Just about ready

After many hours surfing the net and researching countless guide books, our trip is largely pulled together.  We have a pretty specific route and lodging booked in most locations.  Below is a pretty cool tool I found on Google maps to show where we are headed. Hear my sigh of relief at wrapping this up and feel the excitement finally building for getting on our way!

Over the past couple of nights we have spoken as a family about what we are looking forward to and dreading about this month long journey.  We are excited about surfing in the Atlantic, practicing Spanish, family bonding (me), visiting places we have never been before, the food and beautiful scenery.  We are dreading spending every waking minute with siblings (Katie, with agreement from the brothers), the food, museums and historical sites.  I am sure that we will have some absolutely wonderful moments and memories as well as times we will hope to forget or at least look back on and laugh about.

Now to finish packing and taking care of the other "leaving for a month" things.

Posted by Cathy





View 2010 Wall Family Tour of Spain and Portugal in a larger map

Getting Ready

We are a family of 5 checking out of real day to day life for a month and heading to Spain and Portugal, hoping for fun, adventure and bonding.

Lots to do in preparation: plan the route, procure lodging, buy a couple of good travel books, do internet research, take care of mundane stuff like a global cell phone, notifying visa (and then trying to avoid the 3% fee on every out of the country transaction), arranging for yard care, mail and newspapers in our absence and so on and so on.... WILL WE EVER BE READY?!!!! Will anyone besides me and Tom be willing or interested in helping? Will the kids enjoy the trip as much as we hope? Stay with us and see.....