Missing my Boy

It’s been a long week at the Butler house. And I am sure it will be a long three and a half month for me. Our oldest son Hagen left on Sunday April 26th for the adventure of a life time. He is Backpacking Europe with three friends.
It has been quit an adventure for me. From trying to help him pack. To crying when he left and then again when I did not hear for him on Monday. His adventure starts at SLC airport. His flight was to leave at 11:00 am and was delayed three hours. Once on the plane they were to go to Chicago but had to do an emergency stop to fuel for gas in Illinois. After another three hour delay once in Chicago they had missed their connecting flight to Philadelphia. They walked back and forth between two airlines – neither airlines desiring to take on the responsibility of their situation, Finally after four hours United gave them a flight to London and then on to Dublin. Once in Dublin they were treated to their first surprise of many to come: No luggage! Their backpacks were lost in transit. They finally got them on Tuesday
I am sure that was really hard for them, since Hagen’s backpack consist of three pair of shorts, three shirts, three pair of underwear, three pair of socks and a extra pair of shoe, bathroom essentials, a sleeping bag and a child’s size blanket. Totaling 40lbs to be carried everywhere he goes. I forgot he did carry on a tent and a little bag with a book, I pod and treats.
I have loved face book, this is the one way Hagen has contacted us. His iPod has wifi on it. So if you have face book you will think that I am online all day. Well not really, I log on in the morning and turn my volume up so I can hear that deep. If you don’t have face book, than that deep means Hagen is online and I can chat with him live. It is so good to see him say Hi Mom. Needless to say face book has saved us a lot of money on international calling.
This is their tentative schedule:

April 26th Fly to Dublin Ireland

Dublin, Ireland April 27-May 1st

Cork, Ireland May 2nd-5th

London, England May 5th-10th

Porto, Portugal May 10th-14th

Lisbon, Portugal May 14th-17th

Cordoba, Spain May 17th-19th

Madrid, Spain May 19th-21st

Valencia, Spain May 21st-23rd

Barcelona, Spain May 23rd-26th

Toulouse, France May 26th-28th

Bordeaux, France May 28th-31st

Tours, France May 31st- June 1st

Orleans, France June 1st-2nd

Paris, France June 2nd-6th

Luxembourg, Luxembourg June 6th-9th

From Luxembourg they will see most of western
Germany.

Brussels, Belgium June 9th-13th

Amsterdam, Netherlands June 13th-16th

Bruges, Belgium June 16th-18th

Then back to Luxembourg June 19th Fly from Frankfurt to Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm, Sweden June 19th-22nd

Osio, Norway June 23rd-25th

Copenhagen, Denmark June 27th-30th

Hamburg, Germany?

Berlin, Germany June 30th- July 2nd

Prague, Czech Republic July 3rd-7th

Zurich, Switzerland July 8th-11th

Bern, Switzerland July 9th-11th

Interlocken, Switzerland July 11th-12th

Milan, Italy July 12th-13th

Turin, Italy July 13th-15th

Venice, Italy July 16th-20th

Firenze, Italy July 21st-23rd

Naples, Italy July 26th-27th

Sorrento via La Contora, Italy July 27th-29th

Brindisi, Italy July 29th (12 hour ferry ride to Patrai, Greece)

Patrai, Greece July 30th-31st

Corinth, Greece July 31st- August 1st

Athens/Delphi August 1st-4th

And then back home to see his Mommy!