Deer's leg anyone? Or maybe some lizard tea?

Yes, we visited Chinatown today - a walking tour that took us to herbalists, market stalls and great dim sum for lunch.  The children were real troupers - thoroughly interested in the Chinese medicine talk and the visit to the herbalist/pharmacy. Victoria held herself together at the markets far better than her mother did, at the sight of very large frogs, turtles and assorted animal organs for purchase with the intent to consume! The boys thought it was all 'awesome!'. Some more walking took us to a temple - Oliver paddled in the incense ash, but was otherwise unimpressed. A lunch of dim sum followed - we amazed everyone with our chopstick skills, and the children asking for 'bow bow' (thanks to Alexander Loo for teaching the kids that one!)

A quick visit to the cable car museum, then some shopping for the kids who were taken with the bling in Chinatown ... and no, sorry, no shoes purchased yet.

Home now and it is a late afternoon of mathematics and english studies before dinner. Jet lag receeding ... starting to feel more human ...

San Francisco

So, an evenful morning getting to the airport (and home again for Peter with our car), a delayed flight, an incredibly turbulent flight over Fiji for about 45minutes, a vomiting Benedict ... we finally made it to our home for the next 16 days in San Francisco. Very happy to reach terra firma!
A restful day tomorrow, then the holiday begins!

Oh, and glorious summertime weather - yeah!

Wedding anniversary, label makers and truck driving

So, it really isn't long now until we go. The trip is consuming the thoughts of everyone in the household at the moment - so much so that today, on our 15th wedding anniversary, Ken and I briefly congratulated each other on that achievement, but quickly began calculating how long until we leave and what chores are left to be done before departure!

Tomorrow sees Ken and I spending hours at a driving school learning to drive a truck. I have decided that it will be better to be scared lifeless at the sight of such a behemoth now, rather than when we take possession of   our motor-home in the USA. That way, when we get to the US, the horror will still be fresh, and I may just recall some of the safety issues I really need to know when driving a very heavy vehicle!

On a more pleasant front, the house is looking very clean! Ken has been cleaning cornices, fans and walls (he's tall ... he simply has to do those jobs). We have been going crazy with our (ok - "Ken's") labelling machine - stand still long enough and we may label you and where you belong in the house! Hopefully our house guests will be able to find everything easily enough, whilst chuckling gently at our cute OCD tendencies for neatness and order in the house ....
No, really, it is cute ... and neat ....

So this week sees us up to our eyeballs in last minute jobs, packing and saying farewell to friends and family. I expect the next time we 'blog' will be in San Francisco!

So ... very ... close!

Just a quick one tonight -
33 sleeps til we leave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Things I am looking forward to about our trip, by Victoria

• going to Disney Land and Lego Land.
• Going to the ghost towns.
• F.A.O Schwartz toy store in New York
• Ice skating
• Going to Mesa Verde
• walking across the Golden Gate Bridge
• living in an RV 

by Victoria

Home schooling planning

So, in true Julie and Ken fashion, we are busily preparing the kids for our trip. Whilst Ken and I have made an effort in the past to learn a new language prior to travelling ... we don't really need to this time (hopefully!). Ken has channelled his energies elsewhere, and has found a fabulous set of texts for the kids - "A History of US" Joy Hakim - a 10 volume series of the birth and development of the United States (www.ahistoryofus.org). Right now I am listening to a lesson about Native Americans, in particular those who lived at Mesa Verde, where we will visit during our time in the USA. Ken - our history buff - is a pig in mud, and the kids are lapping it up!

The kids have also signed up to be junior rangers (http://www.nps.gov/band/forkids/beajuniorranger.htm) and as they complete curriculum activities along the way they will receive iron on patches - so cute!

That is it for now ... will be in touch!

60 sleeps and counting ...

So, rather than join a social networking site, I thought I would 'cut my teeth' on blogging. That way, you can follow us as we pootle around the USA, see any pictures I learn how to upload, and keep in touch.

We have secured our visas, bought luggage, booked the RV (http://www.roadbearrv.com/rv-rental/class-c-23-26), booked most National Park RV sites, organised our homeswap for Washington DC, purchased medications/contact lenses/spare specs, and (Ken has) made several spreadsheets of our itinerary and checklists of checklists!

The next (daunting) task will be getting our heavy rigid truck licences! Need to find myself a pair of 'truckin' boots' for that experience! Funnily enough, we don't need any special licence to drive a monster vehicle in the USA - our Aus driver's licence will suffice - but we want to get the feel for driving a 10 mtr long vehicle before we get there, so that the panic is slightly less as we drive off down the road in our house on wheels!

The kids are getting very excited about our trip. We will home school them along the way. Victoria has the first birthday whilst over there - and she has already requested a shoe shopping trip in San Francisco. I will be most happy to oblige. Benedict remains unaware that his birthday falls shortly after Victoria's, and so there have been no requests from him yet!

So come along and join us 'virtually' during our 5 month odyssey!

( Photo by Sheila Higgins Photography sheilahigginsphotography.com.au )