[3] Red Deer, Alberta

I feel very annoyed this evening. I spent the day at work running around and taking calls and recording numbers for the River Clean-up, which is fine, since my dad organizes it, but it was really tiring. Then I had a last minute "beaver" themed birthday party, so I worked an extra 1 & 1/2 hours more than I really needed. Except that no one else is properly trained/willing to do birthday parties. So the responsibility and the "pleasure" falls to me.

When I came home, I was hoping (based on a call I received from mom about 5:00-ish) that dinner would be ready. But no, she was holding off on making dinner until I returned (since I didn't give a firm time). So I was already tired, annoyed, and hungry, all before 7 o'clock. I set aside tonight to do some more trip planning, and I had been looking at hostel, etc. sights this afternoon during my break. Mom and I booked out bus trip from London to Edinburgh ($128), our bus trip to Stratford-upon-Avon ($72 + $91 tickets to Julius Caesar), and were looking at a London Travel Card (if we even need it) and a Paris Visite Card (we definitely need the 5 zone card). We looked at trains/buses from Edinburgh to St. Andrews, Dundee, and Aberdeen etc., and the cost of the Gatwick Express. I always knew that everything would be very expensive, and I feel horrible about every extra expense we need, especially since mom is paying for the first month of the trip. After that, I only have to worry about my own expenses. And besides, we haven't even factored in our car rentals, food, and our accomodations for the other three weeks of the trip (oh yes, we only have about 2.3 weeks booked so far). This is going to be WAY too expensive :(

So those are my thoughts today. And despite all of this, I feel so excited about all the places I am going to get to visit. Right now my London plans include: London Sightseeing Tour (day one), British Museum (day two), Stratford-upon-Avon (day three), Kew Royal Botanical Gardens + other stuff (day four). That's it. I know I should start looking at Edinburgh stuff, etc., now, but that is theoretically mom's job, though I know she will be overwhelmed, and is not too knowledgeable with this whole internet thing.

Wow, I didn't intend for my rant to be this long. I guess I just needed to voice it (and not to her).