Last Minute Packing

It's 7:14am. I have to leave for the airport in three hours and I don't have anything packed in my suitcase -- because, upon attempting to open it, I discovered that the code on the little rolling numbers lock has been changed to some unknown number. Every family member was consulted, and a couple tried their hand at unlocking it, but we still came up short. Mom and Dad are out trying to find something suitable, at a major nationwide discount store.

Mom and I spent $84 yesterday at the same store, on things like yellow legal pads, a new Garfield movie and Reeses Cups. Actually, I'm only taking one of those items with me - the other two (along with a dozen more) were for the youngest member of the family; we had a surprise birthday party for him... in Dad's van, which he adores because of its flip-down TV and comfortable floor. No joke. He was thrilled when he opened the sliding door and was greeted with shouts of 'Surprise!'

I sold my car last night, too. Please be respectful and observe a moment of silence for my fallen Bavarian beauty. Thank you, brothers and sisters. I had Dad take a couple pictures before we left, so I'll post one of those sometime. Don't laugh.

I think I have a roommate lined up - she's a 24-year-old human resources student, likes to study in a quiet environment and enjoys hockey games. I'll be paying her cash under the table, and my name won't be on the lease, so I'll have to stay on her good side if I don't want to be evicted.

During the course of my stay, I will never have more money than I have right now... and I'm going to spend it all, without any real way of making more. Uh-oh. It's going to be a first few weeks of frugal living, I suspect. I'm looking forward to getting my student card; with it, cafeteria/on-campus restaurant meals cost a mere 2.50 euros. (At current exchange rates, that's $3.06 USD.)

I received an e-mail this morning from easyJet, the discount airline I'm taking from Geneva to Nice. Here's what it said:

easyJet has been advised of road closures around Geneva Airport between the hours of 00.01 until 05.00. As a result the French entrance to the aiport will be closed every night until 26 August 2005. We would therefore like to advise passengers flying with easyJet from Geneva to Nice or Paris Orly to leave sufficient time to travel to the airport.

If you don't hear from me for a few days, it's because I'm stranded in Geneva.