I have wanted to go "home" with my friend Pen. She currently lives in the U.S.A. but is from S. Africa. I shared this fact with her February 2011 while on a road trip together. Well of course it took her no time at all to get the wheels rolling.
Next thing I know we are going to a family wedding at the end of March 2012. That gives me 1 year to save $3,000-$5,000 for the trip. Most of you know I can't save $300-$500 a year. But this is on my "Bucket List" so save I must! That's a lot of saying no and staying at home. For a once in a lifetime experience-no problem!
I decided I wanted to get in better physical shape as well so I could do more and not feel winded or tired. Met with a trainer in May, loved him, but decided the money would be better off in savings. Then in July I met with Dr. Dave who had successfully done the HCG drops well over a year before and has kept it off. August 6th I got the drops and August 8th I started the program. As of November 16th I have lost over 45 pounds! Once I get the weight off I will start exercising and toning. I will be in tip top shape by March!
Pen has given me a bag of goodies from S. Africa to look over and has shown me her personal photos of her trips. She sent me a copy of the wedding invitation at the beginning of November and we are staying 3 days on a Game Reserve for the wedding! The wedding is going to be very "Sex in the City" chic, so I am waiting for those February SALES on all those foo-foo dresses. Black with a touch of Gold is the attire.
I still have not found my Birth Certificates or Social Security Card that I just replaced 2007. After a visit with Pen on Nov 11th and her daughter Michel on Nov 12th I went straight home and ordered another birth certificate. I also paid for half my lodging while I was there. 3 nights at a Game Reserve $177 TOTAL! 3 nights at a family beach house FREE! Airfare is the biggest expense and we are looking at $1100-1300. Rental Car divided by 6, Petrol (gas) and Food.
Michel showed me on a map where the wedding was and they had not been to that area before themselves. Adventure for us all. Pen and I, Michel and Pat, Tanya, Mike and Kids all in tow. It will be the end of thier summer there. We all know how much I love the end of summer at the beach!
There have been some life expenses that keep making me think I can't afford to go, like $700 on a fallen tree removal, $300 on car repairs, gee that is nearly a plane ticket. However, I can't afford NOT TO GO! So I will make it work.
SHOTS!! Noone mentioned I had to get SHOTS! (well maybe John did a while back ago but of course I blocked that out) So just how many of these SHOTS do I have to get? OMG! I HATE NEEDLES! No wonder I don't already have a Passport and stamps in it. SHOTS!!
Ok, shew! No Shots!
We are down to planning our itinerary so we can purchase airfare. Which is now over $1,400 and that doesn't include getting from Texas to Washington.
Christmas Miracle! Michel received and e-mail this morning that we can fly straight from Washington to Durban for $1085 including Taxes!! I was so releived I almost cried happy tears! $400 PLUS Savings!! And not stop over in Johannesburg or Dubai. I am sending money to Michel so she can purchase my ticket with theirs to make sure I am on the same plane and close by. My first trip abroad, I don't want to be left unattended!
Now if ONLY my BIRTH CERTIFICATE would be sitting in my MAILBOX today waiting on me to pick it up, that would be the MOST AWESOME thing! I know it is there, I know it is there, I know it is there...
I have been checking the mail almost daily waiting on the one piece of paper that I need to get my passport. 5 weeks later I get it, or DO I? It is a Birth Certificate but it has a RED STAMP across it saying it could not be used for Identification purposes, just infomational. WTH? I even went and had the application NOTARIZED to get the Original fully functional one!! SO I call up the State of California, of course they are CLOSED, most likely until the new year. Times a Wastin' People!! I am flying out of Texas March 27th!! I called the Tyler Post Office and asked her about it, she had never seen one like that, said bring it in and we'll submit it. She said I had plenty of time. And they take the photos there too! So I counted from tomorrow just exactly how much time I did have 12 weeks and 6 days before I leave Texas! Tyler's turn around time is around 2-3 weeks!
I filled out all the passport paperwork on line. Let me tell you they drag up some old ghosts. I had to google and call up relatives and exes. My mother is deceased, my Father is estranged (heavy on the strange) and I needed my Father's date and place of birth. I googled the date and had to call my Uncle who is over seas for the place. Not many of that side of my family left, both grandparents are deceased. I went blank on the ex-husbands DAY of birth and wasn't sure where since he was adopted. Good thing we still get along well. Had a nice chat. Made copies of passport forms and drivers license front and back and asked to come in later to work.
Got to the post office at 9:20am and was first and only in line until about 9:45am. 10am went in got picture made, swore all information was true and the picture was a true representation of myself, wrote 2 checks and was back in my car at 10:10am! She said she had never seen a Birth Certificate with that stamp on it but would send it in since it has everything on it that the Passport Requires. So fingers crossed it is accepted. If not I should know in 2 weeks.
It's New Years Day 2012 and I am so excited about the opportunities for the year! I mean just in the first quarter I am going to South Africa! Heck Yea:)
Well on the 4th day of 2012 the Passport people cashed my check, I am hoping that is a good sign!! Fingers Crossed!
January 11, 2012 I am an official owner of a Passport!! Went straight to the Bank and got a Safety deposit box for it's safe keeping until the trip! Brought to work to make copies and then will put it in the box tomorrow morning. WOW!! This is really happening...
I was surfing the web tonight and looking at the airfare specials sent out on Tuesday and was excited to see there were several options for around $330 total from Tyler or Dallas. Then I started plugging in different combinations on Continentals web site and found round trip from DFW to JFK getting in around 2pm Tuesday and getting home around 9pm Wed week for $189.20 TOTAL! I even made John check me to make sure it was the right airports and times and days. I saved about $250!! I had to call them to finalize the booking because it would not let me complete the payment online. I got a very nice agent at 11pm and I now have all my airline tickets for the trip for well UNDER $1300 which is what I thought I was going to have to pay for just one leg of the trip.
