Once Upon a Time, a Girl Named Sonya

Last October, I attended my first of many Research Methods classes. It was the worst.

3 hours we sat and worked through meticulous manual citations. Like, internal citations for quoted research. But on a european keyboard that kept messing me up and without an electronic document, so it was all typed in yourself. 

Hated it. 

My partner for that particular circle of Hell was (and is, kind of) named Sonya. 

Now, it may be because that whole day was shaded by my hatred of the activity that I had no recollection of having gotten on particularly well with Sonya, but she added me on Facebook later that evening. 

Then, over the course of several months, we made a variety of non-plans (the sort of, "hey you wanna do this maybe?" "Oh yah sure maybe!!" but then not actually doing it ever) and chatted about the weather. 

To make a long and virtual story short, we bonded. 

Then, when it came time to plan something for our easter break (the UK takes Easter very seriously. I have a full month off class), she was the obvious choice. Not that I'd seen her since October, but, you know, the internet and all had made us come to believe we were real friends. 

I had a notion for Austria. 

This past summer I'd been talking to a friend who asked me where I would go in Europe if I could go anywhere while I was here. I said, Austria. 

Now, there's no particular reason I said Austria. I know little to nothing about Austria. 

More than anything, I think I like the way the word sounded in my mouth and the idea of telling people I'd traveled there. 

His response was, "Pft. Why on earth would you want to go to Austria?" 

Obviously, I then HAD to go to Austria, just to prove to him that it was awesome and pft his pft. 

She was up for it, so we bought some plane tickets that sandwiched Vienna with Prague, and started to make some plans. 

It was funny. When people would ask who I was going with, I'd tell them Sonya, and they'd say, "Have I seen her around? Pictures of her? Is she in your course?" No, no, and no. 

I started calling her my BFF Sonya, just because of how funny I already knew this trip would be with this human I'd only ever met once in person six months previous.

Friends, ready thyselves for The Travel Tales of Two Tall Girls