Much ado about nothing, and more planning

Hello?  Is there anyone there?  Everyone’s started off with a bit of a flurry with these blogs, but it’s been quiet for a while now.  I just went through and checked the comments that get left on our posts, and there is no escaping the crap that people throw around the internet is there?  Spam email, spam on our boards and spam on our blogs.  Good thing though is we can mark it, delete and ignore it.

I’m sitting writing this at home, I’m off work for just over a week which is good for both me and the boss.  Can’t believe how boring and irrelevant my job is at the moment.  I don’t achieve anything or contribute to the greater good.  I just go round and round in circles.  Bit like NASCAR, without the excitement.  Speaking of NASCAR our boy is going great at the moment isn’t he?  Sitting 18th and ticking off a string of top 10 finishes.  As Barney would say, Marcos is Legen-Dairy!

I’m preparing for the upcoming State Age Netball Championships starting tomorrow for 3 days.  The team I’m with are in the championship division, under 14s.  We should do pretty good, but it’s amazing how the tension builds up though.  I’m only assisting coaching and I’m starting to get nervous.  I could imagine how the main coach and especially the players are feeling right now.  It’s going to be exciting and I’m really looking forward to it.  Gotta love sports don’t you?  So if you happen to be in the Liverpool area, pop in and check it out.

Well on to important stuff now.  Planning for our big trip next year is coming along nicely.  The itinerary is pretty well locked in as far as where we’ll be on any given day.  We’ve locked in over half of our preferred accommodation as well and are well on the way to formulating our key activities.  Nothing’s available to book yet.  I’ve started looking at the websites of the hotels which won’t be “on-site” and they’re just not quite in the window, but at least I can start to guage some pricing.  I was getting a little excited with the dollar up in the mid 80s a few weeks ago, and I nearly paid for the cruise and cashed some money as well.  I should have cashed some money at least, so I missed the boat there, but I’m still relaxed about it.  I just get nervous, especially after the disappointement with the Tokyo trip, and not wanting to make the same mistake again.  The itinerary?  of course, sorry, here it is.

Dec 5th land in San Francisco, spend 3 nights there and make a visit to the Disney Museum.  So looking forward to this, and I really love SF.  Didn’t get to go there on our last visit which was a bummer.
Dec 8th we fly out for Orlando.  Not sure where we’ll stay yet, but we have 3 days before the cruise departs.  We plan to visit NASA and just look around a bit.  We also plan to do the Mickey and Minnie’s Very Merry Xmas Party during these 3 days as well.  Figured we’re better doing that out of the crowds.  We’ll also be able to activate our Annual Passes during the quieter time as well.
Dec 11th, the cruise departs.  7 Night Western Caribbean on the Magic.  We have booked a balcony cabin and are so looking forward to this.  Everything I see and read just looks awesome.
Dec 18th the cruise arrives and we’ll be going to Universal for 5 nights, more than likely staying in Hard Rock.  We plan to do Universal in detail, maybe a day and half at least and expect to spend 2 days in Islands of Adventure.  With eldest daughter being so passionate a Harry Potter fan, I suggest no stone or hidden secret will remain unturned.  Plus I so want to ride dueling dragons and the other great rides there.
Dec 23rd, the start of our WDW escapade.  We realise that this is the busiest time of year to visit the world, but hey it’s Xmas, and what a better time to sample a Disney park than at Xmas time.  We will be splitting WDW into 2, first chunk 14 days and then another 7 after that.  The first stint, we don’t plan to do much, just soak up the festivities and see the Xmas sights.  I will book ADRs for the Candlelight Processional and also for Fantasmic.  I will also pick out a special spot to eat Xmas dinner at, and we want to also make sure we do the same for Xmas Eve dinner, as this is what the locals seem to do as well.  NYE will need to be planned in detail, as having spent one in DL I know how packed they can be and want to make sure we get it right.  Our preferred accommodation for this 14 days is the Port Orleans French Quarter.
Jan 6th we go and stay somewhere near Sea World for 4 nights.  The family are so itching to do Discovery Cove and we love Sea World as well so we’ll spend some time there.  I plan to attack Manta! as hard as I can.  I love the inverted coasters, but to lie down throws up another dimension to it.  Aquatica also looks exciting.
Back to the World on the 10th of Jan for 7 more nights, planning to stay at the Caribbean Beach Resort in a Pirate room.  How can you resist staying in a room themed to Pirates of the Caribbean?  We can’t, so that is our plan.  I reckon we’ll adopt a bit of a theme park commando style for this week as well.  Low crowds and the urge to do as much as possible following our slow first time there will be too much to bear.
And as if that wasn’t enough, on the 18th we’ll leave Florida and find ourselves in Anaheim for a relaxing and emotional I’m sure, 5 nights in the DLR, staying at this stage in the Paradise Pier Hotel.  Hopefully the bulk of the work will be complete by then in DCA (I know Carsland and Little Mermaid won’t be, but then what a good excuse to return the following year), and hopefully they have also fixed the Dragon in Fantasmic by then (lol).  There has been alot of changes we won’t have seen since our last visit in Jan 2006, so we need to catch up on them

That’s it.  We depart on the 23rd, home on the 25th, just in time for Australia Day.  It’s a long time, and yes the budget will take a hammering, but our kids are 17 and 14 by this time, and I can’t see us being able to shout them on a trip like this again (they are more then welcome to travel with us in future, but they pay themselves ), so whatever it takes will be worth it.  Timewise not an issue either, with me having over 5 months long service leave and Ros also having some LSL plus school holidays as well.  The only risk to this is that I may not be employed coming into the new year, so my new employer will need to be aware and accommodating of my extended time away next December and January.

Well I gotta go.  Have to tidy the kitchen, hang out the towels, put the sheets in the wash, clean the pool, probably sweep the floors, pick the kids up from school, try and fit in a coffee and a beer somewhere, watch the footy and cricket, set the timer to record the Townsville races and get ready for the extreme weekend of Netball.  See you all around the boards!

Anthoyn