The USA 2010 Job - T Minus 50 days and counting.
It's only 50 days until work!bff and I leave for the USA and CON-Con (Leverage convention). We've planned four chock-a-block weeks, filled with Leverage, driving, sightseeing, music, and lots of fun.
I don't think I've actually mentioned anything about going to CON-Con (Leverage Con) on LJ. I know I've mentioned it on Twitter, where it all kind of originated, but not here. Dean Devlin tweeted about it, Timothy Hutton retweeted about it, and before I knew it I was looking up the best ways to get from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Portland, Oregon, USA. My first stop was Google Maps which told me it was a journey of 21,635 km and it would take me about 54 days 12 hours. This included 16,083 km of kayaking from Darwin, across the Pacific Ocean, to Japan then on to Oregon, via Hawaii. As adventurous and exciting as that all sounded, we've opted for the quicker and much less strenuous option of flying. :)
Work!bff and I have decided to make the most of being in the USA and extend our time spent there to four week. We are still finalising the finer details of our plans but here's what we have so far.
PART 1: LEVERAGE! LEVERAGE! LEVERAGE!
Thursday, 18 March 2010: Our flight leaves Melbourne just before midday. We have a brief stopover at LAX before flying the rest of the way to Portland, Oregon. If all goes to schedule we should arrive around mid-late afternoon. We'll have a couple of hours of checking out our surroundings and getting our bearings and purchasing Goldfish, Milk Duds, Classic Coke, Apple Dippers, and Easy Cheese. (There's more to this trip than food, I swear.)
Friday, 19 March 2010 / Saturday, 20 March 2010 / Sunday, 21 March 2010: CON-Con! \O/ We have Platinum Tickets so our weekend will include a cocktail party, banquet, and a Leverage set tour.
Sunday, 21 March 2010: Christian Kane live at Dante's! I only found out about this yesterday and today I found out that Steve Carlson will be playing with him! \O/ To say I'm excited is an understatement. I honestly never thought I'd ever get a chance to see Chris or Steve play live but it looks like I'll have the opportunity to see both. (More about Steve later...)
PART 2: NEW YORK! NEW YORK!
Monday, 22 March 2010 - Thursday, 25 March 2010: We have 2.3 days in New York City. We're doing all the regular touristy things - Rockefeller Center (including 'Top of the Rock' and the NBC Studio Tour), Grand Central Station, Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park, FAO Schwartz, and Times Square. It's going to be a busy couple of days. We have our time in NY planned out fairly well as we won't have a lot of spare time so we can't afford to dilly-dally.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010: STEVE CARLSON at 'The Bitter End'!!! Not only do I get a chance to see Chris but I'm going to see Steve too. \O/
PART 3: It's about the journey, not the destination... It's about the journey not the destination... It's about the journey not the destination... (aka. We Must be Crazy!)
Thursday, 25 March 2010 - Monday, 5 April 2010: We are picking up our rental car in the morning and then, over the next 12 days, we're driving from New York to Boston, via HALF THE FREAKIN' COUNTRY! Seriously, we are driving via Tennessee and about 15 other states. LOL!!! We have a couple of long 8-9 hour drive days but we'll be sharing the driving so it won't be too bad and this part of the holiday is definitely about the ROAD TRIP. Just driving through a different country, on a different side of the world, on a different side of the road, while we watch different scenery whiz by outside our car window is going to make the trip awesome by itself.
We have a rule on this trip which states, "If you buy something when in a state, you have been to that state.". For example, we are driving down from Columbus, OH. to Nashville, TN. The direct route skirts us around the edge of Louisville. However, Louisville borders on Indiana. We are deviating from the direct course to cross the border into Indiana so we can stop to buy something at a gas station about half a mile over the state line. Ta-dah! We're going to Indiana! \O/ This rule is sure going to come in handy. LOL!
PART 4: NEW ENGLAND
Tuesday, 6 April 2010 - Sunday, 11 April 2010: Boston, baby! We've got tickets for the New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox!!! Seriously! Just don't ask how much they set us back. ;) We're going car-less for the first few days during which time we'll be exploring Boston and finding out interesting things about the Great Molasses Disaster and Old Iron Sides and Cheers, where everyone knows your name. On Friday, 9th April, we're picking up another car for a couple of days and driving up to Maine and, if we can manage, to Vermont. (The 'You buy, You been' rule may come into play for Vermont.) UPDATE: We've now planned our trip so not only are we definitely going to go to Vermont but we are going to go to Waterbury in Vermont to do the Ben and Jerry factory tour! \O/ Mmm, can everyone say Cookie Dough Ice Cream... Yum!
PART 5: HAWAII
Sunday, 11 April 2010 - Wednesday, 14 April 2010: A couple of days of sun, surf, sleep, relaxation, and munibunny! \O/ (not necessarily in that order)
HOME
Thursday, 15 April 2010: Home, with four days to recover before we go back to work on the following Monday.
The End.
So, that's it. That's our trip. It changes practically everyday so I have no doubt by the time it actually arrives, it will be slightly different again.
One thing that won't change is that we are going to see so much of the country and I can't wait! This will be my fourth time to USA and I'm very excited about being able to visit so many new places, and revisit some old favourites (New York and Boston).
