50, it's the new black!

Before we get too excited here - I just accidentally deleted all my contacts - please bear with me for a few days whilst I find all your email addresses & re-enter the all!

Well well here we are (almost)… .50 crikey that’s a mighty big number & so far, I have had a mighty big life (there are 3 or 4 books in there!)

No complaints but much SHOCK & HORROR at this whopping number! LOL

As kids, 50 was the number that Sheltox & I imagined people just kind of dropped off the face of the earth at, I mean at that age how could you have anything left to offer the world, surely you’d be a 'vegetable’ a ‘crony’ an ‘old-cheese’ by then?!

As I sidle up to the big one I reflect on our pre-pubescent idea of old &cheese & assure myself that if I am cheese, I’m a well matured, tastily aged, rich, soft & decadent French brie - I am the kinda brie you don’t necessarily need any crackers or cranberry sauce for – I’m the one that once you know how good it is you just shovel the lot into your gob all at once & swig from a bottle of pale straw sauvignon blanc .....yeah niiiiiice!

Of course that’s the exhausting type too ha!

There are a few of us about to begin quite the overseas adventure – a pilgrimage of sorts I guess, where Cortland streets’ ‘Century 21’is a concrete Taj Mahal at the end of NYC’S R line & Murray Hill the manger, of frankincense & myrrh fame.

Getting to this point - the edge of departure, has taken about 5 years of wishing, hoping & planning & only in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would be sharing any of this with so many people that Truly Love. The unconditional, sarcastic type of Love. The fun type where sure, I’ll help you dispose of the body of your ex but will loudly hum ‘What I did for Love’ EVERY time we are together after that.

All of the people mentioned in this blog are real & all have been told that ‘by traveling with me you give me permission to write about you’…they may have or may not have agreed but the fact remains, here IS a blog & they are in it! The general plan is that our days will happen & post that, either myself or Sammy will blog about it. The two of us will be on this adventure for 6 whole weeks; meeting up with the others at different points along the way & by October 12, all 6 of us will be together in Manhattan.

We celebrate several milestones on this trip too - Sammy turns 48, I turn 50, Belinda & Ash have their 10th anniversary. All of these things happen in the Big Apple.

The adventure begins even before it actually begins because Sammy’s fantastic boss gave us a night either side of the trip at the swanky airport hotel. Thank you Sammy’s gorgeous boss, there is more than one tacky Canadian/Alaskan/American/Hawaiian souvenir coming your way!...anyway it all starts on September 10 when Sam flies into Melbourne about 6.45pm & we sip champagne in the hotel bar, load pouty selfies onto Facebook, remark how faarking fantastic we really are & talk about our feelings.

Next day we leave quite early (post mad duty free frenzy) & head to LA where we change planes & land in Vancouver 24 or so hours later but somehow it’s still the same day.

Here, I plan to walk around jetlagged all day saying ‘Hello Canada, I am from the future’ J

We swan about for a couple of days in Vancouver, have a massage plus mani-pedi then jump on Holland America’s MS Zuiderdam which takes us north, north to Alaska. How bloody divine!

I’ll pass this onto Sam now for her first blog ramble & wish you a sweet dream filled evening. See you from another time, another place on the other side of our glorious planet!

Xo Sandie

Hello blog world,
So very excited about this big adventure I’m about to go on. It’s been a while since I’ve travelled & this will be my first blog, first cruise; first time in New York which has always been a dream, possibly first tattoo (sorry Dad), the world is my oyster. Well the Northern American region at least & after reading Sandie’s first post, I’m travelling with a smelly old cheese! I mean what could be better? The fact too much cheese does terrible things to my digestive system shouldn’t be of concern, pass the wine!

My biggest challenge thus far has been what to pack for a trip that starts in Alaska & ends in Hawaii. Like Sara Lee there’ll be layer upon layer before a sarong, thongs & Mai Tai’s will be the order of the day. Note to self – Mai Tai’s in Hawaii can lead to missing ones flight home, circa 1991.

I’m most excited about my birthday in New York, not that I have any idea what I’m doing AT ALL! Big thanks to Sandie for organising what will be a memorable 24hrs if I understand the timing of celebrations, sleep not required. And to all who contributed to ideas, funds & general input to help me cross off one of the biggies on the bucket list. Any posts or photos from this day should bevery interesting ............. no?! Still no hints?

To also be able to share the BIG 50 with Sandie & 10 happy years with Bel & Ash will make New York so much sweeter. That and the Manolo’s Bel & I have been saving like forever for. Fuss will be made, squeals of delight to follow & photos. We’ll have to try many, many pairs on I’m guessing before the final gems are chosen. Could take hours; days even. Should probably pack a snack.

So here’s to adventure, many happy hours of shopping, selfies to rival any Kardashian (God I hope we don’t see one) little sleep but plenty of laughs & merriment. Apologies to MrTrump in advance & all others on the stalking list. Mr Willis I’m talking about you! No one is safe, consider yourselves warned & don’t forget to pass thewine.

Sammy Two Shoes out xxx