Airports, airports, airports.

Before any great journey can begin, you have to get there first. So, as guessed, for the first leg of our journey we tour through airports. Shortly before rushing off to Charlotte, several of the pilgrims pointed out that Bridget, one of the pilgrims had not arrived yet. After games phone tag, cards, and trips for water our entire group was united. As we kissed our families good-bye for a second time we started our journey.

On our first trip from Atlanta to Charlotte some passengers figured that this whole airplane thing was going to be very hard. Several were convinced otherwise on the EIGHT HOUR flight from Charlotte to Munich. With all sorts of shenanigans occurring from system reboots to fly aerobics (not to be confused with pew aerobics) to crying babies little sleep was had by all. Despite the lack of sleep one of the virtues of the trip was being able to look outside the window and see the effects of a sunrise from above the clouds. It was a beautiful deep red glow filling the clouds with the smudge of Earth's horizon in the distance. This was described in the moment eloquently with phrases such as "Whoa, that's cool man" and "It looks all glowey."

Now that we have arrived in Munich, pilgrims and chaperones alike have gone on mad hunts for food, taken to sprawling out across chairs and playing games of hackey sack. As Tim practices yoga by the window, and Whit goes for a run through the airport several sleepy pilgrims are confused by the amount of energy that could possibly be had. So, now we wait to board our flight to Izmir and hop on the Turkey leg of our pilgrimage to begin.

Catherine Laseter