This will be the first time that I have written a blog, so it is appropriate that it starts just 21 hours before we leave for Russia.

We will be driving from here to Minneapolis, then flying to JFK at 7:00 tomorrow morning, followed by the hop to Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport tomorrow afternoon. The final leg is just a short 90-minute hop to Kazan. For those who are unaware, Kazan is 9 hours ahead of Eau Claire, so arriving there at 5:00 p.m. will feel like 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning -- with very little sleep!

More anon.