After a long long day were in Franksville Wisconsin Yes Maaike yelled Hellllooooo Wisconsin Made here wait until we were actually in Wisconsin though!
I all started this morning at 5.15 for Maaikes parents and me, Maaike was already awake at 4.00 o clock for some bizarre reason weird moment to pick not to sleep, while otherwise she has trouble staying awake yes yes I know, nerves are on her side ;).
So at 6.15 were on the train to Brussels National airport In Brussels central I hesitated for a split second if I should get off naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah not that crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzy :D will miss the crazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyy colleagues though!
On the train the first of many Maai-Lies pictures was taken! (visible in the attachment)
Then get the luggage checked in! Of course as they are still a bit paranoid of foreign people entering the country you have to answer to strange questions before you luggage is allowed but we passed the test with flying colors and our bags were allowed Now lets pray well get through ourselves too J But as were still in Belgium thats not really a problem .. just a metal detector and a scan thingy for the bags!
And then the waiting You have to be there 3 hours in advance God knows why as in half an hour we were at our gate shopping included! (ok may be an hour, but still 3 hours???).
But our plain is also already there so thats already comforting! (also in attachment)
So at 10.00 were allowed on the plane! And at 11.00 were ready for take off! Engine on and offfffffffffffffffff we go for a flight of nine hours! With two meals, a movie (with Alexis Bledel the only good thing about it), a lot of naps, Maaike kicking my ass in Manielen and me gazing at views (see attachment).
Miles and miles of green, water and ice .. no houses to be found (or almost none) And lake Michigan If I didnt know any better I wouldve thought it was an ocean! And the first big city we saw from sky CHICAGO!
Which was the que for landing to begin!! So we set foot on American soil at a quarter to one So were thinking nice were on time! Ya right Then you get to custums :s A complete hallway full people waiting before us We again have to answer to silly questions no I am not a terrorist (wouldnt tell you if I was but ok) then you have to give your fingerprints and an Iris scan (or something like that) and then you can go to get your luggage benefit of this all you dont have to wait to get your luggage J
Then the last bit before getting out of the airport The Douane ... You have to give the report with goods to declare We bought some Jenever for Maaikes family so I put it on there of course that guy takes a look at me miss you do know you have to be 21 to drink in the USA . Grumble yes I know I am 24!! Wondering how many times I will have to show my passport on this trip but we got through!!!!
And finally met Dave and John who were so kind to pick us up at the airport And then you come into open air Damn its hot why do I have long trousers and a sweater on Luckily they have airco in the car!
And after another hour we pull up to the driveway of Dave! What a wonderful house I only saw the front and I was already dazzled!
Anyone a beer? We couldnt say no to that could we J, good guests as we are.
And then the backyard, wonderful terrace, a pool, playground, everything you would wish for! And as its boiling hot we wanted to take a swim so we went looking for Dave who was showing Maaikes farther around the garden When we found them, he was about to show his 53 years old red Chevrolet!!! Even if you color blind you should know this red! What a car!!!! My mouth literarily fell open Dave . Does it still drive???? Off course it does! Do you want me to turn it on? Yes Yes (jumping up and down on the inside!) We can take a ride if you want YES!! (jumping even more inside)
You might be thinking jay right but pictures will follow tomorrow!
So after the ride we got a refreshing dive in the swimming pool J
And then Dave came with Whiskey Now I am normally a rhum fan but polite as I am I could not say no to a taste And am I glad I was polite hot stuff but soooo good Four roses but riped on one crate and 50% on alcohol (you cant get it in Belgium)!
And then some nice dinner and a fantastic chocolate dessert!
And then at last its time for bed this is where I am now actually typing this blog with the last energy of today at the wonderful house of Julie (the daughter of Dave, who is so kind to take us in for a week)! Ive been awake for 23 hours so its also time for me to turn in as it is 4.30 now in Belgium (but I will only post it tomorrow).
Lift off day is drawing very near ... In less than 24
hours we will be taking off ... It all still seems surreal ... I suppose the
reckoning will come once were up the air, and reach main land. Set foot on
American ground ... and Maaike can yell Helloooooo Winsconsin!! (Although
were actually landing in Illinois, but thats a detail ;) ).
