TR Oct/Nov 2012- Cowboys, casinos and pixie dust OH MY!

[australiankaren]

Ok update on our TA situation. We went to Penrith on Thursday to collect our updated transfer vouchers and the original TA sent out a package to Sam #2 which arrived on Thursday.

So we found that he did not update any of the transfer times I went into change over two weeks ago so I'm glad that I got them changed at Penrith last Sunday.

Also the hotel he didn't book for us in Hollywood? Yeah he decided to "upgrade" us to a completely different hotel instead without consulting us Now it is a nice hotel but proves his incompetence, because he swore to me that he had booked it but it wasn't showing up on the Penrith system...if he had booked it why not upgrade us at THAT hotel instead of switching us

Overall I'm just glad to have all the blo0dy documents and we've told the Penrith manager we will not be dealing with him if something happens over there and she said we can call her, no problems. A proper complaint will be filed when we get back. Funniest thing, in his email he said "If you have any questions or concerns I implore you to contact myself regarding anything no matter how small or trivial you may think it is." Trivial!!! Trying to get our paperwork for 7 weeks is not trivial and he couldn't manage that

Now important question, on the flight itinerary we just recieved it is listing our SYD to LAX flight with Virgin Australia, on a Virgin Australia plane as including dinner and breakfast as expected for a 14 hour flight.

BUT our LAX to SYD with Virgin Australia, on a DELTA codeshare it is only listing dinner it's a 10.30pm, 15 hour flight. Is that normal or should I be ringing up Virgin Australia to see whats going on, we've paid for Virgin Australia tickets so I though we'd be entitled to the same things that we would get on a Virgin Australia plane or should I tweet Delta because its their plane or has anyone recently flew the LAX to SYD route on the 10.30pm Virgin Australia/Delta codeshare?

I wish I could relax and get really excited but this is just bugging me

Upside I'm packing tomorrow and having my graduation dinner with my family tonight

5 sleeps

Don't worry they will feed you dinner and breakfast, but we always take snacks as well......they also have a self serve bar for chips etc.....

Hope it all works out, that is why when we find a great TA we hold on to them....

 

[5ofus]

Blimey, that travel agent sounds terrible!

5days though! Gotta love that

 

[frangipanisam]

Quick question, most hotels will give you extra bath towels if requested right? I don't want to pack a small hair towel if I can get an extra towel for the room instead

 

[frangipanisam]

Okay I have finished the pressie packs

This is what I've gotten for each of them its Bec's pack but some things are different colours for the others
(pink for Sam #3 and red for Sam #2)

These are the little notepads I decorated for each of them, trying to stick to a Disney theme

Just packed my suitcase, with only toiletries to go in the day before and two pairs of pants I had to get hemmed at the dry cleaners

4 sleeps!!!

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

Ooooooooh, those pressies look good and I am sure the girls will get a kick out of them! And think you are a real sweetie for thinking of them too!

We have finally hit single digits today and have 9 sleeps to go! It's so exciting when it happens! And look at you, only 4 sleeps to go!!!! We are all going to have soooooooooooo much fun!

I pretty much have the last minute new toothbrushes etc kind of thngs to do and DD wants a new pair of cargo's as the weather has not cooled off much! I think I may throw in a pair of three quarter pants myself

I have a 30 day weather chart in my favourites and so far we are looking at having 3 days of light showers while we are there. However, that could change as when I first added it about 7 weeks ago it said it was going to be rainy the day we got there, but that has since changed to sunny! It does say it is going to remain steady in the 80's though so we are looking at some warm days!!!

I don't really mind what the weather does though, after all, we will be in Disneyland!!!!

