Passports...

So we needed to renew our passports, they still had a year or so left on them but becouse they will expire while we are away we figured it would be alot easyer to get them done at home rather than on the road....

Last week we head over to Jills (A's step sister) and got our hair did. Snip! Snip! Buzz! Next day we head on over to our local wallyworld to hit up the photo center, Snap! Snap! "They will be ready in 20minutes." We got 2 sets each for a total of $60, 1 set for passports, 1 set for international drivers license.

Monday I take off from work just befor lunch to beat the rush over at the passport "service center" stand in line for 15. "Hello, Bonjour how can I help you" I proceed to tell the lady I have 2 passport renewals with the paperwork prefilled and signed. She asks me a few questions takes down my name and tells me to waitand my name will be called. 30 minutes of smelling some homeless dude searching  for a job on the jobbank, finally "Ray station #1" I hear over the intercom. Making my way over to station #1 I am met with the real life Dilbert. "Hi Ray what can I help you with today". After explaining what was going on he starts going threw the paperwork, and 15 minutes in he says " I cant help you, you have to go to Passport Canada" "wtf..." is what im thinking. Grab my stuff and head for the car.

I head downtown to Canada place, find a stall in the park aid and head on into the building. Up to the second floor... "something isn't right" I'm thinking. This is some sort of off limits area, I asked the guard "Passport Office?" "On the first floor". "But the address says second floor." I stated as I turned to the elevator and pressed the down arrow.

Down on the first floor I look over and see a huge line comming out of teh passport office, I walk on over adn ask teh servicewoman standing infron tof the line. "Passports?" "back of the line please" in her old lady asian accent. Made me smile and I was happy to ablige. Nearing teh front of the line im thinking sweet this is moving along nicely, when I get upto teh front. "Awsome that dindt take very long" is what I was thinking to myself. Shffled into teh passport office... Lone and behold another line. Will it ever end? another 30 minutes or so board to death watching the stail room move along at an aginizing pace i get to the front of teh line. "Can I help you?" the lady behind the counter asks. "Yes I need to renew my passport." I reply. "Here is your number please have a seat int eh waiting room and your number will be called." "Fu......stupid....................government." Yea that's what I was thinking.

45 minutes or so later my number shows up on teh board. Keyosk 12. Wrote and signed a little letter stating something about why we were renewing early and we understand that our passports were not yet expired. Answered some questions, payed, smiled and gave my head a shake as I walked out to the car.

Either mail your passports in or take the day off work, and bring a packed lunch.

Countdown......finish up details!

So It is February 2010 and so far things were moving really slow until recently.  Now, holy cow we are leaving in like 7 months.  There is so much to do still, but like all things with this trip patience is something we have had to adapt to.  

As for planning, our clothing, bags, climbing gear, etc...seem pretty organized. The thought of hauling climbing gear around seems tedious and weighty but I can't see it any other way.  The places we want to go and things we want to see are clear to a point then we will wing it.  See where life takes us.  Our organizing for all things at home are almost all set, bit by bit.  The house feels really empty now we have started selling all our belongings other than sentimental things and things we will need upon returning.

The next couple months are going to get hectic with work, travel planning and life in general.  My goal is to see my family lots before we go and make sure everything is in place before we leave Canada.

It is all I think about now, have we done this, checked that, gotten that thing, etc.....the excitement is unbearable in everyday life going ons.  I cannot wait for our adventure to begin, even though my life with Ray already has been an awesome adventure, we continue on with new journeys and experiences soon again.

Less than a year

Well its just under one year befor we set out for our life changing journey. September 1st 2010 is our goal date to depart, give or take a day or two if we can save on the flight. Everything has come into realization in the past two weeks that "Hey! we have less than a year to finish planning, saving, selling, packing, ... and many more things." almost overwelming.

I have started a "List o' Lists" I like to call it. It is well... a list of lists? All the lists we need to do/get done. Packing list, stuff to sell/Cragslist list, Figure out and get travel shots list, Things to get done around the house list, Finish rough planning our trip(rough becouse we will have no strict agenda just a general guideline), Did I mention finish the List o' Lists list?

We have done a few things the past few years but it was alwas hard to get motivated knowing the trip was still so far off, now it seams asthought it is just around thte corner and we are running out of time. The last few weeks have been a blurr, with work being busy for the bowth of us and actually tring to do asmany things on the lists as possabule. The unfortinate thing is timing has alot to do with it. Passports need renewing as they will expire on the road. Selling the condo, Sell to soon we lose out on rent, sell to late we miss out departure date. Travel shots only have a limited lifespan, we want to get the most bang for our buck so to speak.

We get more excited every day and now that the countdown has begun you will be seeing more frequant updates to the blog. /adds to the List o' Lists