Away we go!

So I finally took the plunge yesterday and finally booked my plane ticket! Eek!

My official "flight" date is Tuesday, February 26th, and I will be flying from Vancouver, through Seattle, to Miami and then on to Grand Cayman. It's going to take just about forever to get there, but get there I will! I will be taking a red-eye from Seattle to Miami - maybe I will be able to sleep, maybe I won't (probably won't). hee hee

I've been researching flights through every website you can think of, and finally decided to call our travel agent that the Law Society uses, because I had so many questions, and we got everything settled. The one way ticket was only $500CDN, but the bonus is that I will be able to have my bagged checked straight through to Cayman, so I won't have to pick them up anywhere and recheck them in. Yay! I do have a brutal layover in Miami (about 5 hours), but I am hoping that by then I will be so tired that I will just be able to find some seats and have a little snooze before my flight to Cayman. I always find the time change screws me up a bit, but it is only three hours so hopefully it won't affect me too bad this time out.

I've already chatted with my new work and Danielle, the paralegal I will be working with, will be picking me up at the airport in Cayman and will help me get sorted out and settled in to my temporary accommodations.

I did some sorting and packing this weekend and packed my large suitcase with my shoes and purses, and a few towels, and my suitcase is full! What the?!? har har.....who knew that purses and shoes take up so much room (I know, I have my priorities down pat huh?). hee hee

So the next few weeks I will be sorting through everything that I want to take, and what I will leave behind, at least for the short term. It's tough because I want to take all my pictures, and all the things that I hold close. Pictures of family and friends will be a top priority for sure!

We got some good news on Sheldon's side. He has been in touch with a few employment agencies in Cayman and he will be having a chat with one of them tomorrow morning. They deal exclusively with financial management recruitement and he has found a few jobs on their website that he will be perfect for. Crossing my fingers that there are good results! I really want them to come down soon!

Off to the dentist this morning with Kira, to make sure that everything is good on the dental front. I don't think that I have a dental plan when I get to the Caymans, so any work that needs to be done, needs to be done in the next few weeks (woohoo!). Can you tell I am thrilled? :P

Checking out flights...and checking some more...and more

I have started my search for airfare to get me to the Caymans....and I have to say it isn't such an easy task. I have been searching, and searching since I got word...well...since I accepted my position down "south" as I call it now. Of course, it has only been in the last few days that I have seriously started my search - and all I can say is that no matter which way I go, it's going to be a loooonnnngggg flight.

The great thing though (is there anything great about leaving your family and flying 14 hours away?) is that my work will pay for my airfare. I just have to send down an invoice and they will repay me either before I arrive, or when I first arrive (bonus!).

Besides that though, I have been posting on my favourite Travel website (Fodors.com) and have been looking at Travelocity.ca and Expedia.ca and Flightcenter.ca and another website consolidator called ITA Software. So far the best flight that I have found for the best price is a flight with Air Canada through LA, changing airlines to Delta and flying to Atlanta and then on to Grand Cayman. The entire trip takes about 15 hours (including time change? I am not sure yet...I haven't been able to figure that out!) but only costs about $425 CDN one way. Great price!

So...I am just weighing my options...hoping another flight opens up that might fly through Seattle instead (I have heard security at LAX is a nightmare - so I would LOVE to avoid that) and I think that I will be ready to book on Monday. And then that will be it! I will be on my way.

It is hard to believe that I will be booking a one way ticket (to paradise baby!)....it's hard to believe that after all the years of thinking, and of dreaming of working abroad, the dream is finally coming true\!!!

The thoughts that are running through my mind though - the thoughts of leaving family, of not seeing my sister for maybe a year?, of not seeing my nephews, and my dad, and my brother...of not spending Friday nights having wine with my girlfriends...this is what I am thinking about right now.

Why does having to pursue a dream have to be so hard?

39 Days To Go!

Just a quick hello to get this blog up and running. I'm feeling particulary inspired today as I am about to book my plane ticket (one way! eek!) and it feels that time is just flying by before I leave.

My anticipated departure for Grand Cayman is February 27th, and a long 14 hour flight (and I think 2 plane changes later) I will arrive in Grand Cayman on Thursday, February 28th.

My new work (Ogier) has kindly offered to pick me up from the airport and take me to my hotel, and/or apartment (I don't know which one yet) and there I will start my adventure.

Everyone that I have spoken to down in Cayman is really nice, really friendly, and really, really helpful (thank goodness!). Can't wait to see what the fuss is all about!

Alright, promise to write more tonight, about my flight plans and general planning, and how the Landry family is adjusting to this new adventure we are ALL about to undertake.

Pst...my new office building is the pink one on the center left hand side of the pic!!!