Dover is beautiful!!!!...well, I wouldn't know

...but Portsmouth, NH was great!!

If anyone needs anything done to their passport I highly recommend Portsmouth: no one in line, friendly people, great beaches, and amazing seafood (it's a pretty great story, ask you about it if you are interested). After two, rather vexing and traumatizing, weeks of stress, I came out still alive and still in rather high spirits. I will be finally leaving for London out of Newark airport on Sunday. This was a good reminder to always factor in unforeseen events when planning!!

Anyways, going back to my original post, "What are YOU doing to prepare?!?" I have been SO AMPED for my chance to swim ever since I heard news of Mack and Emma's amazing successes 08/06 (13hr 5mins and 14hr 33mins, respectively) as well as the amazing Diana Nyad's swim from Cuba to Florida (although she didn't finish, I still have the highest respect for her and what she stands for).

To help everyone else be as amped as I am, I will providing my checklist for the things I plan to bring:

VALID passport..check!

Packed bags...check!

List of people to meet, places to go, and things to so...check!

Parents...check!

My "can do ALL" attitude...check!

A big smile...check!

Beer money from Elaine Howley for afterwards at the White Horse Pub...check!

...lastly and most importantly, I need to remember to breath (this is very difficult for me sometimes :D)


Bon voyage!!! England Channel, here I come!!!