I started thinking about it, and where as at the start i was thinking oh yeah, go to Las Vegas and back, but then the word Disney and Universal started popping up. The airfares just to go there alone were expensive, and the travel place then told me about the Star Alliance airfares. These fares are joined with our own Ansett Global Rewards, so that meant my entire journey would accumulate points. The airfare that was suggested was the $2400 fare, and I was allowed 6 stops anywhere in the world, as long as I went around the world one way, no backing up. I had a friend in London, who i wanted to see, so i had that down as a definite stop. I worked out the places I wanted to go, so that I would not want to ever go back....how wrong was I there!!!! I decided to fly to Las Vegas and Terra and I would drive up to Los Angeles to see Disneyland and Universal Studios. At one stage too, my mate in Canada Cheryl, was going to try and meet up in Los Angeles, but her car decided she wasn't allowed too...is that right Cherry????? Anyway, I then found out about Sea World, in San Antonio Texas, they have Beluga Whales, and have a interaction program with them, just as we do at our own Sea World on the Gold Coast. Those that know me know what I am like with animals, and i just had to do this program, even thought it is more expensive to do that than ours here. I also wanted to finally see Graceland in Memphis Tennessee, as I am partial to Elvis and who knows how much longer his place will be open to the public, there is always talk of it closing down so Lisa Marie can live there. I also wanted to see Disneyworld, in Orlando Florida and leave the country from New York, for London.

Ok, destinations planned, it was time for the miles to be calculated, I was limited to 2400 miles on that fare. Now because I wanted to go to San Antonio, I had to leave Vegas and go to Denver, then San Antonio, and Memphis was even worse....San Antonio to Chicago, then down to Memphis, back to Chicago to Orlando and finally up to New York and London. Once the miles were calculated, I was 60 miles over the 2400 allowed and there was no add on facility. The miles were taken u by zig zagging up and down America to do San Antonio and Memphis. I thought and thought about it, but i couldn't eliminate any place, so i went up to the next level.

The next Level was $3400 for 3400 miles and up to 12 stops, same conditions as the other one. Because I was going up a level, I then decided to add on Vienna, Austria, to go and see the Spanish Riding School. I had no idea where else I wanted to go, so I eventually decided on Prague also, but had no time to get a visa for there. As it was my passport was rushed. I think when I made the booking i had used only 2900 miles. I was using Ansett, United, Austrian and Singapore Airlines.

I never told anyone I was invited to the wedding, as with all the bitching on the internet, it would have caused more hassles, so we kept it quiet. No one knew except one or two people that i was going, so you can imagine my surprise when I heard that Christine-.my biggest fan - had heard I was there and told everyone!!! I am honoured my life means so much to her to call people to ask what they know, but she even called the guys up!!! Later in the week Marty had some nice stuff to say about her........not!! But nice stuff about me. A few people got pissed off, but my true mates understood where I was coming from, and that i had no time to tell anyone.

I was all set to leave on the Saturday the 27th of May, in time for the wedding. I was very lucky to be able to get it done with short notice. Disaster struck though...I had teeth problems, and aches.....and went to the dentist...I needed root canal, and when that was done, I had a cracked tooth next door etc. It made me have to postpone my departure till i had it temporarily fixed, as a toothache in a plane etc was not worth it for me. I was really disappointed I was not going to make the wedding, but it was out of my hands. I ended up faxing a message which Marcus read out at the reception.

Next....

Sydney