2 Weeks and Counting!

The time to depart is quickly approaching!

I just listed Dave's Corolla on Craiglist this morning (Monday 3 November) and I've received 6 replies. I think it will sell faster then we are ready to sell it!

Dave's last day of work is officially 2 weeks away. He's done on 14 November.
He flies out on 18 November and arrives in Brisbane on 20 November at 7:45am.

I'm trying to buy a mini van from here so he'll have it to get around with and pick us up.

The children's last day of school is 18 November. 19 November we'll finish boxing stuff away and tidy up. We'll stay the night at the neighbor's house. Our renters arrive at 2300 hours. I'll meet them, show them around the house and van a little - depending on how they're feeling.

We'll catch a taxi to the airport on 0600 on 20 November, Thursday. We'll check our bags, and get breakfast while waiting for our plane. The flights to Los Angeles from Madison, WI will be a little over 6 hours. Just long enough to call it a day. Dave insisted that the children and I spend at least one full night in a hotel in Los Angeles.

My original plan was to fly out of Los Angeles to Brisbane at 2350 on Friday night. The 1 day in Los Angeles could be spent going to the beach, museum, or other short day trip.

But I thought it would be nice for the children to visit their Grandma Stallman! It's been 2 years since they've seen her. So I called her and asked if it would be possible to have a little time with Grandma Stallman before we fly out of the US. Grandma Stallman lives in Phoenix. She agreed that it would be wonderful for us to get together but it would have to be over the weekend.

With that in mind, I booked our flight from Los Angeles to Brisbane for Sunday night at 2350, 23 November.

Grandma Stallman canceled our plans to meet!!! I'm so heart broken and disappointed.

What am I going to do with the 4 children in Los Angeles for 3 nights? We hadn't wanted this long of a lay over in Los Angeles.

Dave suggested we consider going to Disneyland. We love Disneyland and here's our opportunity. But my heart isn't in it. We were just there last year. Another family suggested Legoland - that they had a great time.

So to kill the extra time, we'll drive to Legoland - just 90 minutes away. We'll get a 2 day pass - go on Friday 21 November. Stay overnight at a nearby hotel. Then Saturday 22 November. Then we'll drive back to Los Angeles and return to the hotel.

It's a lot more time in Los Angeles then I wanted to spend. It's a lot more activity then I wanted to do because my focus is on Brisbane and getting settled there. But unfortunately, Grandma Stallman canceled on us - I couldn't reschedule the flights because the fares are non-refundable.

I had considered driving up to visit Grandma and Grandpa Smith. But they are 4-5 hours drive away from Los Angeles. It would be really a lot for the children to be on the road for that long each way. 90 minutes will be enough for them - and all that luggage!

We'll be boarding our Brisbane flight at 2350 on Sunday 23 November and arrive in Brisbane on 25 November.

Good news, Grandma Stallman wrote an email to say she's considering meeting up with us in Los Angeles after all! It would truly be wonderful to see her again! I sure hope she can make it!