Preparation

The evening (about 22^nd December) I met with Robyn Considine for dinner and she told me she was keeping a blog on the building of her new home and suggested I might like to do the same with my overseas trip. As you can see I have taken her suggestion seriously.

We are travelling with Emirates www.emirates.com/english and as we are doing the first and final legs business class we have the opportunity of using the ‘chauffeur-drive’ service. And we are. There are conditions which you will find on the website but as I am leaving from Sydney it all works out.

The whole preparation process can be daunting with advice about what to take and what not to take, the size of luggage, preparation for long flights, dressing for cold weather, layers, walking, living in hotels etc. All the advice I got was very good. In the end it all worked to varying degrees – largely associated with my determination to use the advice or not.

I also want to mention that the B’s have done a lot of the itinerary work identifying accommodation and restaurants. I also have assistance from a friend Atina Vertzonis at Travel World, Lake Haven http://www.travelworld.com.au with all the day tours I have now included in the itinerary.

Date	Time	Location
Friday, 24 December 2010	8:00am	Girls collected to go to Akuna http://www.akunacare.com
		Travel to Sydney to stay with Doreen
		Check in and boarding passes from internet - BJL
Saturday, 25 December 2010		Christmas Day with Doreen
	2:00pm	Chauffeur-Drive to Airport
	7:50pm	EK419  25DEC  SYDNEY DUBAI  1950 0555 +1 (26DEC)
		Depart Sydney for Dubai - 17hours and 5 minutes
Sunday, 26 December 2010	5:55am	Arrive Dubai
	7:25am	Depart for Madrid
		EK141  DUBAI MADRID  0725 1220
	12:20pm	Arrive Madrid
Sunday, 26 December 2010	2:00pm	Madrid - Arenal Suite
Monday, 27 December 2010	all day	On off tour of Madrid - all
	9:00pm	Casa Lucio Classic Spanish dinner -all
Tuesday, 28 December 2010	8:45am	Royal Palace and Panoramic tour - Pullmantur - 4 hours
Wednesday, 29 December 2010	9:45am	Tour of Toledo- all - Pullmantur Terminal - 8½ hours
	8:00pm	La Chintas - dinner and flamenco - all
Thursday, 30 December 2010
Friday, 31 December 2010
Saturday, 1 January 2011
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Monday, 3 January 2011	10:30am	Travel by fast train Madrid to Barcelona
		Hotel Granados, Barcelona
Tuesday, 4 January 2011	9:45am	Sightseeing City - Barcelona - 3½ hours
		La Sagrada Familia
Wednesday, 5 January 2011	9:30am	Sightseeing Montserrat - Pullmantur - 5 hours
Thursday, 6 January 2011		Leave Hotel Grandos today
	11:35am	Leave Barcelona for Venice - fly - arrive
	1:15pm	Arrive for Accommodation in Venice
Friday, 7 January 2011		Booked into Pensione Accademia
	9:10am	Sightseeing tour Venice - 2 hours - Tourist Office Albatravel
Saturday, 8 January 2011	2:15pm	Three Island Tour - 3½ hours - Serenissima Boat Station
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Monday, 10 January 2011		Depart Accommodation for Bologna
	> 12md	Bologna - Art Hotel Commercianti
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
Wednesday, 12 January 2011	< 12md
		Florence Grand Hotel Cavour
Thursday, 13 January 2011		Sightseeing - 2 Galleries
Friday, 14 January 2011
Saturday, 15 January 2011		Rome - Natale del Grande 27 scala A
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Monday, 17 January 2011	9:45am	Colosseum and others -3hours - Colle Oppio - Dark Rome
Tuesday, 18 January 2011	9:15am	Sightseeing Vatican - 3 hours - Viale Vatican
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Thursday, 20 January 2011	5:00pm	Leave this afternoon for Airport
	8:35pm	Leave Rome for Dubai 20.35
		EK96 ROME DUBAI  2035 0505 +1 (21JAN)
Friday, 21 January 2011	5:05am	Arrive Dubai then leave for Sydney 5005 - 1015
	10:15am	Depart Dubai for Sydney - 13hrs 40 mins
		EK412 DUBAI SYDNEY  1015 0655 +1 (22JAN)
Saturday, 22 January 2011	6:55am	Arrive Sydney
	7:30am	Chauffeur-Drive to Doreen’s
Sunday, 23 January 2011		Travel back to Newcastle
Monday, 24 January 2011	8:00am	Girls return home today
		Skyways
		Passport
		I arranged travel insurance with Medibank Private at a cost of $175.50
		Airfare = $5,684.00 + taxes ($130.00 approx.)

I have attempted to prepare the girls for this trip by telling them about their resort holiday but they seem not to take any notice. I keep giving them reassurance I will be back and that they are loved - again no particular response. Do you know the girls?

This is Penny and she is about 2 years old - perhaps 3 but holds her age well. Independent and cuddly. Visits the neighbours regularly but is not inclined to be too friendly. Always returns when she hears me drive in or enter the house. Loves to sleep in the garage or under the hedge in the back yard. Rather a good hunter unfortunately and I am often involved in rescue missions - most of them successfully.

Most of you will know about Polly. Everyone thinks she is my favourite except Penny knows that isn't true. Polly is about 8 or 9 years old, adorable with a cute little lower jaw that slightly protrudes over her upper teeth - looks charming. She loves attention. Has a following in the street with the newspaper man; neighbours; Max and Mick; and anyone else who walks by regularly with or without a dog. I cannot keep up with her social contacts. Likes to think she is in charge of everything but loves me even when I have to tell her I am really in charge here.

As you can see I arranged for them to leave on 24th December and despite all my advice they seemed confused about what was happening. I will check on them later and Judy has agreed to give them a call during my absence.

Polly has a sore inflamed foot and is now on medication after having both  an anti-biotic and anti-inflammatory injection. I am sure she will be alright.