A map

We have a map on the wall, and it's got lots of dots in it as to where we want to go, no route just dots. So I've transfered all those little dots into a google map, and saved it, so I 'should' be able to put the map up here for you all too see.  AND the clever bit is that it should update as we mess with it.

View Our Holiday in a larger map

It's all booked up!

Well, we started with the flights and worked from there.  We fly BA from terminal 5, at half ten in the morning, so best we stop over the night before. So a hotel, Premier Inn, booked, sorted.
We need to get to London, lets make life easy, get the train, as we will be in North Wales, not Bloody Likely! at over 200 pounds it'll be cheaper to hire a car one way, so that's booked now too and nice and easy thanks to Hertz on line.
Now for the 'other' end, a hotel and a car for a week I think, hopefully will give us time to find what we need, Hertz again, prepayed and it's done, and it's costing double what we paid for one day for the week, go figure.
Finally the hotel, Hilton, just down the road from the RV place, 'special' pay in advance fee, that's twenty bucks cheaper than the walk in off the street fee? Don't mind if I do.
So that's us all covered, drive, sleep, fly, drive, sleep
Whoop Whoop!
/Adam

OMFG...

So, the car is sold

Now we can by some tickets....   errrr for when?

So, off to do some digging, we need the Gratuity money to pay for the RV, the money 'could' take up to 30 days to turn up after my "out date" (July 13th), then 5 to transfer, so we are looking at, sensibly, 35 days after my "out date" to fly out...  then to get to Las Vegas by the 27th August....  never going to happen.
So before July then....mmmmm...4th of July in America....Yes please...

So, the solution, borrow some money and pay it back with the gratuity, we could then leave before the money comes in and start the 'holiday' early.  So can we borrow some money please, yes of course you can says the young lady in the bank! right, done...  wedge of cash in the bank, thank you very much!

So, again, Now we can buy some tickets.....  errr for when?

There's no work or training type commitments from the beginning of June, but we are house/dog sitting 'till the 23rd.  So after the 23rd...  30th?  Cool....

So, the flights are booked and paid for!

We fly June 30th, Heathrow, Terminal 5!

OMFG!

/Adam

It's gone.....

In 1991 I bought my first car, a Toyota.  I've always had a car since then, sometimes more than one, sometimes complemented by a motorbike, but tonight I sold my car.  I don't have a replacement, that isn't mine anyways, we have the wife's car, but thats hers not mine.

When we were planning the trip, in the early stages we decided we didn't need to have two cars, especially whilst we are out of the country.  The decision was made to sell one of the cars, mine.  Ali's car is going to be more practical upon our return so we are going to keep it, her little sister is going to look after it whilst we are away.

So, now that it's gone we have the cash required to buy our flight tickets, and this will be the next big thing as that will then put some dates in the calendar that can't be moved.  Now it's just to work out that date....

/Adam

Their here....

Well the infamous American visas turned up Monday lunchtime...
A nice courier brought them to our door.
I have to say I'm a little disappointed... there was no unwrapping of an elaborately decorated box....no exploding confetti made of tiny US flags and most definitely no device playing the American national anthem concealed inside our security tagged poly bag.....bah....
But the visas are here... with our ugly mugs stuck to them and "United States Of America" printed in bold red letters across the top....that was enough for me i suppose...though i may contact the Embassy and suggest the above delivery packaging....

Ali.

visa a go go!

Ok people....
Its really real now....
The American Government have officially welcomed us with open arms to their country...
Yes, after 2 hours of traveling, 2 1/2 hours waiting to be checked in and then another 1 hour wait for a 5 to 6 minute interview, the man at the American Embassy, he say YES...
Our visas have been authorised and will be winging their way to us via courier in the next three to five days. Im not sure the Americans know whats coming, although the man who interviewed us may have got a glimpse of the crazy lady he is letting lose in his homeland as I couldn't stop saying thank you and grinning like a....well a crazy lady...in fact I find myself doing it now, as I type.
Its really real now...wait I said that already...ha.. see..........

Now gaining access to the American Embassy is not as easy as it sounds. Online forms have to be filled in and followed up by a call to the embassy to book your interview. Now the website and the lady on the end of the line both stipulate that any and all electrical devices are strictly prohibited and entry will be denied if any are found on your person. So we decided that rather than having the hassle of storing our phones at Waterloo station when we arrived we would leave them at home, happy in the knowledge that we would not be stopped on entry...
Waiting in line for the checkpoint wasn't too long. A nice lady stood at the end of the que with plastic bags (like at the airport) insisted we took off our watches, belts and keys and put them in the bags for scanning. On producing my house keys I was told I couldn't take them in as I had a car key with a battery in it on the fob....
Arrrggggggg....
She pointed to a chemist sign a couple a hundred yards down the street and told me the would store it for me......leaving Adam in line i ran to the chemist only to find every man and his wife doing exactly the same thing... they where very quick though as they understood the urgency. (and cashing in £3 for every numpty like me). Returning to the line slightly embarrassed they let me join Adam..
Once inside all items where handed over to the lady on the scanning machine...
"No..........there is something in your bag mam"...
No there isnt.
"Yes ther is...please empty your bag mam"
There isnt i just got rid of my keys
"Im sorry mam but you need to empty your bag"
oh for goodness sake.....
Oh....my works car keys.... bugger...im really sorry.. i didn't realise i had them...
"Please exit the building mam. You may secure your keys but you are NOT entering WITH them"......

OMG....OMG....OMG....I have never run so fast in my life...back to the que at the chemist....

Now VERY embarrest i was scanned again and let through. We took a number and sat down....
Lets just say Adam was not a happy bunny..

But all systems are now a go. The hard part is behind us. Insurance and tickets to book and thats it. America here we come...
Well, appart from emptying the rest of the house,
transporting it to various friends and family around the country,
cancelling all our bank accounts except the new joint UK and American ones,
telling my work im leaving,
adams leaving do,
his 2 x three week training courses for resettlement,
looking after a friends house for 2 weeks while they go on holiday,
settling "The Boys" at the in-laws and traveling the width and breadth of England to say a farewell to folks.....
so not much really......Ha......

Ali x