Our cab arrived at 2::45 AM, we lugged our packs downstairs and loaded them into the trunk. Inside the cab was stuffy and over heated, I tried in vain to roll down the windows but apparently cab companies are control freaks and reserve the power to open and close the windows for the drivers.

As we rolled down the quiet streets and onto the highway I was struck with this other side of Seattle; Quiet, shrouded in shadows, and inhabited by an entirely different population than the Seattle I am accustom to. With the Space Needle shrinking behind us and people hunkering down under the overpasses I am reminded that I am in love with this city.

Our flight took to the sky at 5:45 AM, I was grateful that I hadn't bothered to sleep the night before. I usually can't sleep on planes but fortunately this trip proved to be different. I woke up just long enough to shuffle between gates in Denver to board the next plane, and then awoke in Chicago.

O'Haire International airport feels like a personal gateway of sorts. Almost every international flight I have ever taken has brought me through the multicolored neon walkway that connects concourses. Mexico, Australia, England, and Belgium have all sent me down the moving walkways and this trip is no different.

After a lunch of falafel sandwiches we fell in line to be hearded through security at the international concourse. I am slightly amused and slightly appalled at the TSA agent that was yelling at people to stand behind the line, chastising them that there is a sign and "can't they read". Perhaps the agent has forgotten that many foreigners can read English about as

well as I can read Japanese (I can recognize exactly 2 Kanji symbols). With two hours to kill before our plane departed we payed homage to the midwest with a beer and some cheeze/pretzle combos.

The flight to Dublin was fortunately unremarkable; we watched a remake of "Arthur", an episode of "30 Rock", and slept the rest of the way. As we began our decent over the Emerald Isle, I was overwhelmed by the moment. With the farmland and city stretched out below us, I reflected on the past 4 years that led us to that moment. It has been 4 years of challenges,

disapointments,and accomplishments. I couldn't help but tear up a little, knowing that I have had some amazing support from friends, family, and my partner in crime, Brad.

Our plane touched down at 7:45 AM local time, and so our Ireland adventure began.