After one week with Maais family we will travel to the
dazzling Las vegas, where we will try to hold our money ... From there we rent
a car and follow the route which you can see in the picture attached (I wanted to put it again within the text but the blog is working against me :( ... but I will try again ... may be it will work again in the USA ... you never know ;) )
A whopping 1700 km on which we will visit Lake Mead, Park
zion, Grand canyon, Flagstaff and Mojave desert.
And off course to end in Los Angeles ... where after
seeing Inception I centainly want to see the warner bros studios!
It also makes you wonder if this is all a dream ...
And after then the last stage ... New York city, with a
hotel just next to broadway and very close to Time square!!!!
The challenge was obviously too easy ...
You send an e-mail to your collegues, telling them about the blog and that they
should certainely read episode 4 ...
... 3 minutes later...
Sven comes running into the office with a big smile ... "I know the
answer" ...
I was thinking damn ... how can he know it that fast,
he must have dubbel running around or something ...
But nothing to do about it ... post it boy!
Which he did and he's completely correct!
Alias is off course the answer! (Nathalie also knew
it, but unfortunately she was too late)
So Sven wins a souvenir ... what ... we don't know yet ... suprise suprise (some sand was ok you said e).
But the rest of you shouldn't be broken hearted either, probably a next chance
to win a wonderful souvenir will arise in the coming forthnight! I solemnly
swear the next souvenir will absolutely not be sand!
So keep on reading
carefully is the message!!!
And Ill google the words first and see if the answer
comes up or better doesnt come up.
1100010101 ... error the control digit is not
correct.
Human translation... Lies storms in after a warm
long workweek, but really exited ...
Maai, Maai, in less than a month were in America
...
In the mean while Maaike is thinking ... she too
active ...
Forcing binary code behind everything to falter
and causing an error.
But determined to go through, and get her as exited
as myself, I took every travel related document we already have and started
looking through everything.
And it delivered some wonderful pictures:
The travel documents!!
The maps!
Maaike showing of our wonderful itinerary :D
Me finding another use for the maps :p
And then my eye fell on this place
I started laughing ... Maaike was thinking she's
having a nervous breakdown
So I had to explain ... I hope at least one
other person is laughing :D
All you other guys, type in "Santa
Ana" and "Peanut" on you tube and watch the first video
A family barbeque with
Maaike's family in the States, And I am the lucky one who gets to tag along! (Maybe
a bit dangerous for a vegetarian, but I'll take my chances!).
But one week of America ...
it just didn't seem long enough, so it was fairly fast decided to make it a
week longer and fligh to the wonderful Las Vegas, rent a car and visit Zion
Parc, Bryce Canyon and of course THE Grand Canyon. AND more importantly our trip
will end in the movie city Los Angeles!!! AND even MORE important, Maai already
promised we would go to visit the movie studio's (and now I have written
proof!).
After these two weeks we
were initially planning to fly back to our little Belgianland, but as I really
really really would like to see the Big Apple, I decided that I would make
another stop before flying home! In the thought that by doing this the price of
the flight would increase amazingly, Maaike decided not to do this and fly back
to Belgium, leaving me all by myself ... sobb sobb.
With this plan we went to
the travel agency, because - lets face it - we know nothing about booking
flights, hotels and cars. And after 15 minutes we had our flights hotels and
car booked!
En then .... it seemed that
flight price with another stop in New York wasn't all that expensive, the
difference was only 50 euro!
So Maaike started doubting,
and I didn't need a lot of persuation to pull her in ... as you only make such
a trip once in a life time!!!
And that is how it came
that Maai and I will travel through America for 3 weeks!
Maai
and Lies were looking for a nice travel destination, at first we were
planning to go to Egypt, but after a lot of looking and doubting we were
too late and a far much better idea fell out of the sky!
Hello everybody, our blog is a fact, which only means one thing: america is getting close! Things left to do before we leave: to plan, organise, pack and go to Zaventem... Wauw...
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