We're off!!

0400 - We're off.

Well, actually it's closer to 0500. Right now, there are 44 passengers on the bus but that includes the standby driver Carlo.

Jim is driving - to start. He's got the satellite radio going and Creedence Clearwater Revival is singing Down on the corner". Despite the hour, the students are all still chatty ... But we'll see how long that lasts.

First stop - Customs. Too bad that Connor Maloney had to go inside for"Secondary Inspection". They really must have been tough on him ... he couldn't even make it back to his seat before falling flat on his face in the aisle.

Ms. Williams played a bit of hardball with the t-shirt supplier - so now we can wear the shirt without shame; after all, where the heck is "Florance"? In L'ltalla?

Panic Score - 1 for Mr. Williams' (nearly) lost Blackberry.

Later ...

We sure took them by surprise at the Marathon/Arby's in Grayling. There they were, going quietly about their business early on a Wednesday morning, when in rolls a bus with 43 customers. SURPRISE!

I now know two things for certain ... I'm number "5"; and when counting to 43, skipping any numbers is a bad thing.

Later that same day ... On I-75

We're an hour and-a-half from the DTW (Detroit Metro) Airport. Many of the "43" are starting to realize that they won't be able to carry through Security the containers of juice and water they've brought along for the trip. I anticipate heavy utilization of the bus' washroom over the next little bit.

We had lunch with Bob Evans ... what a nice fellow. My mother always used to say that our house was not a restaurant ... and that I had to eat whatever she prepared. Bob's house wasn't like that.

Happy Birthday Holly.