 

[frangipanisam]

Thanks Minnie Sue I've fixed the second photo now so its actually clear! I had trouble making it smaller yesterday and somehow it ended up tiny

WOO HOO! Yay to the single digit dance that is so exciting! I bet you girls are starting bounce of the walls like I am

Ohh I have look up the weather for all of our cities, one thing I haven't gotten around too

I just did aother Disney store order It was stuff on my to buy list and I saved around $70 odd, depending on exactly how much the exchange fee turns out to be

There is a retired Precious Moments Finding Nemo snowglobe on eBay I'm eyeing off but I'll do that over there and a few Jim Shore figurines off his website Other then that I won't be doing any more parcles to poor Hojo's if only a CM at Paradise Pier could understand my question about parcles, I'm never convinced they understand what I mean and would rather stick with Hojo's as they've been wonderful!

Sam #2 & Sam #3 have now fixed their transfers and found that Sam #2 was not listed as a vegetarian on the international flights and the seats we'd picked had disappared and somehow we'd been listed as seperate travellers rather then a group just more ammunition So Sam #2 rang Virgin directly and spoke to a lovely Indian gentleman who allocated us seats together, two window and middle seats directly behind/in front of each other

3 Sleeps

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

I just can't get over the sheer incomptence of that man ( to call him a travel agent would be an insult to other travel agents!!! )

Yep, we are starting to go a little stir crazy round here! I have nothing left to organise so I spend all my time on the Disneyland site and the DIS!!!

I am staying right away from the Disney Store site as I too need to give the poor old Ho Jo a break from signing for my parcels I must agree with you though, the staff there have been super accomodating. We loved staying there last time, they really were wonderful It's going to be like Christmas when we get there and I am looking forward to opening all our boxes. DD has no idea I have ordered any of it!!!

I think we will have a different shirt for every day we are there

Just remembered to add a new memory card to my shopping list!!!

3 sleeps................yay

 

[alicia1506]

omg, not long to go now sam & you too, minnie sue

i hope that you both have amazingly wonderful trips, full of magic and pixie dust and just crazy awesomeness.

bec, i am so, so sorry that your guy-who-works-for-a-travel-agency turned out to be an incompetent moron -- it really seems that he just is incapable of carrying out the most basic of tasks i truly hope that it doesn't detract from your trip or cause any disruptions to what i am sure will be a trip of a lifetime

good luck, and happy single digit dance

 

[frangipanisam]

So just finished packing my toiletries & only have handbag items to throw in on Thursday getting very excited now!!!

My lovely parents surprised me with $1000 spending money as a graduation gift yesterday so sweet considering the awful financial situation they've been in the last 6 years (on the up now at least!). Thinking of looking for a nice piece of jewellery, Tiffany's maybe?

Worked my last day today with kindy & we discussed things we wait for in religion and Halloween came up so I took off on a tangent about my trip and where/ who I will be for Halloween they loved it but we had to get back to work lol

Got my legs waxed today, for a first timer not too bad, thought it was funny though because during the appointment at the beauticians house I found out I had taught her son all day in kindy he was slightly confused when I walked past him to leave lol

1 movie left on my countdown for tomorrow night, Tangled have to get my travel card tomorrow no matter what the exchange rate it, fingers crossed it stays put or goes up, then off to blissful heaven for a massage

Then stopping at Bec's to weight my suitcase with her travel scales please be under!

2 sleeps

 

[5ofus]

So just finished packing my toiletries & only have handbag items to throw in on Thursday getting very excited now!!!

My lovely parents surprised me with $1000 spending money as a graduation gift yesterday so sweet considering the awful financial situation they've been in the last 6 years (on the up now at least!). Thinking of looking for a nice piece of jewellery, Tiffany's maybe?

Worked my last day today with kindy & we discussed things we wait for in religion and Halloween came up so I took off on a tangent about my trip and where/ who I will be for Halloween they loved it but we had to get back to work lol

Got my legs waxed today, for a first timer not too bad, thought it was funny though because during the appointment at the beauticians house I found out I had taught her son all day in kindy he was slightly confused when I walked past him to leave lol

1 movie left on my countdown for tomorrow night, Tangled have to get my travel card tomorrow no matter what the exchange rate it, fingers crossed it stays put or goes up, then off to blissful heaven for a massage

Then stopping at Bec's to weight my suitcase with her travel scales please be under!

2 sleeps

Wow, I can feel your excitement! Have a fabulous time!

