Welcome to the USA!!

Once we got off the plane and went through to immigration I was escorted to a different area - a small room with a handful of seats. Two ladies sat to the right taking the applications from people as they walked in - one of them was quite sassy and abrupt. Normally that would have pissed me off but today it didn't bother me. I handed my paperwork to the sassy one and was told to take a seat. I was then called up by the other to sign a piece of paper and have a fingerprint taken before sitting down again. Then a third lady in the room called me to her desk. We went through the paperwork briefly and I had my fingerprints taken from all fingers. Then I was led into a second room - this one was much bigger and had about 60 seats in it, with a row of officers sitting at desks processing various applications. I was told to take a seat in the middle and wait. After about 10 minutes (which felt like about 30) I was called up. The guy said 'all done' and passed me back my passport. I said 'is that it' and he said 'yup'. Wow, I was now officially in the United States of America as a permanent resident.

I can't really explain how I felt in that moment. The culmination of 9 1/2 years of paperwork, waiting, more paperwork, more waiting, visits to Sydney and Melbourne, letters and phone calls to various offices both in Australia and the USA. It was a very surreal moment.

So with that I walked through to get my suitcases (which by this time had been removed from the conveyor belt and put into a small section with other bags yet to be collected). I got my bags and walked through Customs. I declared I was bringing in food (candy and biscuits) and was allowed to walk straight through. I was relieved about that as the thought of opening my bags and having to re-pack them was horrible (they were kind of full!!).

After customs I made my way to the bag drop area for American Airlines (for the last flight up to Boston). This was quick and painless, and I was able to squeeze in a couple of things from my carry on so save me carrying them). I then had an hour or so to wait and the gate before my flight and started noticing things around me - I was in New York City!!

I boarded the flight and had three seats to myself (one last piece of comfort I guess).  They offered a drink on the flight and I couldn't help myself. I had to order something typically American - Doctor Pepper!!

Some 40 minutes later the flight landed in Boston and it wasn't long before I saw a very familiar face - my Mum!!!

My Mum and I - <3

We collected my bags and made our way to the car.  It was a beautiful day outside which I was grateful for. Heading into winter over here it's going to get really cold. So I'm going to make the most of every day where there's some sunlight and clear skies. We stopped in Portsmouth, New Hampshire to visit Tylene and Alain on the way home. They live about half way between Boston and Cape Elizabeth so it's the perfect stopping point. It was great to see them again (had been about 18 months). Tylene had arranged some yummy food but I wasn't feeling too hungry. I made room for a delicious apple pie-like creation that Tylene made. I forget what it was called but OMG, it was delicious!! Can't wait to get the recipe and try making it for myself.

Once we left Portsmouth it was a straight drive up to Maine. You could see the beautiful colours on all of the trees (this is the best time of year to check out the leaves changing their colours!!). I eventually fell asleep in the car and before I knew it we were home. I am staying in the back apartment for now, and will be moving into the front apartment officially on the 1st December. Mum stayed for a while to talk but it wasn't long before I was falling asleep so I decided to skip dinner and put myself to bed. It was time to try sleeping and getting my body-clock adjusted to Maine time!!

Emirates A380 Business Class - Impressive is an understatement!

Well, that was certainly quite an experience!

When I first booked my flights to come to the USA I decided to use frequent flyer points to try and save on the expenses. And after searching around I realised I didn't need to use too many extra points to fly between economy and business class with Qantas. Qantas are partners with Emirates so it also meant that I could travel with Emirates and fly through Dubai. Obviously this is taking the long way as it involves 2 x 13 hours flights compared to just one (if I was flying from Australia to Los Angeles). But I figured if I was going to travel in Business Class then this would be a great way to take full advantage of this. So the flights were booked and the excitement began. I gave myself a 22 hour stop in Dubai to break the journey up, to get some rest in between and to possibly see a bit more of Dubai (the later never eventuated).

Once the flights were booked I was able to manage my booking online. Because of the stopover in Dubai on the way across the Qantas website allowed me access to something called Dubai Connect. It's a package they sometimes offer travellers with a stopover exceeding 6 hours. It offers the traveller a hotel in Dubai as well as a chauffeur to/from the hotel. So with this organised all I had to do was wait for the flights themselves ...

