So to kick off our journal, I decided to get a practice run in with a blog from our real home, Perth. Thanks for everyone who intend to follow our travels online (I hope my "technology challenged" buddies managed to work it out, otherwise, we will send a few postcards the old fashioned way, by carrier pigeons :) Most blogs will probably end up being written by me (Renee), mostly because I'm a faster typer than Gez and heaps funnier :)

Our lead up to our trip has been crazy! With only a few days to go, its only just feeling real, and Gez and I are spending most mornings and nighttimes confirming hotels, booking special dinners and tickets for Christmas Day and NYE so sitting and chatting together about what we expect has been nice for us both! (which we need to get used to, cause I'm guessing we will be spending the next 4 weeks sitting and chatting together!!) Gez is a bit apprehensive about how cold we will be but I'm happy as long as we have enough funds to support my shopping addiction :) (actually that could be another concern of Gerards!!) We are both looking forward to all the cliche parts of America that you see in movies, like Starbucks, Yellow and black taxis and fire hydrants :)

Being away for Chrissy is a big thing for me, mostly because I love spending time with my family and it's so much fun now that I have my gorgeous 2 year old niece getting so excited about Santa!! Of course theres our cute little puppy Ruby, our first born, who we will miss terribly, so I'm thinking some retail therapy in US will result in Ruby being the best dressed hound in Perth when we return!!

As part of my 'preparation' for being away for Chrissy, I've gone overboard with doing christmassy things in Perth before I leave. Gez is less than impressed that the money we are supposed to be saving for our trip is being spent on brandy and peppermint liquer for the xmas cooking and brand new decorations for the tree! But I justify it all because its all 'therapy' to deal with feeling left out on Christmas Day :)

Packing is a dilemma because everyone who I speak to says "Buy everything is US" but I feel that I must shop before I leave so I feel 'prepared' (all comes back to my 'therapy' theory!) So far, I have packed a scarf and a beanie, Gez has packed his very flattering thermals (I almost took a photo when he tried them on the other day!!) that were bought for him for his birthday!

Anyways, Im off to put some more things in that suitcase of mine before dinner. I finish work tomorrow, but Friday I'm attending a funeral, we have a wedding on Sat, Xmas breakie with the Murphys on Sunday and Xmas dinner with the Halls on Sunday night before Mum and Dad drop us at the airport after dinner! So packing needs to be done by Friday night!!

Plenty more updates to come while we are in transit on Sunday, since I am guessing we will have a whole heap of time on our hands!!

Love you all,

Gez and Nae

xxx