plane. Once we landed in Toronto, we had our customs cards filled out and went through customs. Apparently some SAS people had already been through because the guy already knew what I was talking about. W had to get the bags that we checked. We somehow managed to get all of mine and Bobbi-Lee’s luggage and walk it to the place to drop them off. Then we had to go through security again. I forgot to take off my belt and I had to walk through the stupid thing about 5 times before I figured out what it was.

We got to our gate and dropped our stuff. Dad and I grabbed a bite to eat and then just hung out for the next flight. When we boarded our flight to Halifax I kept looking around to see if any more SAS kids were on board, but I didn’t see any. We were on an airbus so they had TV screens in the headrests with movies to watch and music to listen to, but stupid me put my headphones in checked luggage. I forgot to charge my iPod so I figured I wouldn’t need them. Bad move. The only way to get headphones was to now pay $3. No thanks. It was slightly sad because they had 17 Again as a movie to watch and I wanted to get my Zefron fill. Oh well. The rest of the flight went well.

We got off the plane and headed to baggage claim. After grabbing our bags we went to get the rental car. While we were waiting there a girl asked us if we were on Semester At Sea. Her name was Caitlin I think and she went to school at SMU, but went to high school at Harpeth Hall. Small world! We some how managed to squeeze all of our bags into the impala.

Nova Scotia (at least around Halifax) is very wooded and absolutely beautiful. It seems like how Seattle would be. I was so pretty! Once we got into Halifax, which was about 30 minutes from the airport, it was just this quaint little town. According to Rob (The bellhop at the Marriott), Halifax has the most pubs per capita then anywhere else in Canada. It is an absolutely beautiful city and I wish I had more time to explore.

After dropping Bobbui-Lee off at her hotel, we made out WalMart run. We got there pretty easily and got what I needed. After spending entirely way too much money there, we tried to get back to our hotel to check in. Logic says that you can just follow the MapQuest directions backwards…yeah. Well needless to say it didn’t work out that well. We eventually did get back to hotel, but not without a good tour of the city. We tried to drive down to the port to get a glimpse of the MV Explorer, but it was blocked and we couldn’t see it.

The hotel is interesting. I was sitting in the car waiting on Dad get checked when this man in a kilt comes up and knocks on the window. Why on earth is someone dressed in a kilt in Canada and knocking on my window? Well come to find out, it was Rob the bellhop. So with his help we got the car unloaded and found a place for dinner.

Bobbi-Lee, Dad and I ate at the Five Fisherman. It was delicious. They had a free muscle bar. I had never really had muscles before, but I really liked them. Dinner was good, but just as we were about to leave, a woman came up to our table and asked if we were a part of SAS. Her daughter, Madelyn, was going. So we chatted for a bit. Madelyn is on my deck so we might end up being roommates. That would be interesting.

I check in tomorrow! It’s pretty crazy! I can’t believe everything starts tomorrow. I have so much stuff and I really don’t want to haul it all to the ship tomorrow. All of it has to be searched and what not for prohibited items. We are then spending the rest of the day training or something. I really have no idea.

Dad made up a neat song about Bobbi-Lee and I. I have no idea what tune it is in so make up your own but here it goes

This is the story of Lauren Gray and Bobbi-Lee

Setting out for Semester at Sea

Bobbi-Lee didn’t bring her parents

But Lauren had her Dad in tow oh oh oh

That’s it or something pretty close to that. Haha