Checking in at Adelaide Airport was a breeze. I had extra luggage allowance as well, which allowed me to bring a few more things with me that I thought I might use/need while I'm away.

All checked in!

Once checked in David and I spent some time talking about anything and everything, trying to avoid the pain and sadness of what was about to happen. As we were chatting a friend Annie came up and said hello. She was seeing her sister off for a trip to Europe, so that also help distract us from the pain we were feeling (probably more for me than David).

We waited until the line to go through security was almost done and then said our goodbyes. The pain from that last hug still haunts me today. I still can't believe I have done this, but that moment was definitely the hardest thing I have done in my life. I know I have written about this already, but I'm so lucky to have a partner that has allowed me to do this. I will be forever grateful to David for allowing me to have this opportunity - he is the best man in the world! Such a beautiful soul! I miss him so much and it hasn't been a week yet. So we said our goodbyes, hugged, kissed, hugged some more, squeezed and then I walked through security *deep breath* ....

As I was going through security I turned back and kept waving at David. He got a great photo of the last moment we were able to see each other (it's on FaceBook). I took a photo and quickly got told off by the security people - opts!

Once past security and passport control I waited in the boarding area for about 15 minutes before they started boarding the plane. It was enough time to make a last phone call to David and have a chat as he was driving home. It was a little easier than it had been in person but saying goodbye still sucked dogs balls!!

Once I was on the plane it was easy to find my seat (close to the front). I put my bags in the overhead bin and sat down to prepare for the flight. There was a ridiculous amount of leg room (lots), but I realised later that was to make way for the flat-bed!! Shortly after I sat down an attendant came around offering juice, water and champagne - obviously I took the champagne ...

Cheers!

 Throughout the flight I enjoyed all the creature comforts of Business Class. Had several cocktails, freshly prepared meals served with real metal cutlery, noise-reduction headphones, Bulgaria aftershave in the bathroom and had two naps (in the fully extended flat bed). It was fantastic seeing as the flight was just over 13 hours long. But before long we arrived in Dubai and it was time to find my way to the chauffeur lounge and head to the hotel that was organised for my 22-hour stopover. It was fairly easy to find where I had to go (the staff at the desks seemed really helpful).

Once I'd found the chauffeur lounge I only had to wait a couple of minutes before a man led me to my car, and about 5 minutes later we arrived at the hotel - Le Meridien, Dubai. Check in was a breeze and I was given vouchers for breakfast, lunch and dinner that could be used at multiple restaurants within the hotel complex (what a bonus!!). Then I was taken to my room which was in one word, AMAZING! The highlights of my room were definitely the bed and the SPA BATH!! Heavenly!!

Most amazing spa bath - used it TWICE!!

I arrived at the hotel at about 6am and my pickup was organised for midnight so I had 18 hours to relax, unwind and get some sleep. After having a cup of tea the first thing I did was to take a very long spa bath while I had a chat with David. Then I decided to go and grab some breakfast. To say I was spoiled is an understatement. They had all sorts of food available at several buffet areas as well as cook-to-order items from the menu as well. I just picked a few bits and pieces but highlights for me were the camel's milk, goat's cheese, and the energizer juices they had an offer.

After breakfast I went back to my room and contemplated heading out to explore a bit of the city. I decided to stay in and try to get some sleep as I was feeling exhausted, no doubt a natural reaction to the previous week/s of anxiety, sadness, heightened emotions and the long flight. I ended up sleeping off and on for a few hours. I started feeling peckish around 3pm so I ventured out again to look at the hotel and find some food. The hotel is close to the airport but spread out over a bit of land. The property includes several hotel buildings, three pool areas, about 10 restaurants and a few bars. I decided to go Irish for lunch and had a cottage pie (which was delicious) along with some cider (it was about 35 degrees celcius outside!). It was delicious!!

