Over the final hurdle – 83 to the finish line

Last Wednesday we went for our interviews with the US Consulate for our Visae (visas). I was always confident that we would have no problems getting them – with the present state of the US economy I figured the US Government would be very keen for people to visit them and spend lots of money – but there was always that wee doubt, and a failure to get them would have been an unmitigated disaster. However, the nice man behind the bullet proof glass said that we had made it and we would get our 10 year Visae “within a few days”. Lo and behold they actually turned up the following day, Thursday, and we’re now good to go! That was the final piece of the arrangement for the trip itself, now we just have to get the rest of the domestic housekeeping sorted, particularly for stage one.

I have just finalised the disposal of the remaining dregs of the importing/distributing business that I have been part of for the past 28 years, so at the end of this month I guess I will be officially retired! Carolyn is in the throes of extricating herself similarly from her childcare centre that has been her “baby” for an even longer time, so by the time we get to go, we should both be people of leisure!


PS I've just discovered that because we have Visae, we don't have to apply for the ESTA registration before we leave, as it only applies to travel to the USA under the Visa Waiver Scheme. Yahoo - that's one more thing that doesn't have to be done and also saves us USD28 as well (yes, they now charge for them, whereas last time we got them 2 years ago they were free!)