 

[Ms. Shuttergirl]

OMG, 1 more sleep and you are on your way. You are going to have the most fabulous time. Enjoy every minute of it.

 

[zanzibar138]

You leave tomorrow!!!

OMG that is so lovely of your parents! I'm sure you'll find some really nice jewellery over there if that's what you want, and you might even be able to do an activity that you had ruled out due to expense.

Have a great time, enjoy the pixie dust and I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back

 

[Andona]

So just finished packing my toiletries & only have handbag items to throw in on Thursday getting very excited now!!!

My lovely parents surprised me with $1000 spending money as a graduation gift yesterday so sweet considering the awful financial situation they've been in the last 6 years (on the up now at least!). Thinking of looking for a nice piece of jewellery, Tiffany's maybe?

Worked my last day today with kindy & we discussed things we wait for in religion and Halloween came up so I took off on a tangent about my trip and where/ who I will be for Halloween they loved it but we had to get back to work lol

Got my legs waxed today, for a first timer not too bad, thought it was funny though because during the appointment at the beauticians house I found out I had taught her son all day in kindy he was slightly confused when I walked past him to leave lol

1 movie left on my countdown for tomorrow night, Tangled have to get my travel card tomorrow no matter what the exchange rate it, fingers crossed it stays put or goes up, then off to blissful heaven for a massage

Then stopping at Bec's to weight my suitcase with her travel scales please be under!

2 sleeps

So close now! What a wonderful gift from your parents They are obviously very proud of you and all youve achieved .

Andona

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[frangipanisam]

So...one sleep to go still doesn't feel real!

Organised my travel card today finally (at 0.9844 so not too bad for under equal) and exchanged another $500 cash. Then I bought some new Christmas picture books so I don't miss out while I'm gone

Ohh then I had the most relaxing 90 minute massage It was just heaven! I could have fallen asleep while she was doing my back but I don't like sleeping on my stomach highly recommend the Natural Beauty Bar to anyone who lives in the Penrith area, just opened on the 8th of October they are on Facebook, opened by a girl I went to school with lol great way to really get relaxed though it still does not feel like its happening tomorrow

The one sour note of the day is that my bathroom (which I used to share with my brother, now its all mine ) has some sort of ant problem. There has been a few around lately but I left them alone and they died. Today they came out more and more each time I cleaned them up no clue where they are coming from but I've surface sprayed everywhere and now there is another batch of dead ants around the shower, go figure I do not lke ants, they make me itch!!!

Well on that note I'm off to watch Tangled and hope that I have packed everything (with 4 things to go in tomorrow morning). Fingers crossed for some sleep and I'll check in again tomorrow before we leave

1 sleep

 

[dabecs]

So excited for you

I hope this trip is everything you have dreamed it to be and if you have time to pop on here with an update we would all love to hear how you are going.

Safe travels - and enjoy

 

[battymum]

I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! Oh and I might have to check out that spa!

Have a great trip!

 

[alicia1506]

omg. i cannot believe it's only 1 sleep to go. have the most amazing and magical trip ever!! i can't wait to hear all about it when you get back

i too have the ant problem in my bathroom from time to time. i thought they might have been coming up between the grout in the tiles near the drain, or up the drain itself... little suckers seem to come out of nowhere. i bought just cheapo coles branded surface spray and sprayed once during the day, and haven't had any return for the last 4 weeks or so... good luck with that too

omg, so excited for you and so happy to hear you had a great massage. that can make all the difference

 

[Beee]

Yay, you are flying out today! Have a wonderful time and I can't wait to hear all about it

 

[Minnie Sue Oz]

News flash......................it's today!!!

I hope you all have the best time ever! All your hard work is now behind you and this trip will be something you all look back on with big smiles on your faces!!!

So, have loads of fun, take oodles of pictures and eat up big!!! I hope to catch up with you all to say hi and get some pics at the Halloween party!!!!!

Safe journey

 

[StephFromOz]

Safe travels! I hope that you all have an amazing trip and I look forward to hearing all about it