Got it!

Ok, I have my new passport with my new name--Quinn, along with the marriage certificate that I sent in with my application. Great. What's next?

Oh yeah, the back yard. We've got to stack wood and clear brush yet from where we chopped down 2 huge pine trees. I would like to have it ready by fall so I can plant blueberries there.

And I suppose I need to figure out this computer thing--blogging, uploading pics, usernames and passwords, and what else?

List:

• learn to use digital camera
• store pics on disk? CDRW?...
• make list of emergency numbers, info, and house key placing
• Who will take care of Ki? (renter, parents, friends?)
• organize files for BBP, and make flyers for the year
• settup GMZC newsletter (start Spring issue ahead of time)
• what clothing to bring?
• Hiking/Road Recipes (make accessable on internet, blog?)
• addresses and birthday list (on internet)
• cell phone (buy in New Zealand? call Telecom)

Got 'em!

We have bought our tickets! We picked them up Wednesday from the travel agency--New World Travel. After searching on our own for 3-4 weeks we decided we could afford $1500 per ticket. After turning in our desired itinerary to the travel agent, Sandy, she went to work haggling the prices. In the end she got us a better price then expected including her commission. Sweet! So, we are officially leaving from Huntsville, AL February 15th, 2007 and returning May 8th! Our next immediate step is to purchase travel insurance within the next few days, and for me to update my passport since I have changed my last name to Quinn.

Ki in garden

Ki in garden
Originally uploaded by shelleyland.

I'm still wondering who will take care of our Kiwi when we're gone for 3 months...

Planning: Early Stages

Hope to hear from a travel agent today. I want to set up a time to ask her a bunch of questions. Maybe Jason and I will use an agent, but for the moment, we want to plan everything ourselves, in hopes of saving money.