So we have our tickets, and a plan...well, sort of a plan...get laid off (Sarah), take a leave of absence (Gary), and buy Lonely Planet books (lots of Lonely Planet books!)

With over a month to get ready, we're thinking we have PLENTY of time (right?) Our to-do list is pretty easy:

1. Book dive trip in Thailand

2. Book dive trip in Galapagos Islands

3. Pack apartment and move to storage

4. Pick up a few last minute items

5. Plan wedding

No problem...(right??!!)

OK, so maybe this will take a little longer than planned. So far, we have booked our dive trips (first priority!) and planned most of the wedding (OK, just the major stuff :o) The holiday chaos has hit hard, so we're focused on enjoying the season and getting to Canada for a few days. We'll shop as we go, I'm sure!!

Oh, yes, and add to the list of things to do:

6. Plan New Years Eve party

OH boy!!! One week to go, and panic starts to set in...we haven't done any shopping (unless Christmas with the families counts!), and packing? HA!! On the upside, the New Years party was a lot of fun!!

It was off to REI, EMS and any other outdoor store we could think of. Shoes, jackets, shirts, pants, and of course, gadgets!! Our GPS will keep us from getting lost (if we figure out how to use it, of course), and our new camera will provide many memories.

Our REI trip was a lesson in how to handle unexpected issues: we spent about 1/2 hour picking out clothes to try on, but while in the dressing room they announced that they were evacuating the store. We left our potential purchases and went outside...never to be allowed back in. Lesson learned: don't bother trying things on!

We were able to purchase items elsewhere (apparently too many items, since not everything fits in our bags!), and we're down to the last-minute running around...

OK, our shopping is done, the apartment is packed and moved (note to all: movers are the best money EVER spent!), and our packs are on our backs.

Saturday night brought very little sleep for Sarah (it's like Christmas Eve--so much anticipation!), so she should be a joy to be around after 30 hours of travelling. We leave Boston at 5:30 PM Sunday, stop in LA and Hong Kong, and arrive at 10:30 AM Tuesday in Bangkok. For those of you who are keeping track, that's 10:30 PM Monday in Boston. I think. (Our apologies ahead of time to anyone who receives a phone call at a horrific hour...we're bound to mess that up at least once!)