So, we finally left. The plan was November 17, after my problems with injured finger and teeth, we moved the planned departure to the night after the Good-Bye party on November 11, the next planned departure was on December 1 and then each following day. Andrea was already a little bit pissed off that I had not still finished packing, moving my stuff, renting my apartment, copying all files, installing all programs, purchasing all the stuff for the trip, packing the backpack for the trip ...

But already when he moved to my apartment, I told him the story how I went once to a 1 month holiday and at the end, the packing took over 20 days and only 10 days left for the holiday. Probably, he did not believe that I meant my warnings seriously. At the end, Andrea did not manage to wait and purchased for us flight tickets for December 4 to Istanbul, the starting point of our trip. He believed that the imminence of missing the flight and loss of money for the ticket would motivate me to hurry up and catch the plane. He probably does not know me that well ...

We wanted to be prepared for the trip as much as possible. We found out e.g. that the cheapest way how to withdraw money abroad is through the bank card Holiday Card from the bank Volksbank. So, we both established an account at Volksbank and waited for the cards. My card came OK together with a PIN in a separate envelope. Andrea called me the other day saying, there was no PIN in his envelope. He showed me then his envelope with plastic tape, from which he duly removed the top layer with a coin like from a lottery ticket. And really, there was no PIN on the paper below the plastic tape. Volksbank namely does not print the PIN on the paper, they print it on the plastic tape, which Andrea completely erased. So, we went once again to our non-English speaking friends at Volksbank, Andrea completed new forms asking for re-sending the PIN and in another week, he got it. Good that I delayed the departure ...

So, Andrea flew on December 4 to Istanbul alone and I paid a 2000 CZK charge for changing my flight to December 5. I probably also do not know myself that well ...

Andrea called me from Turkey if I could go to Brno to look in his box with documents for an envelope from Volksbank with PIN to his bank card, which he unfortunately does not remember anymore. Good that I delayed the departure ...

On December 5 noon, I was entering the offices of our plane ticket agency to change my flight for a charge of CZK 2000 to December 7. How can I be so naive?

While preparing for the trip, I stressed to Andrea the importance of each gram that we take with us. Each part of our clothes must be 100% functional and light. Andrea was making fun of me saying that he takes jeans and cotton T-shirts. At the end, he equipped himself perfectly, he even left at home swimming suit and the weight of his luggage on the airport was 16 kg.

On December 7, I was ready to go to the plane ticket agency to re-book my flight for the charge of CZK 2000 to December 9, but my family and friends became afraid that Andrea gets angry and travels without me and that I eventually do not leave and stay at home, so they forced me to throw into the backpack all the stuff prepared for final selection and jump into a taxi one hour before the plane departure. Finally, I went through the check-in 3 minutes before its closure, the weight of my luggage is 25 kg and I am wearing jeans. Good that I am able to give good advice at least to others ...

I am entering the plane and call quickly my mother to thank for everything and primarily for making order in my flat, what will probably take them the next few weeks. She is asking me what should she do with a wallet which I left on the table with some money and several bank cards - from Ceska sporitelna, mBank, there is also a nice Holiday Card from Volksbank ... I am closing my eyes and smile - so, we really start ...