It's all coming together nicely!
Penelope gave me a Mini S. African Calendar! And sent me information on the Game Reserve.
34 days out and details are coming in rapidly as to the logistics of the trip once we land in Durban!!
33 days out I call my bank to make sure I can use my debit card internationally without being charged and arm, leg and kidney. All good. They even put the dates I would be gone on my account so it does not get flagged for unusual use while globe trotting. Pen sent a menu from the restuarant in Ithala and I hope those were TYPOS!! "Beef Mice Pie" I kid you not! And you can ask your "waitron" about Dessert. Is that a patron that gets up and waits on you as if they worked there. Is that how you have to work off your meal? No dish duty?? Working on who gets the privilege of taking me to the airport at the butt crack of dawn Tuesday 3/27.
I AM SO EXCITED!!
Had some time to kill while waiting to meet a friend so I googled S. Africa weather for March and April, end of thier summer it will be 70-95 degrees!! Beach time!
30 Days and I will be in NEW YORK and 31 and I will be in SOUTH AFRICA!
Trying to get my wardrobe together since I will be gone for 9 days and only the last 3 of that will I be near a washer and dryer, so have to prepare for 6 days of clothing and a formal dress for the wedding!
Oh and they call swimsuits costumes!!
Ok what is casual chic resort wear?? OMGoodness, I am going to have wardrobe stress, lol. Good thing I have hardly anything to fit me and I need to buy or borrow clothes anyway. Posted on Facebook for help!
The e-mails going back and forth between the Texas delegation going is quite entertaining.
I will be on planes forever and a day! Just from NY to Johannesburg is like 16 hours, I have never been captive that long! Not like you can go outside for some fresh air...
Still SO Excited!!
OMGosh!! 22 DAYS until I fly out of Dallas! Bought a light-weight, travel friendly bra and shorts at Gander Mountain yesterday. Today Sam lent me a cute little sun dress.
21 Days and counting, I am driving Pen and Michel crazy with all my questions but I really want this to go very well and want to be prepared for whatever comes our way. 3 weeks from now I will be on my way to New York for a brief visit and then on to Sout Africa the next Day!!
T-shirts, yes we need T-shirts! Let's get er done!
15 more days!! I kept Michel up last night discussing NY hotel and transportation options. Bought a pair of light weight khakis and a cute blouse at Old Navy. Confirmed and sent a check for our T-shirts over the weekend and Monday sent in the sizes. Friday I ordered a surprise for everyone going and the bride/groom and beach house hostess. Paying all my bills for March so I know how much spending money I will have. Sam is lending me a sundress, Lexi is lending me a maxi dress, swim suit cover and sarong, Brenda is lending me some shorts, Kelly is lending me a flowy pant suit. Need to go to storage and see what I have in there and look for Texas stuff to give away.
I updated the calendar on the refrigerator last night-OMGoodness!!! Lots to do before I go :-).
Tuesday went to Target to get dog food and was drawn into the Women's Clothing Dept, hour later and over a $100 spent I left with a few pieces of apparel for my trip. We are on day 3 of deciding on a hotel in New York for our lay over. I tried on every questionable thing in my closet and rearranged it.
Saturday March 17th I went CRAZY!! I went shopping for a one-piece bathing suit and some supportive cami/tanks. NOT AS EASY A FIND AS YOU THINK on either one. And I had made an appointment to get fitted for new bras. I got 3 new bras and spend way too much money but they fit and the lady who fitted me was absolutely wonderful! Go see Nakia at Dillards if you ever have a need. I have not bought many new clothes since I lost 60 pounds because I was waiting until I was done losing and closer to my trip. Well I have made up for lost time. I did not find a one-piece or tanks on Saturday, what I did find was a dress for the wedding (I already had one) because it called out to me from across the store, a pair of white guazy/linenish pants and a cute sleeveless blouse to go with it, a little olive denim skirt (marked down to next to nothing), another tankini (I already have one of those too) but can never have too many swimming suits, earrings (my little touch of gold), Great American Cookie Company got some of my money too and I still went home without one-piece or tanks.
SUNDAY we are back at it again and John is pushing me to find what I need so I can pack, you know me I hate to shop and 2 days worth is just unheard of! I find a pair of spa shoes at the first stop (I did need them my others have been glued back together more than once!). Nothing fit at the next stop and I was ready to call it a day and start over Monday, no sir ree, not with John in tow. So off we go to stop #3 at which I am whining before we get out of the car that I need food and adult beverage ASAP. Well lo and behold I find the perfect one-piece at the perfect price and 3 cami/tanks at a decent price. I SHOULD HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED TO PACK NOW!!
I did not mention that I was in Target 3 nights last week buying and exchanging clothes as well. I am shopped out and my closets should be stocked pretty well. My bank account, not so much...
I FLY OUT IN 8 DAYS!!
I had moved my Wed morning gym to Tue because I had a hair appointment, Dan called and asked me to move it to Thur, no problem. Tue after I left work my boss calls to remind me to be in early he has an appointment in Tyler at 8:30am. That means I have to reschedule hair-IF SHE HAS AN OPENING!! She graciously fit me in Thur morning, which is chiropractor and now gym, lol. Skipping gym an hope to make it Friday so I will have atleast 2 days this week and rescheduling chiro to Friday and try to fit it in with gym before work. I waited until the last minute to do all this stuff so it would be fresh for my trip. Now I am stressing for time, lol.
My closet is all organized and ready for me to start putting things in an actual suitcase.
Packed Sunday from 4pm until Monday around 1:30AM and with help from John got it all in ONE CHECKED and ONE Carry-on and ONE Back Pack personal item allowed!!!
HERE WE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
