Yes, I'm talking about the trip again...

This blog wasn't intended to be about the trip but once I start talking about it, I don't stop easily, so I'm going with it.

I feel like a year has never flown by as fast as this one has. I assume it's the new job that's made me so sidetracked, but maybe it's just because I'm getting older. Normally the time before a holiday starts dragging, but it feels like it's racing towards us. In fact, we're close enough for me to start thinking about packing lists.

I love making packing lists for a few reasons. It makes me feel organised, it makes me get excited about the trip as I think about what will suit what excursion/event etc, and very importantly it gives me an excuse to shop for the "gaps". ("Gaps" = clothes that I decide that I need and usually don't end up taking anyway, because I'm adorable like that.) Currently I've identified a gap in my jumper collection. I think Aaron's disputing this call.

Oh and then there's the excitement of being able to book restaurants for while we're there now, or in places where you don't book, just reading their menus and thinking about where we'd go. Seriously I'm so excited about the food. There's a good chance that in Chicago and New York City we'll just food place hop and forget sightseeing. So many delicious choices, so little time.

We've been talking a lot about the last holiday and how while it was great and there are some memories that I'll always be excited by, it wasn't really successful as we spent a lot of it irritated and stressed. It's not normal on a holiday to be so tense, that when a place says they've run out of meatloaf you burst into tears at the table. (It wasn't about the meatloaf, though the Daily Grill's meatloaf is really good
.)
 
We've realised that we tried to rush things, or put too much pressure on doing things special and then when things didn't work we got so frustrated. So we've really tried to not put much pressure on us and the sightseeing spots this time. I'm not scheduling a lot as a result, as I'm scared of overplanning.

But here's some of the things we're definitely going to do/see while over there...

New York City 

• Serendipity 3 - one of my favourite eateries ever. Partly because it's where John Cusack was in Serendipity and because of the Frozen Hot Chocolate... (Speaking of Serendipity, remind me one day to tell you about how my sister and I snuck into the Waldorf Astoria and recreated a scene from the movie!)
• Broadway shows - We've got tickets booked to Book of Mormon and Rock of Ages
• Restaurant Row - A street full of varied cuisine restaurants, we're looking forward to just turning up and seeing what's available
• Empire State Building - We went up at night last time, we're going to go up during the day this time
• Brooklyn Bridge - I really want to walk the Bridge, okay well at least stand on it... 
• A Night On The Town Tour - http://www.graylinenewyork.com/tourpage.php?item=NOTT
• Ray's Pizza - the best pizza ever created.

I think with New York, we're just going to take things very easy, there's so much to just walk around and enjoy. I still live in some hope that the Maury Povich show will send us tickets!

Philadelphia
Philadelphia is where we have the most scheduled.

• Independence Hall - we have tickets for a tour
• Independence Hall Archaeology Lab - Every trip Aaron and I have to let out our inner nerds, this is one of those times. We've booked a tour of the Independence Hall site with an archaeologist who'll tell us about artefacts found etc.
• Liberty Bell
• Elfreth's Alley
• The Rocky Steps and Statue
• Mini-Golf at Franklin Square - As well as our nerd side, we also have childlike competive sides, so we rarely miss an opportunity for mini-golf
• Perhaps the Philadelphia Zoo

Chicago
Again, like New York, I think Chicago will be pretty easy going. I'm going to meet a friend while I'll I'm there so am most excited about that. Here's some things we're planning on seeing though.

• Shedd Aquarium
• Adler Planetarium
• Field Museum
• Wrigley Field (Save Ferris!)
• Navy Pier
• We're booking a table at the Signature Room on the 95th Floor of the John Hancock Center, the views should be amazing.
• The Skydeck Chicago - I am very eager to step out into the glass window boxes they have...in theory...

Anaheim

The plan in Anaheim is very much centred around Disneyland. I love Disneyland. Love it. Pretty much we'll spend most of our time there. We might head off to the San Diego Zoo or do another tour of somewhere in the area but I'm not sure.

Sorry, that was long. So long, but for those curious there are some things we've thought about seeing. Anyone reading this have other suggestions?

Why Be Succinct When You Can Ramble?

Firstly, a big shout out to my co-author/muse today...my dear kitty.

