Liane Michell

American Odyssey... or 5 weeks in the States!!: I can't believe the day has finally dawned... the day we leave Longreach on our long awaited 5 week trip to USA!! I've been planning and researching this trip for around 12 months, hopefully I have all the information I need to make this the most amazing holiday. Ok I'll admit, I'm a little bit of a control freak. Well not control freak so much as I do like to know where I'm going, where I'm staying and what there is to see and do in a place before I get there. I seriously don't understand how people can just set off on an "adventure" with a "where the road takes us" attitude....... arghhhh that's my idea of a nightmare NOT a holiday!!! So having said that I've booked all our flights and accommodation in advance. I've also booked a few "must do" things like shows or tours. We have a loose plan of what we'll be doing but I'm not so much of a CF that I have a timed itinerary!! I'm hoping to keep up with this as we go along but I'll warn you in advance I did say "hoping"!! We tend to burn the candle at both ends on holiday.. sightsee all day and party all night!! I hope those of you that can be bothered reading my long rambling stories will enjoy... for those of you that don't want all the reading there will be lots of photos!! // Christmas cruising in the South Pacific then Sydney, Canberra, Kelso and Mudgee.: Well we survived the "Tourist Season" and are eagerly counting down to our next escape... I can hear some of you saying "what again, you've only just had 5 weeks in the States"!!! Yes, this is true, but really that was 9 months ago and in those 9 months we've worked 15 hour days, 7 days a week, week in week out..... did I say that was for the last 9 months?? I would say without a day off but this year we've had a couple of quick trips away. Rodd has his best mates 50th on the Gold Coast that he made a very long drive down for, I had 2 weddings I snuck away for, one in August and one in November... but really apart from that we've been heads down bums up working our little backsides off!! Sooooo.... yay..... it's time to party again!! We've got 3 weeks and the itinerary goes like this... Sydney, South Pacific, Sydney, Canberra, Mudgee, Kelso, Sydney, Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Longreach. Don't know how much internet access we'll have on the cruise so will write up something each night and then upload when we get back to Australia. Once again for those that don't want to read all my rambling babble I'll upload lots of photos! // The YOLO and PIBE trip to UK and Greece: This trip started as an idea a few years ago that I would love to go to Greece. Rodd wasn't really interested in going so I asked Debra and she jumped at the idea. For a year or so we said "one day" until Debra said if we didn't pick a date it would never actually happen so we settled on "the end of 2013"... as it happens I turn 50 this year so thought it would be pretty cool to have my birthday in Greece. Gwendoline joined in at some stage so now I have 2 fantastic ladies to share an amazing journey with. We're packed, excited and ready for anything the road brings our way. UK and Greece, here we come. // USA '14: This trip idea started with an email from our friends in Arkansas whom we met on our first cruise in the Caribbean. We had no plans to go back just yet but... well what can you do when presented with a bargain!! Somewhere along the way we invited Heather and Tim to join us, as her 21st present. So excited to share this adventure with them. // Cruising the Caribbean, Bright Lights and Beale St - 2016: We weren't going on an overseas trip this year but when I found return flights (Brisbane - LA) for $1000 pp we just couldn't resist.... well could we??!! We're looking forward to catching up with old friends and making new ones. // Sisters Sojourn - Roadtripping through Ireland and Italy 2016: After our last trip in 2013 we decided we'd do it again.... in 2019. Well as you can see we couldn't wait that long!! We're using the excuse that it's Debs 55th birthday .... so 2016 it is! Mind you 3 years was long enough to wait. DO IT NOW ... THE FUTURE IS PROMISED TO NO-ONE