I again thought about what to do with my evening - go into town or just rest/relax - the later option won through again. I had another sleep, another spa bath and then before I knew it the time had come to head to the airport. I got back to the airport rather quickly and headed to the Emirates lounge to enjoy a drink and some food. I think I ended up in the wrong end of the lounge as it was the 'quiet' section. I had a drink and some nibbles but wasn't too fussed about missing dinner as I knew they would feed me on the plane.

Boarding the flight was awesome - the flight from Dubai to New York was on the A380 and Business Class is on the upper deck so we had a separate door to enter through. I found my way to the seat and had another glass of champagne! The seats on the A380 are a little different and you get your own section with a side table and mini-bar (amazing!). The seat also reclines into a flat bed so you can sleep if you want to. The other awesome thing about the A380 is that Business Class has a bar and lounge at the back of the plane. Let's just say that several beverages were consumed back there during the flight :)

Before I know it, we were getting ready to land in New York (JFK). I started to feel a whole bunch of different emotions - excitement, anxiety, stress, tension, sadness - it hit me like a whirlwhind. I was also feeling sad that my Business Class adventure had come to an end (I was only able to do this using frequent flyer points and don't think I will ever be able to afford to fly this way on a long-haul flight).  What an amazing memory!!

Dubai, get in me!!

Have arrived in Dubai safe and sound. The flight was pretty comfortable (which was to be expected) with only a few bumps during the flight. 

When we landed I did get a bit confused about where I was supposed to go. Dubai airport is huge, but after getting directions from a few helpful people I found my way easy enough.

The hotel I'm staying in is only a few minutes from the airport so the drive was short and sweet. The hotel I'm staying in is Le Meridien and put simply it's stunning. The room is huge, with a king sized bed, couches, desk, massive sofa chair and a spa bath! Yes, I've already had a bath today!!

I had a small nap just to unwind and stretch out and then headed to the Yalumba restaurant for breakfast. Buffet breakfast of epic proportions. Pretty much included anything you could think of. I ordered a couple of energizer juices to put some good stuff into my system but pretty sure balanced it out with lots of cheese, fried food and pastries...

Now I'm going to head back to my room for a few hours of proper sleep. Will try and head out to the Sikhs (markets) this afternoon and catch up with some friends for dinner. 

I really wish David was here to share in this fun experience. I think I appreciate the food side of things more thanks does, but I still wish he was here.
 

And we're off ...

Wow, I can't believe how quickly my departure date arrived. 

I have been wrapped up with anxiety and guilt these past couple of weeks about leaving David to start a new adventure. I know I've been writing about it a lot and I've been overwhelmed with messages of support and love. We knew this was going to be hard but as a friend told me recently 'making a big life change is scary. But what's even scarier is living a life with regret'. I'm probably not as eloquent with my words, but the phrase hit home. 

I am sitting on the plane as I write this. Its really hard to pinpoint how I'm feeling. I definitely feel a lot more relaxed and less anxious than I was 12 hours ago. But that might be the champagne or the cocktail I had earlier in the flight. Or the Baileys that I'm sipping on now. 

But in all seriousness I do feel more comfortable now than I did before I said goodbye to David. Now it feels real. I'm actually on the plane now. Now excuse me while I recline my chair into a bed and try to get some rest. I may write more later, depending on how I feel. Dubai is still 8 hours away. Sweet dreams from me to everyone, but especially David who is hopefully snoozing comfortably right now in bed xx

D-Day!

Well, the day is here. Not sure if I want to say it's finally here because from the moment I opened my eyes this morning I've had such a heavy feeling inside. David and I have already had tears this morning but we are trying to just move forward with the day and get ready for the airport tonight.

I've got one bag packed (full of clothes) and a second bag that is almost packed (it's half filled with treats and other bits that I think I'll need for a year, plus some extra clothes.

I decided to pack a few extra clothes to take with me just in case I need them. I picked some things I don't wear much so that when I come back in a year's time I will know whether to keep them or just donate them to a charity in the US.

This packing process has been good for one thing - I have culled three garbage bags worth of clothes out of my closet in the past week. It's always a good feeling to get rid of stuff that you never wear/use.