It's February 27th and my Christmas Tree is still up. I'm obsessive (no, seriously) regarding the "rules" for Christmas decorations. They must come down on Jan 6th, no ifs or buts. No earlier, no later. Except this year I was distracted and forgot to take it down on the 6th, and now I have no idea what to do with it. It's just sitting there "staring at" me, and being used as a giant toothpick by Obi, who for an unknown reason finds it the tastiest thing on the planet. Because I missed that date, I have no idea when to take it down. I think February 29 is probably the best bet, I can pretend it was in deliberate honour of an unusual day.

I think it shows how the new job has changed me quite a bit, I feel like I've become a bit disassociated with things I used to care about, but in an okay way, like I've grown into a next stage or something. The only thing is I can't work out what I care about now, apart from my holidays...and pinterest. All I know is I'm suddenly desperate for a chaise lounge and a yellow designer handbag.

Meanwhile I cannot believe it's March this week. I cannot believe that summer is over on Wednesday. I can't believe how few hot days we had. It's been a weird summer. I can't believe that as of Thursday I can say my holiday is next month, YAY! (It turns out I still care about holidays and handbags.) I can't wait to get back to the States. I can't wait to eat their food, shop there, see their sights, mingle with their great people and hopefully meet a friend or two. There's a few concerns with the approval of my holiday at the moment which is bothering me, as I don't really want to go leave without pay!

The trip planning is going well though, my sister has agreed to house and catsit, which demonstrates that she has a much stronger character than I, as Obi is a tad difficult. I've made my packing list, ordered shoes to fill the identified gaps, worked out what else we need to book before we're go etc. There's no reason we won't be absolutely fine, yet still I worry. I do feel happy having all these lists made. Lists make me feel all ordered.

So we've got things like cars to book, to the airport when we leave, between the airport and the hotel in NYC, to and from LAX to Anaheim, a few tours and dinners to book etc. I'm trying to make sure important things are booked and have a basic structure so we ensure we don't miss something through not realising it wasn't open Mondays etc but not overplanning, so we end up stressing about the fact that we weren't at this sight by 10:17am exactly and the whole day becomes ruined. So, that's where the holiday plans are at the moment, lots of little things to do, but also lots of fun things to keep me occupied like looking through menus of restaurants etc.

As you could tell, today's blog has no actual theme or point, I just felt like talking.

Hope, if you've read it, you're doing well x

So...about that trip I keep mentioning...

I'm beginning to worry that the US immigration department is going to start questioning why Aaron and I keep landing on the US's doorstop every year (well only for the last three). The reason is because it's a great holiday. Other people relax on beaches or sipping cocktails by a pool, my way is wandering around cities, indulging in food, shopping and racing around sightseeing. The US is a great place to do it, the food's great, the people are lovely and it's so good at entertaining people.

So in 2012, we're going back again.

We had very seriously planned to go to London and Paris this year and had picked hotels, flights etc when my sister messaged me from her London trip and said not to come as it was already being taken over for the Olympics. If we'd gone before she'd have said come over, but not for our first time. Seeing as we had already put that time aside for leave we decided that we might as well go back to our beloved America. Specifically we decided to go back to my very, very beloved New York City and Disneyland, where we knew we could totally relax. We each picked one other place to go, with Aaron picking Philadelphia (we're history nerds) and me picking New Orleans. Unfortunately for a few reasons, New Orleans didn't end up working out, so it was replaced with Chicago, which I'm really equally looking forward to. I've spent a few hours in Philadelphia and a lazy day in Chicago when I toured the US with my sister in 2002, but neither really count and Aaron hasn't been to either (unless you count being stuck in O'Hare Airport for several hours back in 2010!)

So we have 6 nights in NYC, 4 nights in Philadelphia, 4 in Chicago and 4 in Anaheim. We wanted to not feel rushed anywhere so we decided that three full days was a good space for each place, except for NYC where I could just be forever.

We're working through the itinerary now, trying to find the balance of getting as much organised as we have to, so we don't show up somewhere and find its closed or we needed pre-bought tickets,without locking us into a totally strict regime, and allowing us just totally free wandering time, or sleeping in etc. We also have some things we want to repeat and things we don't or things that we plan to repeat but may not need as much time or like it as much etc the second time. Disneyland for example. I expect to love it again, I hope Aaron does too. (Not to mention I need to once again, destroy him on this Toy Story ride/game)

So, now's the fun planning bit, I probably like that better than the actual holiday!