Well after settling into our hotel last night we found a little irish bar around the corner and had a couple of drinks, we were not that hungry after eating on the plane and not moving around that much.Anyway we had an early start this morning at about 6.30 we got up and were out just after eight,we watched the weather forecast before we went out and they forecast between 6 and 12 inches of snow today and overnight which should make things a little interesting.We walked up to times square where we picked up the city sights tour coach which you can hop on and off at various points around manhattan,the only problem being was that it was snowing really hard and you had difficulty seeing the points of interest (we will give it another go tomorrow ,hopefully the snow will have stopped).Plenty of eating places around where you can get food of any type,most of the places seem as if you just choose what you want and weigh it and you pay so much per kilo the same for breakfast as well.Its amazing how many yellow cabs are buzzing around new york and all managing to find customers, sometimes the roads are full of just taxis,You certainly know when a fire truck wants to get past the sound of the siren and its horns soon make the other vehicles move over,the grid system really makes finding your way around very easy but you loose that when you go down to the old part around the financial district ,little italy and chinatown .Just about to figure out how to put photos onto the blog bare with us its all new.

Ok we have arrived in new york,bill picked us up at 8am and we had a great ride down to heathrow with no hold ups,terminal 5 is huge but really well organised and that went like clockwork.Plane took of only .few minutes late and we had a good flight.Betty was in her element when they bought her chicken tikka masala and red wine for lunch, home from home just like being at the bano phool.no shortage of drinks on the flight and in flight entertainment was good,had a clear view coming over newfoundland and nova scotia lots of ice about,jfk airport was hassle free had to go through the procedure of being fingerprinted and photographed but no problem at all.Just checked into the radisson hotel on lexington avenue and the room is very nice,

WELL ONLY 1 DAY TO GO BEFORE WE FINALLY GET AWAY THE PLAN IS:


Wed 24th: Leave home at 8am for Heathrow,the flight is at 13.35 so that should be enough time.
we arrive at jfk airport New York at 16.00 and are booked in at the Radisson on lexington avenue for 4 nights.
Sun 28th :We check out of hotel and have internal flight with American airlines to Nashville where we stay for 2 nights.
Tues March 2nd:Taking the greyhound bus to Memphis ,which should be interesting where we are staying for 2 nights.
Thurs 4th:Early start ,we have to get the 6.50 am train to New orleans where we are staying for 4 nights.
Sun 7th:Check out of hotel and taking internal flight to Las Vegas via Dallas,staying at Ballys Hotel.
Wed 10th:Internal flight to San Francisco where we are staying for 3 nights
Sat 13th:Check out of hotel and pick up hire car at 9.am we are driving down to Los Angeles which is about 350 miles so we have booked saturday night accomodation at Pismo Beach,should be a nice drive.
Sun 14th:Hand back hire car on the evening and take flight at 10.30pm to Nadi,Fiji.
Tues 16th:Yes we have lost a day,arrive early at Fiji and pick up hire car for drive to the coral coast which is about 60 miles where we are staying at the Warwick Fiji resort for 7 nights.
Tues 23rd:Back to Nadi airport where we pick up flight at 18.30 to Melbourne Australia.
Tues 23rd :Arrive Melbourne and staying with Lorraine for 6 nights.
Mon 29th:Internal flight Melbourne to Sydney where we are staying for 4 nights.
Fri April 2nd:Pick up camper van from Maui which we have got for three weeks and the plan is to drive up the east coast to via Brisbane to Cairns.
Thurs 22nd :Pick up flight from Cairns to Singapore via Darwin.
Thurs 22nd:Arrive Singapore where we are staying for three nights.
Sund 25th:Check out and pick up flight to Heathrow
Mon 26th:Arrive back home

Feel exhausted already:AND IF ALL THAT GOES TO PLAN IT WILL BE A MIRACLE.

Well we had some good news from lynn and peter today, they have nearly booked a three week holiday starting on april 2nd , i think it is on hold for them until tomorrow.Hopefully the plan is to leave England on the 2nd and fly to Singapore for 2 nights and then go on to Sydney for 3 nights after which they will take an internal flight to Brisbane and pick up a camper van which is where we would meet them and travel with them for the following 2 weeks to Cairns,anyway fingers crossed and it will come off ,Betty has just had a delivery come from next which she ordered on line , she seems very excited about what she received,she has found it difficult to shop and try things on over the last 5 weeks but i think she might be making up for it ( I think it might cost me now)

well only 2 days to go and we are still trying to master this blog,betty seems to be on the mend she has started to moan at me about what i am putting in my case and worrying that i might not have left her any room in my smaller case ,she likes to make a point about how many shirts i pack but if the truth is known she likes to take more than she needs(whose got all the tea bags,medical bag,toiletries bags,hair dryer,corkscrew,cd s,cowboy hats yes thats what i thought cowboy hats what do we need those for ,she must have something in her mind well they are all in my bag) .She had physiotherapy at selly oak this morning at 8.30 and when she came out the guy was quite pleased how much movement and strength she had in her arm but made a point of telling me that he said she shouldnt lift anyting for a while ,so i should come back looking like charles atlas after moving mine and bettys luggage for nine weeks,anyway looking forward to wednesday and finally getting away.

3 days to go!

Just started to do my packing today (brian has nearly finished and worried that he might use my space) decisions decisions!