It’s Official August 31, 2007

We have our one-way tickets to Australia!

We leave Atlanta November 10th, fly to Honolulu, spend 3 nights in Honolulu and then fly to Sydney the morning of November 13th. We don’t have flights from Sydney to the Gold Coast yet, but will get them shortly. We could have flown to the Gold Coast from Honolulu, but the only flight option we had gave us a 2 1/2 hour layover in Sydney. When you get to Sydney on an international flight and then have a connection, you have to get your luggage, go through customs, get a bus to the domestic terminal and then go back through security. I didn’t think 2 1/2 hours would be a long enough layover, so we just got a flight to Sydney and will get a late flight out of Sydney to the Gold Coast.

In any case, it’s official, we have our flights…we will be in Australia in 10 weeks…

US Open August 31, 2007

I’ve been in front of the TV all day watching the US Open. Stepanek and Djokovic are in a 5th set tie breaker and approaching 5 hours on court. Both have cramped, they’re in their 3rd tie breaker…its just heart breaking that one of them won’t go on. And it is looking like Stepanek will be that one. Aww. I don’t think I’ve seen excitement like this over a second round match.

On a side note, I think there should be a limit on how many times the server should be allowed to bounce the ball prior to serving. I know the commentators counted up to 19 at one point, but I swear other times it was more than 20 bounces. It should be called a fault after … say 10 bounces I think.

Another side note, it is great to see them embrace after a match like that rather than just shake hands at the net. This kid, Djokovich that won, had to retire in the Wimbledon semi-finals against Nadal because he’d had 5 matches in 5 days that went 4 sets or more, and had 3 or more tie-breakers in each set. He has to be one of the fittest guys out there.

Moving to Australia With Your Dog August 30, 2007

I know moving is stressful, period. Whether you move 1 mile away or 10,000 miles away. But have you ever moved to another country? If you have, then you know how ridiculously complicated it can be. If you haven’t, then you should try it! And if it’s not stressful enough for just you to move, try taking a husband and a dog.

As it turns out, getting the husband a visa to enter Australia with eligibility for healthcare and permission to seek employment was much easier than it will be to get our dog an entry permit. The Australian department of immigration and quarantine has a 19-page document online for people trying to import a dog or cat. I think I have read this document at least 6 times now, trying to ingrain the information into my mind.

I know our first step is to get her microchipped and to get a rabies shot. We’ve taken her for her yearly vet visits to get all her vaccinations and checkups, but when we took her in for her rabies vac in 2006, they gave her a shot that apparently is good for 3 years. I highly doubt that is going to fly with the Australian government, so she’s going to need another. After that is done, we can get the RNATT (titre) test done, but it has to be done by a USDA accredited vet, which of course is not listed anywhere online. “Your veterinarian should be aware if they are USDA accredited or not.” Ok, great, but their receptionists, turns out, are not.

So once a USDA vet has done the titre test, the results can be mailed to, or you can make an appointment with, the one USDA area office in the state, to have it “endorsed”. THEN you can apply for the import permit for your animal. Keeping up so far?

Once that is done, there are a series of other tests that must be done starting at least 150 days out to ensure the minimum of 30 days quarantine upon arrival in Australia. This is where the information stops burying into my brain. There are other tests and shots that need to be done at least 60 days out, 45 days out, 30 days out, 3 days out from departure. And I believe the day before or the day OF departure, there’s another examination that has to be done.

So once you have all these steps taken care of, there’s the actual transportation to think about. I’m guessing all of the above to cost approximately $500. The first quote we got for the actual shipment of our dog, door-to-door, was “$12,900 – $13,000″. Because you know, if it’s $12,900 we’ll think about it, but we’re definitely out at $13,000. I then procured another quote of a little over $4,000. That is much more feasible, but still a lot of money when you’re on a tight budget.

Then there are the quarantine fees of approximately $17/day for a minimum of 30 days. Again, that’s assuming all the aforementioned shots and tests are done properly and in the correct time frame. There could be a maximum of 6 months quarantine (for those of you doing the math, that’s approx. $3,060).

