Just over three weeks to go now and just about everything is done. The balance of the car rental was paid off a few weeks ago, although Im still thinking about upgrading weve got a compact booked at the moment but having been spoilt with an intermediate in Orlando earlier this year I cant decide whether to go for it or not. A compact will be fine for us and although I did like the satellite radio we had in the intermediate is that really a good enough reason for the extra expense.
We paid the balance of the cabin rental off this week and thanks to great service from Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg we now have a map to the cabin and the code for the front door so no need to go to their offices when we get there. They have been great throughout, very quick to respond to e-mails and if anybody is thinking of going to the Smokies I would definitely recommend them.
Although BA do not offer a twilight check-in service at Heathrow we are still going to stay there overnight and we have booked in at the Holiday Inn Sipson Way where we stayed last year better the Devil you know and all that.
As far as things to do when we get there are concerned; first stop is going to be the Field Museum Chicago which has what seems like an interesting exhibit on a slave ship that was converted to a pirate ship which sank along with booty from 50 captured ships and was recovered 300 years later
Real Pirates. Depending how long we stay there we will do the Shedd Aquarium either the same day or the next day and will also fit in the John Hancock Observatory and Navy Pier somewhere along the line.
Maps and directions have been printed off for the 'road-trip' days just in case the sat-nav dies on us and thanks to
Travmatix I even know where we are going to be stopping for lunch.
Ive also booked tickets for Dolly Partons Dixie Stampede Dinner & Show on 29th July 2009 where we will be cheering on the South Side. Well do Dollywood on the same day but the other days are pretty open at the moment but will involve a lot of scenic auto touring in and around the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
A few weeks ago there was a TSV on QVC that caught my eye a high definition camcorder and digital stills camera.
As its stills and video combined that will save me having to carry two devices around and its smaller than my current camcorder which is a bonus.
My Fairfx balance is starting to look fairly healthy and with pay day at the beginning of next week Ill be able to add a bit more on once I know how much money was spare at the end of this month.
And so thats about it the holiday has been planned, but not overly so, which should lead to a nice relaxed time and the excitement of going where the wind takes us. Which just leaves us to countdown 15 days to SDD time.
Thanks for reading and hopefully youll re-join me for the trip report when we get back.