The List... Part 1

Ok, everyone has been firing SO many things at me that I should do when I head to the States. So I'm going to work on a list. This is what I've got so far, in no particular order...

• Meet someone in St Louis (I'm an old movie buff!)
• See an Oprah show in Chicago
• See Amish country (Ohio?) and buy a quilt
• Take at least one Amtrak trip
• Experience a truly white Christmas
• Dress up in costume for Halloween
• Visit the Hershey's factory
• Visit the Ben and Jerry's factory in Vermont
• Ride a Harley Davidson in Wisconsin
• See the autumn colours
• The Titanic Museum in Branson Missouri
• Eat barbecue in at least three states.
• Hot springs in Colorado and ski (even on the daggy kids slopes!)
• Leave Kansas just so I can say "I'm not in Kansas anymore" (pick the Judy Garland movie thread happening here?)
• Go to Hell
• Eat in a real diner
• Go to Dollywood
• Ride a horse in Montana

And that's just for starters!! If you're reading this, PLEASE make some suggestions. Sometimes suggestions are perfect and you go "Why didn't I think of that??" Sometimes they trigger you to think of other things you'd like to do.

Well... I'm Doing It!!

Well, I had a bit of an epiphany today.

I realised that I have spent such a long time talking about wanting to go to the US and see the REAL America, not what Hollywood and CNN present to me... when there's nothing really to stop me. I have a good job to help me finance it, I don't have any major debts, I'm not tied down by any responsibilites and I am free to do whatever I please. So I made the decision today that I want to spend my 35th birthday in the US... and I want to stay there through the holiday season.

My birthday is the 25th of October. Which puts me there in time for Halloween (something I've always wanted to experience), and I would like to also experience Thanksgiving, a white Christmas and a New Year. I normally find from my birthday through the silly season very depressing as I am on my own and it's a time that highlights my loneliness. So what better a way to make it a time I will look forward to!

Hopefully I can spend that time having a look around the "real" America, visiting a lot of my penpals and Cyster friends over there.

So now I am working on what I will have to do to make this happen. My first goal after I get back from Sydney this weekend is to get my passport. I've never left the country! Then I need to start working on talking to my boss so that I can have that much leave next year (I'm sure they'll let me take it at half pay) and working on saving some money and sorting out what I need to do. It's a HUGE thing for me, as I said I've never left the country. Hell, I never left the STATE until I was 31!!

So for all of you in the States, and for those of you who have BEEN to the States... message me with suggestions on what to see/do to experience the REAL America. And everyone please help me reach this amazing goal.