But back to today - I find myself every couple of minutes looking for David, wanting to be near him, close to him. Even if it's just staring (which I'm doing as I type this now). I am realising that as much as I am going to miss David, he is probably going to miss having me around just as much (if not more).

I am feeling so emotional for so many reasons, but the smallest reason is the move to Maine. I'm not that worried about living in a new country. I feel like my main focus (as it should be) is on David, and the excited I'm feeling around leaving him for a year. I really hope it gets easier once I'm over there and settled. I keep telling myself that we will be able to stay in touch every day, use Skype and iMsg and all of the modern day tools. I always knew today would be the hardest day. I just didn't realise how hard it would be.

David, I LOVE you. Thank-you for allowing me to have this opportunity to go and follow my dream.  Love you forever! You are my soul-mate xxx

Last night in Lobethal!!

I can't believe it's my last night in Adelaide for a while (Australia for a that matter). 

Today was beyond wonderful. David went out of his way to clean/decorate/prepare things to make them extra special just for me! That's just the kind of guy he is. 

David's mum and sister cooked a lot of food and deserts before they came over which was such a blessing. I am so thankful to both of them. Today couldn't have happened without them. Thank you!! Xx

The day itself was just a really relaxing day sitting outside, eating, drinking, playing frisbee with Imogen, drinking some more, having shots with the girls and Paul/Michael, chatting and just spending time as a family. 

Imogen was so cute. At one stage she followed me into the kitchen and jumped into my arms for cuddles. About 5 in a row. It's almost as if she could sense something. I don't think she understands that I'll be gone for so long. It was heartbreaking saying goodbye to her tonight. I held back the tears but felt really emotional when I said goodbye. 

Saying goodbye to Tara, Jess and Paul I started getting tears. Something Tara said nearly pushed me over the edge but I made a joke to try and think of something else. I will miss them so much xx

I cannot put into words how welcome I feel to be a part of this family. Such a great loving wonderful group of people. I couldn't imagine spending my last day here any other way. 

I am going to miss them all incredibly. I know all too well that life doesn't stop moving and changing for everyone here while I'm not around. I'm just glad we have technology today to stay in touch so easily. 

Now it's time for me to head to bed. I can hear David gently snoring and I want to enjoy laying next to him and hearing it until I fall asleep. 

Thanks again to everyone today for making the day so memorable. It means the world to me xx

You all mean to world to me, and I love you very much! Xxx

Memories!

Back in Adelaide after a great weekend away in Melbourne. Had a chance to catch up with lots of family and friends and say another farewell on my seemingly neverending 'farewell tour'. This time I went in knowing that it would be the last time I see people for a while but I made an effort to treat it just like we were catching up any other time. I didn't want to get overly emotional in front of anyone - I always get embarrassed if I cry in public. I think the only two times I got close were when I hugged my grandma goodbye and when I said goodbye to Stephen. It's funny - I get more emotional when I'm on my own as my brain just starts to tick over.

Anyway - I can't believe that it's Thursday and that I am leaving in three days. Even thinking that out loud makes me feel sad inside. I really don't know how I am going to feel leaving David on Sunday night. He just came into the lounge room and gave me a random cuddle. We are both dealing with this separation anxiety in our own ways, but come Sunday we will both be a mess.

I am really lucky to have David and Stephen in my life. I have lots of other wonderful friends and beautiful family that I am also grateful for, but Stephen is a one-of-a-kind friend. He is more like a brother to me and is someone that is always there to offer support, advice, friendship and love. Lucky me!

David is like no one I have ever known before. He is amazing and inspiring (even though he doesn't know it). He always has my back and is supportive of me no matter what - letting me live this dream in the USA is proof of that. I have never loved anyone so completely or deeply in my life and I often think I'm such a fool for leaving him to live away. But I know that I will be coming home. To David. Because David is my home, my everything. I know that sounds mushy but it's true. I can't imagine my life without him. I can't wait for him to visit in April - that's the thing I will focus on once I arrive in the USA!!

Anyway, enough rambling - it's time to go book his ticket!!

The love of my life!

My BFF! 25 years and counting! x