Today bounding main was presented with challange coins by the master chief of the hospital. Later tonight I was presented with my own by Lt Darin Keeter for my support role to the group.

I am deeply touched.

Wow, we have been singing all the way from Amsterdam to our next host. People took turns leading and everyone else jumped in as they could.
I even got up enough courage to lead a couple. I did ambletown and after the first verse Bounding Main chimed in with a beautiful harmony. David taped it… I’m admitedly scared to see that tape…

We just stopped at one of the pumping stations.

We stopped this morning to get a new phone card for Jon. I figured it might be with looking to see if they had chargers. Sure enough they had an iGo display and I picked up a travel kit. I can once again charge the iPod and phone. Happy day!

Crap, I accidentially destroyed my batter charger we use for my AA batteries and the iPod/cell phone. I accitentally reversed polarity on the car. I hope I can find one today.

On the road again. At the nederland border.

I’m currently sitting in a German pub with a new friend from Poland, maggoe, David, and jon. Two tables over is a shanty group from Ireland, they are singing traditional songs, we join in when we can, and it is just fantastic.

Oh my god,David and I just got back from the 3 hour and still going all sing shanty singout.
Imagine around 80 shanty singers all singing their hearts out. It was incredible, absolutly incredible.

This night was one of the best nights in my life. Just wow! ! ! Overwhelming shanty goodness!

It’s now Saturday afternoon and bounding main has performed two shows and a few hit and run sets in the street. At the moment the girls and jon are at the Internet cafe doing internet stuff. I’m sitting in the hotel lobby trying to not fall asleep.
I’m really enjoying Germany a lot. I wish I had learned german as it is really annoying me when people ask me questions and I don’t know what they are saying. It’s also very hard to find “still water” as everything here is carbonated mineral water.

It’s funny, some of my favorite vegitation back home appears to be very common here too.

More to come.

It’s Saturday morning and we are on the way to the festival!

Today we spent the morning and early afternoon in Bremin. I got to see the statue of the Bremin town musicians. We wandered all over and saw a lot of wonderfull shops and buildings. Some of the building even date back to the 11th century.
We just ate at a wonderful little biestro where I had the Normandy pot, a dish with pork and a great sauce.

We are currently driving on the autobahn making our way to Brimin. How cool! I’m in Germany!

Hey we just flew over Bristol, England. The real one even.

We landed safely. More once I’ve had so rest.

We just flew over Niagra falls. Pretty neat!

At the airport with Bounding Main.

Here it is, the morning of the big trip. It seems so very unreal yet. I’m sure the reality will set in once the 20 some hours of the initial traveling is under way. Right now I just need to shower, dress and drink a bottle of pepto… I woke up apparently having let my nerves churn my stomach into a frenzy… The perfect way to start a trip…

I am so very thankful this storm / power outage hit while I was still here and not while I was in Germany.

Let there be light…
And there was light.

Ugh, while still remarkably dark and wonderfully silent I am not enjoying the rack that my bedroom has reached 90 plus degrees.

Come on ComEd. Please work faster!