Itchy Feet...

“Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quiestest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey.” – Pat Conroy

This is so true. It has been 15 months since I embarked on my first trip to the UK and there hasn't been many days where I haven't thought about that trip. I might be reminded if I see a poster of London or Paris; or if I see a Union Jack (which, FYI, I have fallen in love with - I want a Union Jack Room!!!!). I dream about going back to London & seeing more of the UK. I regret the things I didn't see (Westminster Abbey!! I know.. time got away from me), and I think about the things that I really want to see again (pretty much EVERYTHING!!!).

Now I am in the midst of planning my trip to Honolulu & NYC and I wonder if I am too much of a planner. I like planning, I really do but on my trip to the UK I found that the things I didn't plan for turned out to be the best days (not that I had a 'bad' day!). I have 8 nights/7 days in NYC and I am pretty much cramming everything I possibly can it. I don't want to wear myself out but I don't want to come home knowing I could have seen more or should have done something.

With all my travel plans this year, I just want to go now!! Only 7 weeks till my cruise - which I am super excited for and dreading at the same time.. only coz I don't want to be sea sick the entire time! Then it is my Chch weekend - Oh man did I get a good deal for that!! I was worried that I might not be able to go because the flights were over $400 return and I couldn't quite justify spending that on two days... but then Virgin had a sale and I managed to get flights for $188 return... Because the cruise & Chch have pretty much organise themselves I have been focusing on NYC... not so much Hawaii because a lot of that relies on other people... but NYC is all mine!!

I have been getting some great ideas from Michelle (my friend who lives there and where I will be staying for the price of some Arnotts Mint Slice biscuits!!) and from listening to some old podcasts from http://theboweryboys.blogspot.com.au/,. plus finding some awesome new blogs, including: http://theboweryboys.blogspot.com.au/.. I am pretty happy with what I have so far but there is always room for change!

Travel Plans Updated

Ok so last time I wrote about a month ago, I was all for BNE-HNL-LAS-BNE.. well this has changed.. now it's BNE-HNL-NYC-BNE! Yes, that's right folks.. it looks like NYC is back on the books... the best bit is that a friend of a friend lives in NYC and has offer my her couch for the time I am there! How brilliant is that!! So now I just gotta get there :)

I have been looking at different options and funnily enough the best price I could find was actually two return flights - that is BNE-HNL-BNE and HNL-NYC-HNL. Doing it that way means I save about $300. Only thing is that I would have to spend another night in HNL on the way back but I was thinking that since the flights gets in to HNL about 1600 and leaves again at 0815 the next morning, I might just bunk down at the airport. I mean it would be a bit ridiculous to spend $120 on a room when you are only there for a matter of hours, especially coz you will probably need to be at the airport 2-3 hours before your 0815 flight!!

I have also been looking at different things to do in NYC. I am still limited funds wise so I need to know how much the whole thing is gonna cost me in the long run. I really want to get the accommodation in Hawaii sorted - or at least the deposit paid as soon as I can. Of course I also have to factor in that in 60 sleeps I am off on the cruise so I want spending money for that; I have to also get my tickets to Chch for Sept and of course my airfares for the US. Plus I need to remember I am going home in January and need airfares & car hire there too...

Oh so many things but I know that if I can pull it all off - then this year will be an amazing year for me and that is what I want. No point sitting back waiting for things to happen - you gotta get out there and make them happen!