THEN you can get your furbaby out of quarantine and take her home, hoping that she is not too pissed at you to give you the love and kisses she used to give, prior to this traumatic 6 month (or longer) torture.

Oh, I forgot to mention that there are only 3 quarantine stations in Australia. Yes, a country almost the size of the United States in square mileage has only 3 quarantine stations. It’s essentially the equivalent of having one in Miami (FL), New York (NY), and LA (CA). I also failed to mention that said stations are currently FULL and reservations should be made at least five months in advance. We have DEFINITELY left it too late to take her at the same time we go.

As a comparison, for my husband’s visa we filled out about 22 pages of applications and mailed them, along with certified copies of passports, birth certificates, military discharge papers, 3 passport sized photos and 2 personal statements to the Australian Embassy in Washington DC and received the grant notice along with his visa in his passport in a matter of 7 weeks.

We have no idea how our dog will even cope with the travel or the quarantine, but I do know that having her with us in Australia is what feels right. There are about 3 people I would really trust to take her from us, and none of them can take her. I don’t see any other option. But who wouldn’t go through all of the above for a face like this:

Labor Day August 28, 2007

What are your plans for Labor Day? We have none yet. Most likely we’ll be staying home and doing more research about Europe – hotels, sites, transportation, etc. I actually have four days off work, so that’s an awful lot of research. Perhaps I will come up with a packing list and go buy whatever we need that’s not on it. Do you see a theme in this blog?? Maybe I’ll finally book our one way flights to Australia…

Jordache? August 27, 2007

More shopping! I wonder if I should have put a “shopping” budget in this European trip…

We went to the mall yesterday specifically to go to Mori luggage so we could get some luggage tags and some passport holders, etc. We got on the escalator heading down, and noticed a sign out front “Closed”. As in permanently! So we went to Macy’s only to realize that there is no way we are buying luggage from Macy’s, even at 50% off!

So walking past the women’s clothing, which I can never just walk straight past because, well, because I have an addiction. So I spotted a rack of jeans and took a peak. They had LONG sizes! That is so rare. I tried a few pair on and really liked one of them. The brand was “Jordache”. I thought, “I have seen this brand somewhere before.” It wasn’t a $120 pair of jeans like Lucky brand or 7 or whatever they are. But they were, I thought, $50. That’s a lot of money for me to spend on jeans. Plus they’re at Macy’s so they have to be a somewhat decent brand.

So Mike took them out of my hands and went to pay for them while I continued perusing the sale items. Who can resist a 65% off rack?!  Turns out they were not $50, they were $70! But on sale for $65! Oops. And it also turns out that Jordache was huge in the 80s and also sold at Walmart, Target and KMart. I THINK. I might be confusing it with “Cherokee”. Now I have no idea.

In any case, I have a new pair of jeans that FIT. That means I am up to 3 pairs of jeans for Europe, which I think will be enough. I am fairly certain I will wear them everywhere.

I can’t help but think of “New Kids On The Block” and stone wash tapered denim when I think of “Jordache” but the pair I have kicks ass.

Sketchy August 23, 2007

I went to Kohls today. Boy I don’t know what I’ll do without that place when we get to Australia!! I ended up buying (3) 3/4 length shirts, 2 pairs of shoes and a pair of jeans. I am pretty sure I could go home right now and pack for Europe and leave. One of the pairs of shoes is a pair of Sketchers. They felt very soft and very comfortable in the store, but unfortunately were only available in brown. So I bought them, because when you have a size 11 foot, you take what you can get. So I just found them in BLACK online. And ordered them! I will have to return the brown ones this weekend. Hopefully I will be able to wear them for many hours at a time, many days in a row.

Last night we went to REI and we bought Mike a duffle bag that rolls and also has backpack straps. It also has a smaller day-pack zipped on to the front/top of the duffle so you can unzip it and use it for sightseeing, etc. We also got some inflatable neck support pillow things for the plane/train rides and a water container you fill and stick in your backpack and then drink out of a tube from. Apparently in Australia they’re called “bladders”. Charming. “What are you drinking out of?” “My bladder.” Gross.

