1 Year, 1 month

It's been a week of anniversaries this week.  We came to Australia for the first time on the 21st March, 9 years ago. It's been quite mind-blowing just how much we have done in 9 years. Jack was 4 and Eve was 1 year old. Now he's as tall as me and Eve is the proper little Aussie girl we always hoped she would be.

It's also the 1 year 1 month anniversary before we commence The Big Trip. Trips to the library now result in us bringing books back about Tokyo, The Greek Islands, Bangkok & Disney World. Jack has been appointed Destination Specialist for Vegas and Tokyo, Eve is the Destination Specialist for Disney in Orlando. Em's speciality is Greece and The Grand Canyon. I get the rest. Watching Karl Pilkington in Bangkok this week for An Idiot Abroad I reckoned that the Lingam Shrine in Bangkok was a must do family activity.

After all what is life, if not an opportunity to embarrass the living daylights out of your kids?

Life became a bit simpler this week too after I decided that the job in Tasmania was not for me after the permanant contract became a 12 month contract which I then found out meant that it could be cancelled with 2 weeks notice. So we are staying in Perth.

Em has plenty of employment options at Kingsway after a meeting yesterday, the full time option is so appealing financially but it means she's completely knackered after a week at work and it's really not good for her. I have every faith that she'll do what is right for everyone.

On the Big Trip front, we are now a lot more comfortable with the itinerary having decided to increase our time in Greece and after a visit from a couple of great friends from London leading to the kind offer of some free accommodation in London. The chance to spend a few relatively cheap and easy days in London catching up with Em's dad and hanging out with our friends getting some culture and no doubt a couple of Gay Bars for good measure, is too good to miss.

Cheap accommodation is now becoming something of an obsession for me. You don't actually realise until you have to plan a trip of this length just him much can be spent on Hotels in 3 months. There are so many other options when you start looking. In Florida it is possible to rent an entire 4 bed villa with a pool for about $100/night. Most excellent value, especially if our good friends, The Arnolds, are able to join us. The weather in Florida in July will mean that a pool will be an essential after a day of traipsing around a busy, humid park.
Hostels are such a viable option and the ones that I have researched have blown my preconceptions out of the water. There are some beautiful, well equipped. clean, friendly places in really central locations and at a fraction of the cost of a Hotel. It may mean having to have a 4 bed 'Dorm' room to ourselves in places like New York & Tokyo, but I honestly think we will be so tired after days exploring these places that we could sleep anywhere.

I am really keen for your advice on such places as Disney & Tokyo so please let me have your tips.