Well well well. After a 3 year hiatus its time to resurrect our travel blog for the 2013 version of the Strahans across America. After the super popular 2010 version, 3 years later sees a slightly reduced group size travelling across this time, but the excitement is still as tangible as ever.
Vanessa and Mackenzie are heading across mid Sep for 2 months. A chance to spend some quality time with Mum / Nana and Grandpa Larry beckons for their first couple of weeks before I fly closer to the end of September for my month travelling the country of a million choices.
V & M are spending their first night staying at, and exploring Knotts Berry Farm in Anaheim before heading to SW Arizona. Upon my arrival into Vegas we all board our flight a couple of days later for Orlando and 10 nights at the Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World in Florida. It really is the happiest place in the world. I dont give a rats arse whether you are 6 or 60, if you cant completely immerse yourself in Disney World and forget the day to day grind that life sometimes becomes, then pick up the shovel and start digging the hole to bury yourself in.
Investing in Disney Vacation Club back in 2008 really was the best thing we could have done as a family. For an initial investment of $8000USD (along with annual fees of roughly $500) we bought ourselves 50 years of lodging at Disney operated property. We choose to spend our time at WDW in Florida in a 2 bed fully self contained unit for 10 days every 3 years. It rents at $1000 per night to the average non DVC punter so we are already in front after a mere 2 trips since purchasing.....and weve still got 40+ years left!!!
After Orlando we are flying up to the Pacific Northwest and into Seattle, Washington State. From there we grab a car and spend the next 7 days cruising the SW corner of Canada. Through Kamloops, Banff, Jasper and all points in between (Lake Louise & Moraine Lake amongst others) the drive along the 180 odd miles of the Icefields Parkway is one that I am particularly looking forward to. Added to the fact that Vanessa and Mackenzie are coming as well and our first family roadtrip should be a really memorable week.
Well around about a month from now, all three of us will just about be there. Once we are underway I will re-post regularly along with the obligatory snapshot or 20, Feel free to comment or just browse the blog postings.
It might inspire you to venture to the States for your next holiday!!!