It's got to the stage now where it's not that far away so it's on my mind constantly but it's not close enough that I can start getting into holiday mode. I know it will be here before we know it but waiting for it is going to be so hard. :)
I don't think I've actually mentioned anything about going to CON-Con (Leverage Con) on LJ. I know I've mentioned it on Twitter, where it all kind of originated, but not here. Dean Devlin tweeted about it, Timothy Hutton retweeted about it, and before I knew it I was looking up the best ways to get from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Portland, Oregon, USA. My first stop was Google Maps which told me it was a journey of 21,635 km and it would take me about 54 days 12 hours. This included 16,083 km of kayaking from Darwin, across the Pacific Ocean, to Japan then on to Oregon, via Hawaii. As adventurous and exciting as that all sounded, we've opted for the quicker and much less strenuous option of flying. :)
Work!bff and I have decided to make the most of being in the USA and extend our time spent there to four week. We are still finalising the finer details of our plans but here's what we have so far.
PART 1: LEVERAGE! LEVERAGE! LEVERAGE!
Thursday, 18 March 2010: Our flight leaves Melbourne just before midday. We have a brief stopover at LAX before flying the rest of the way to Portland, Oregon. If all goes to schedule we should arrive around mid-late afternoon. We'll have a couple of hours of checking out our surroundings and getting our bearings and purchasing Goldfish, Milk Duds, Classic Coke, Apple Dippers, and Easy Cheese. (There's more to this trip than food, I swear.)
Friday, 19 March 2010 / Saturday, 20 March 2010 / Sunday, 21 March 2010: CON-Con! \O/ We have Platinum Tickets so our weekend will include a cocktail party, banquet, and a Leverage set tour.
Sunday, 21 March 2010: Christian Kane live at Dante's! I only found out about this yesterday and today I found out that Steve Carlson will be playing with him! \O/ To say I'm excited is an understatement. I honestly never thought I'd ever get a chance to see Chris or Steve play live but it looks like I'll have the opportunity to see both. (More about Steve later...)
PART 2: NEW YORK! NEW YORK!
Monday, 22 March 2010 - Thursday, 25 March 2010: We have 2.3 days in New York City. We're doing all the regular touristy things - Rockefeller Center (including 'Top of the Rock' and the NBC Studio Tour), Grand Central Station, Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, Empire State Building, Flatiron Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Central Park, FAO Schwartz, and Times Square. It's going to be a busy couple of days. We have our time in NY planned out fairly well as we won't have a lot of spare time so we can't afford to dilly-dally.
Tuesday, 23 March 2010: STEVE CARLSON at 'The Bitter End'!!! Not only do I get a chance to see Chris but I'm going to see Steve too. \O/
PART 3: It's about the journey, not the destination... It's about the journey not the destination... It's about the journey not the destination... (aka. We Must be Crazy!)
Thursday, 25 March 2010 - Monday, 5 April 2010: We are picking up our rental car in the morning and then, over the next 12 days, we're driving from New York to Boston, via HALF THE FREAKIN' COUNTRY! Seriously, we are driving via Tennessee and about 15 other states. LOL!!! We have a couple of long 8-9 hour drive days but we'll be sharing the driving so it won't be too bad and this part of the holiday is definitely about the ROAD TRIP. Just driving through a different country, on a different side of the world, on a different side of the road, while we watch different scenery whiz by outside our car window is going to make the trip awesome by itself.
We have a rule on this trip which states, "If you buy something when in a state, you have been to that state.". For example, we are driving down from Columbus, OH. to Nashville, TN. The direct route skirts us around the edge of Louisville. However, Louisville borders on Indiana. We are deviating from the direct course to cross the border into Indiana so we can stop to buy something at a gas station about half a mile over the state line. Ta-dah! We're going to Indiana! \O/ This rule is sure going to come in handy. LOL!
PART 4: NEW ENGLAND
Tuesday, 6 April 2010 - Sunday, 11 April 2010: Boston, baby! We've got tickets for the New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox!!! Seriously! Just don't ask how much they set us back. ;) We're going car-less for the first few days during which time we'll be exploring Boston and finding out interesting things about the Great Molasses Disaster and Old Iron Sides and Cheers, where everyone knows your name. On Friday, 9th April, we're picking up another car for a couple of days and driving up to Maine and, if we can manage, to Vermont. (The 'You buy, You been' rule may come into play for Vermont.) UPDATE: We've now planned our trip so not only are we definitely going to go to Vermont but we are going to go to Waterbury in Vermont to do the Ben and Jerry factory tour! \O/ Mmm, can everyone say Cookie Dough Ice Cream... Yum!
PART 5: HAWAII
Sunday, 11 April 2010 - Wednesday, 14 April 2010: A couple of days of sun, surf, sleep, relaxation, and munibunny! \O/ (not necessarily in that order)
HOME
Thursday, 15 April 2010: Home, with four days to recover before we go back to work on the following Monday.
The End.
So, that's it. That's our trip. It changes practically everyday so I have no doubt by the time it actually arrives, it will be slightly different again.
One thing that won't change is that we are going to see so much of the country and I can't wait! This will be my fourth time to USA and I'm very excited about being able to visit so many new places, and revisit some old favourites (New York and Boston).
It's got to the stage now where it's not that far away so it's on my mind constantly but it's not close enough that I can start getting into holiday mode. I know it will be here before we know it but waiting for it is going to be so hard. :)