"weather hot all well except 11kids without bags-still in amsterdam. Instruments ok. Ciao dr.m"

Message Received Monday, April 5, 8:23 am PDT:

"found all instruments. All kids well.weather holding send money or sleep. 4 orchestra girls found after looking 4 air. Ha. Wish u werehere best from ms hamre"

Message Received Monday, April 5, 8:52 am PDT:

"Once again sitting at 2nd performance great hall.big audience. Rainy cold today. All kids accounted 4. a few with colds.no major crisis.nite train to buda tonite.all willsleep well. A kiiss to all.syour children r well"

Message Received Monday, April 5, 8:56 am PDT (in response to 8:23 message, I wrote "$$$ZZZ", she replied:)

"Thanx and warm clothes.p.s. Did I tell u the food is yum.great czech dinner and folk music and dance."

No messages received on Tuesday, April 6.

Message Received from a student, Wednesday, April 7, 11:47 am PDT:

"So far we have been to all three places. we got to vienna today, and we were only in budapest one day and we got there by train. the train was really bumpy and crowded, but at least we slept through it. the flight here took FOREVER and there was so much turbulence. i got really sick and the food looked like it had already been vommited up. it was salmon. the cities have all been beautiful and they all look so old fashioned, nothing like LA. I miss both of you, but i have been having a lot of fun. sorry I could not write sooner, but I have not had a chance. I don't have much time left on the computer, so I have to go."

Message Received from a parent, Wednesday, April 7, 10:11 pm PDT:

"I have gotten two calls from my daughter in Prague and in Pest. Said she was woken up at 4 a.m. on the train when they crossed the border. She said people came banging on the train door looking for passports, which they didn't have. She said it took about an hour to sort it all out."

"I am having lots of fun and all the cities are beautiful, especially Prague. We took a train to Budapest and it was really bumpy and squished but still fun. I really don't like the food here and I haven't had much to eat, but everything is really oily. The rooms are nice but the showers are cold. We have been taking lots of pictures and I can't wait to show you."

2 Messages Received from Kathy Kumagai, Thursday, April 8, 11: 35 pm PDT:

"Dr. Mascola's phone is receiving, but not sending email. She asked me to send zou a message.
Kathz Kumagai"

"Hi,
We found out that Dutch bus drivers do not always know the way from Budapest to Vienna. After a 45 minute detour we made it to Vienna in time for our appointment to tour the State Opera House. Kids and parents were enthralled. A small group of kids and parents left the main group at dinner to brave the standing room only lines at the >Opera House to return that evening to watch the ballet. They all made it back to the hotel safely. Yesterday was a side trip via bus to the Abbey of Melk overlooking the Danube River about 1 hour from Vienna. Dinner was at a "heuringer" (winery restaurant...sans wine for kids) near the Vienna Woods. Kids had loaded plates of sausages, ham, chicken, cabbage, cauliflower (first vegetables in a few dazs)! Fantastic! Todaz is the final performance at Schonbrunn Palace, the childhood home of Marie Antoinette. Wake up call for most flights home is 3 AM. Expect tired kids!
Kathy Kumagai (struggling with an Austrian kezboard)"

Message Received from a parent, Friday, April 9, 10:38 am PDT:

"My daughter called several times and said most of the same info that has already been posted. She called me about an hour ago and said they are having dinner in a rotating restaurant. Afterwards they return to the hotel to go to bed and get up at 2:30am to ride to the airport and check in for their 7:00am flight."