Now all we need are some plane tickets…

A Search August 22, 2007

Today I went in search of pants. After looking up the average temperatures in London, Paris and Rome for the month of October, I realized I could safely ship all my shorts to Australia because I won’t be needing them in Europe! So off I went to see if I could find an extra pair of jeans as well as a couple of pair of pants.

I went to Old Navy. I used to be able to walk into Old Navy and find at least *one* thing I liked. I think I have officially out-grown that store. It’s just cheap, teenie-bopper stuff. With the exception of one coat that I liked that I think would be perfect for the trip. But as far as pants and shirts go, you get what you pay for, and those $6.99 shirts are barely worth that!

I tried on a pair of jeans that were just awful. No more information needed! I also tried on a pair of twill pants in a 12 and a 14. The 12 I could barely do up, the 14 was way to big. So what gives?

On to Kohls. I found a pair of jeans that I *really* like, but again fell somewhere between a 12 and 14. The 14 was long enough but a little big (and would just get bigger) and the 12 was probably a good fit but about an inch too short. Damn being 5′10. My hope is that all the walking we’ll do around Europe will make me lose about 10 lbs in which case the 12s will be perfect (still an inch too short though, unless Europe makes me shrink an inch too!) and the 14s way too big. The jeans I tried on at Old Navy were a “long” size and they were TOO long (part of the reason they were just awful). But what if I wash and dry the 12s and they don’t stretch back out or they shrink in length? Do you see my dilemma?

And of course all the stores like Eddie Bauer and Banana Republic who offer “tall” sizes only sells “tall” online. Well that doesn’t help me at all. I have to try stuff on and I don’t want to wait for them to ship this stuff, get it, try it on, hate it and have to ship it back. I’m getting tired just typing all this. 

I think I’ll just get the 12s in the jeans I liked. Maybe losing 10 pounds will make them sit lower on my waist.

Scratched! August 21, 2007

The cruise is officially scratched. As is Geneva. The cruise will not be replaced, dates will be moved up, and Geneva will be replaced by either Lucerne, Bern or possibly Interlaken. Have a recommendation? Post it in the comments below!

The Plan. Tentatively. August 21, 2007

October 9:  Depart Atlanta

October 10:  Arrive Manchester, United Kingdom. Train to Swindon.

October 11-16:  Swindon and surrounding areas (Bath, Oxford, Stratford, etc.).

October 16:  Depart Swindon, Arrive London.

October 16-20:  London activities (Big Ben/Parliament, London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Tower Bridge,etc.).

October 20:  Depart London, Arrive Paris.

October 20-23:  Paris activities (Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Versailles, Notre Dame)

October 23: Depart Paris on overnight train.

October 24: Arrive Rome.

October 24-29:  Rome activities (Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Colloseum, Vatican, Piazzas, possible day trips)

**October 29:  Depart Rome port on 7 day Greek Isles cruise (Catania, Patmos, Mykonos, Izmir, Santorini).

November 5:  Arrive in port in Rome at 8 am. Train to Venice.

November 5-7:  Venice activities.

November 7:  Depart Venice. Arrive Geneva.

November 8: Depart Geneva. Arrive Manchester (via Paris, London).

November 9 or 10:  Depart Manchester. Arrive Atlanta.

** Likely to get scratched because I left train fare off the budget!! Oops!

The Planning Process August 20, 2007

Today is the day. Mike is buying a map of Europe on the way home, I have a legal pad, and we are going to sit down and figure out how long we want to spend in Europe, where we want to go, and how much money we have to do that. The thing is, we could spend $x and do more days in fewer cities or less days in more cities and I don’t know which would be best. There is 1 very good argument for both of these views: More days in fewer cities means less traveling, probably less stress, and we’d be more familiar with the places we do visit. Less days in more cities and we get to see so much more!! But how much more of it do we enjoy and or remember?

Check back tomorrow for our tentative schedule!