Friends, it's that time again.... time for adventuresome red-headed mice everywhere to jump the pond to the magical land we call Europe. Specifically Germany and Austria. Alas, Country Mouse will not be joining City Mouse (CM) for this journey (for she will be joing her zimmer-mice in the land we call Kentucky.) But have no fear, we have a new traveling companion along for this wanderlust installment. May I introduce to you my dear friend, Jon.

Jon is a great guy. Jon is a smart guy. An intellectual some might say. (did I spell that right?)... anyhoo... Jon writes a great blog, check it out, it will make you smarter: http://theosproject.blogspot.com/

In keeping with the "rodent theme" of this travel blog I needed to assign Jon an alias. He requested to be the Dirty Rat, but it just doesn't suit him. As is often the case, NPR came to my rescue. I heard an interesting clip on what is know as the Meadow Vole. (Here is the link, in case you want to follow my reasoning: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94194990) . Good stuff, that NPR. SO, from this point forward Jon is no longer know as Jon, only as the Meadow Vole (MV).

It is now 1am. we are leaving in 9.5 hours and counting...both City Mouse and Meadow Vole have yet to start packing...and someone, (cough, aaron) thought it would be a good idea to do tequila shots tonight. I hope MV is in better shape than me right now.

So with that, I say Auf Wiedersehen. See you on the other side of the world....City Mouse