Believe it or not, we're less than 90 days away from our departure for Sydney. Of course, to complicate matters, we're adding new challenges into our life - we're trying to orchestrate a move from Charlotte, NC to Portland, OR, sell our house in Charlotte, and buy a new home in Portland. Trying to make all that work and take advantage of the tax credit for new home ownership, etc. is just about enough to make my head spin!
Our 9 year old daughter is having second thoughts - she has decided that flying for nearly 24 hours might not be so bad after all, so now she's asking to join us. I have to gently remind her that she still has school in May, so she won't be traveling around the world. Instead, I've promised her a trip to Canada once we relocate to the Pacific Northwest - hope that assuages her, but I fear she will find Canada (despite its beauty) to pale in comparison once she sees our photos from Sydney...
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Finally got with the program...
Well - on December 31 I finally did what I've been trying to do for months - submit my expired passport for renewal and get a fresh one.
On January 10 (yes - only 10 days after applying for renewal) the US government issued my new passport and mailed it to me. Whoever said that the government is slow about everything obviously hasn't worked with whomever processed my passport renewal! So I've got my passport, and now I'm ready to go - except for this little thing called a visa. When I went to England years ago, they didn't require me to have a Visa, unless it was issued by my bank, and I was heartily encouraged to bring that one so I could spend all my money in their country.
Apparently Australia requires one visa (a tourist visa for visiting) and encourages the bank issued Visa for spending money!
We've decided that we're going to stay in the CBD (That's Central Business District for those of us that are acronym challenged) in Sydney, and use that as our central jumping off point. We have day trips planned to the Blue Mountains and the beach - maybe Manly Beach and maybe Bondi Beach...Should be fun.
Other than that, we're still trying to firm up specifics for what to see. Since Australia was once a penal colony, I want to go see some of the old prisons/barracks/etc. My wife says she's game for that - I only hope she doesn't threaten to take me to some scrapbooking shop while we're there. She can buy paper in the US just as well as in the land down under, right?
Signing off for now - I'll try to post again in a few days or when something noteworthy happens :)
On January 10 (yes - only 10 days after applying for renewal) the US government issued my new passport and mailed it to me. Whoever said that the government is slow about everything obviously hasn't worked with whomever processed my passport renewal! So I've got my passport, and now I'm ready to go - except for this little thing called a visa. When I went to England years ago, they didn't require me to have a Visa, unless it was issued by my bank, and I was heartily encouraged to bring that one so I could spend all my money in their country.
Apparently Australia requires one visa (a tourist visa for visiting) and encourages the bank issued Visa for spending money!
We've decided that we're going to stay in the CBD (That's Central Business District for those of us that are acronym challenged) in Sydney, and use that as our central jumping off point. We have day trips planned to the Blue Mountains and the beach - maybe Manly Beach and maybe Bondi Beach...Should be fun.
Other than that, we're still trying to firm up specifics for what to see. Since Australia was once a penal colony, I want to go see some of the old prisons/barracks/etc. My wife says she's game for that - I only hope she doesn't threaten to take me to some scrapbooking shop while we're there. She can buy paper in the US just as well as in the land down under, right?
Signing off for now - I'll try to post again in a few days or when something noteworthy happens :)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Do people know anything about Australia?
Join us now as we check out questions and answers on an Australian tourism Web site.
Q: Which direction is north in Australia? (From the U.S.)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here, and we'll send the rest of the directions.
Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (U.S.)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.
Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney -- can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles; take lots of water.
Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (U.S.)
A:
A-fri-ca is the big triangle-shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not ... oh, forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (U.S.)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is ... oh, forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year-round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.
Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (U.S.)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (U.S.)
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
Q: I have developed a new product tha!
t is the
fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (U.S.)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.
Q: Which direction is north in Australia? (From the U.S.)
A: Face south and then turn 180 degrees. Contact us when you get here, and we'll send the rest of the directions.
Q: Will I be able to see kangaroos in the street? (U.S.)
A: Depends how much you've been drinking.
Q: I want to walk from Perth to Sydney -- can I follow the railroad tracks? (Sweden)
A: Sure, it's only three thousand miles; take lots of water.
Q: Can you give me some information about hippo racing in Australia? (U.S.)
A:
A-fri-ca is the big triangle-shaped continent south of Europe. Aus-tra-lia is that big island in the middle of the Pacific which does not ... oh, forget it. Sure, the hippo racing is every Tuesday night in Kings Cross. Come naked.
Q: Can you send me the Vienna Boys' Choir schedule? (U.S.)
A: Aus-tri-a is that quaint little country bordering Ger-man-y, which is ... oh, forget it. Sure, the Vienna Boys Choir plays every Tuesday night in Kings Cross, straight after the hippo races. Come naked.
Q: Are there supermarkets in Sydney and is milk available all year-round? (Germany)
A: No, we are a peaceful civilization of vegan hunter/gatherers. Milk is illegal.
Q: Please send a list of all doctors in Australia who can dispense rattlesnake serum. (U.S.)
A: Rattlesnakes live in A-meri-ca, which is where YOU come from. All Australian snakes are perfectly harmless, can be safely handled and make good pets.
Q: I have a question about a famous animal in Australia, but I forget its name. It's a kind of bear and lives in trees. (U.S.)
A: It's called a Drop Bear. They are so called because they drop out of gum trees and eat the brains of anyone walking underneath them. You can scare them off by spraying yourself with human urine before you go out walking.
Q: I have developed a new product tha!
t is the
fountain of youth. Can you tell me where I can sell it in Australia? (U.S.)
A: Anywhere significant numbers of Americans gather.
Q: Do you celebrate Christmas in Australia? (France)
A: Only at Christmas.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
6 months to go before trip...
Got the tickets from Charlotte to Sydney for my wife and I. The kids are most disappointed that they're not going - until they hear that it is a 5 hour flight to Los Angeles, a 13 hour flight to Auckland, New Zealand, and then a 4 hour flight to Syndey. They suddenly seem relieved that they aren't going to have to sit on aircraft for 22 hours...
Now - on to the next important thing...Passports! The wife has hers, but I don't have mine yet - just a formality; I had one years ago, now it just needs to be renewed...
We leave on May 28, 2010 for Sydney - this is my wife's first trip out of the country, and my first in over 15 years.
Now - on to the next important thing...Passports! The wife has hers, but I don't have mine yet - just a formality; I had one years ago, now it just needs to be renewed...
We leave on May 28, 2010 for Sydney - this is my wife's first trip out of the country, and my first in over 15 years.
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