Bags packed, almost ready to go....

We leave for our USA & UK trip in 36 hours. We are all rather excited now!

Our US leg involves 45 days, 8 states and approx. 3,500 miles. We'll be visiting numerous National Parks including Death Valley, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Arches, Bryce, Zion, Monument Valley, Badlands, Mount Rushmore and The Rocky Mountains.

We will start in Death Valley - in 40 degree+ heat. James and I will try to fry an egg on the car bonnet for breakfast on Sunday morning. Within a few weeks we will be in the Rocky Mountains where the road we want to go along still has over 20 feet of snow....which they promise will be cleared by 25 May. Many of our stopping points still have night time temperatures well below freezing. We'll visit Las Vegas twice and enjoy the last week visiting theme parks in San Diego and Los Angeles.

For the Dr Who fans amongst you we are spending a day or so on Lake Powell - the lake from which the Austronaut emerged in the new series.

We are slightly worried about visiting Virgin - a town where it is illegal NOT to have a gun. We are excited about the Rodeo at Cody and seeing the Bison, Bears, Elk and Wolves in Yellowstone.

Olivia is CONVINCED all Americans have guns and is a little nervous about the babysitter we have arrnged in Las Vegas "Will she shoot me if I am naughty?".

Last minute hic-cups have involved credit card fraud - meaning we've had to cancel all credit cards yesterday - we are hoping the new ones arrive tomorrow and me remembering our tax returns are due this week!

I avoided injury in this weekends two soccer games. James survived his cross country race today (15th) and Olivia's front teeth have grown back just in time to start munching on hot-dogs, corn dogs and anything else America has to offer. Jack is sitting up - which means we don't need to hold him ALL the time and his two new teeth mean he will be on to bottled milk very soon. The boys visited the barber today for the holiday hair cuts. Emma and Olivia are having a manicure and pedicure to prepare themselves for a few hours by the pool of the Venetian in Las Vegas.

Emma has bought, worn, returned, bought, worn, returned, bought (repeat another 6 times) a new pair of trainers for the trip....I think she FINALLY has a pair that fit. She is ready.

The Reid Family are ready.

Next post will be from Death Valley on Friday evening!

Ken