Centerline Goes to the Olympics:
An Amateur Rider's Journal by Maureen Crump

Day 3: Take-Off

Today I leave from O'Hare. All is packed--since I have been watching Katie Couric every morning I was able to plan to pack for the heat. I'm sure I have brought too much but I need those mysteries to read on the plane, I need the guidebooks for Athens AND Venice, when else can I catch up on People, Us, and In Touch, the camera, the computer....

Since I had known that I wanted to go to the Olympics a year ago I started planning early. I was able to use my husband's miles to fly free as far as
Venice which really helps as far as the overall cost. It is a bit of a "hard travel" trip. Chicago to Frankfurt takes endurance. Then to Venice. From Venice to Rome and then Athens. It is almost a full 24 hours of travel. But I actually enjoy the travel part. I like to sit in the cafes and watch the people and see what they are wearing compared to what we Americans wear. Europeans also have the best hair dye colors--so I am always looking to see what is "in" fashion. Also, once in Europe there is such a mix of peoples from all over the world and it is very fun to feel a part of the mix. Yes, there is nothing like cappuccino in the cafe at the Venice airport...

Tomorrow the Dressage begins!!!