PREPARING FOR LIFT OFF…

Look Out Europe!
Here Comes Another Schulz Family Member!

T Minus 3 Days…
Friday It’s My Turn To Get Shot Out Of The US To Europe Cannon.

Tanner has already been over there in Paris France for three days with his mother getting the lay of the land and making new friends.  Sister/Aunt Tracy Schulz Levy is currently in Zurich Switzerland for the week.  Cousin/Nephew Connor O’Day has been in Madrid Spain for the past month and will be there for another week.  And me… I am bringing up the rear.  Aye… Somebody’s gotta do it.

I believe I am prepared for the next three weeks of jumping trains and carrying backpacks.  I hope so.  A month ago I would have said, “Nope. Not Ready. Not Gonna Make It.”  The excitement is building and I am finding it hard to believe the trip is actually upon me.  It has been 22 years since I took this much time off in one shot and did this kind of journey.  No real plans. No real schedule. Go where we will, wherever we want to, wherever we feel like going….in WESTERN EUROPE!!  AHHHHH!!!   I can’t wait to hang with my son for three weeks and experience this with him.  This is our last big trip before I lose him to Appalachian State University and many College Spring Breaks.  Good Times!

For Family and Friends that would like to follow us on our journey throughout Western Europe (i.e. France, United Kingdom, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain) we will be posting a Travel Blog here at www.jeffschulz.com with our pictures, awesome daily experiences, mishaps, and our stories of learning curves.  I also purchased a few GPS Tracking devices (Spot Trace) to put in our backpacks…mostly incase they were to get stolen as they contain our whole world and our ability to survive over there… but they come with cool software that allows others to track our journey on Google Maps.  It is really pretty cool.  You can zoom down exactly to the spot where we are (to within 5 minutes of us being there) and see what we are checking out…i.e. The Eiffel Tower, A Castle In Germany, An Ice Capped Peak In The Alps.  Anyway, check it out if you would like to follow along.  I will post the link to that site at the bottom of each Daily Blog Page.
Side Note – If We Go Missing For Some Reason… Uh… Somebody Think About Maybeeee Forwarding The Link To The Proper Authorities For Us.  Thanks.

Hopefully we can keep up with this daily blog thing.  We will try.  It will be nice to have a record of it for future memories.  We will be at the mercy of finding Free WIFI to do it.  I am pulling our Cell Phone SIM Cards so No Texting or Direct Cell Calls.  TOO Expensive. (.50 cents Per Text sending or receiving.)  Tanner with his texting habits would make it impossible for me to ever return to the USA.  You can easily reach us via FaceBook Messenger or WhatsApp. Use these for Voice Calls, Video Calls, and Text Messages to us…assuming we have WIFI.

Looking forward to meeting up with our exchange student friend Patrick Uijtdewilligen of the Netherlands.  Patrick came and stayed with us for a while a year or so ago and now he is returning the favor.  THANKS PATRICK!  We will be with him in Amsterdam for July 4th!!!   Attention Fellow Americans – July 4th means NOTHING over there except maybe in England. ;(   Think about it.  Noone cares but us.  LOL  We will try to do something special for you all back home and blog it. 😉

As you can see in the banner picture above, I am packing my backpack…this backpack and another second one for Tanner.  I am bringing Tanner’s backpack and gear with me.  His mom is bring home his suitcase containing all the “unnecessaries” for a weeks stay in a hotel.  We are packing VERY Light with minimal changes of clothes.  This is going to be an AWESOME Experience.  Wish Us Luck!   We Are Gonna Need It.

Jeff and Tanner
Schulz

ps.  We Are Going To Be Moving Fast So EXPECT, and PLEASE FORGIVE, TyPoS and MISSPEALLS.  😉 Thanks!