From Ireland to Austria Series: "Are You Excited?"

This is from a series originally posted on my original blog: Seefahrer Thayer. While I don't recommend it, you can view the original posts here. Because the content had value and useful tips I've decided to repost them here, however, they've since been heavily edited and updated.

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It's expectantly been a pretty common question, and I think it's about time I address it.
It's a question I've answered with gnashed teeth, a polite smile, and semi-avoidant eyes, and here's why. 

There's way too much that can happen between now and the time I leave. Just try and convince me all of Europe can't just sink into the ocean within the time frame of my 14-hour flight. My friend Lacey and I concocted every unfortunate demise the continent could face in that amount of time. And I realized I'd be completely prepared for it to occur, with no sense of surprise or disappointment. If, on my flight to Dublin, the pilot comes over the speaker and says, "well folks, looks like we're out of gas, and have nowhere to land because Ireland has been bombarded with asteroids, and now all that's left is a raging inferno." I'd probably be more startled that they're still not going to pass around the credit card brochures.

So I expect that. Or nuclear war. Or maybe an alien attack.

Yeah, I'm excited, but it's hard to imagine myself there, and I'm still too convinced that just about anything can go wrong between now and then.