Thank you!!!

It took four days for jetlag to wear off - for human and canine. Our body clocks are still a bit off, but that's no big deal. I just hate that muzzy headed drugged-up feeling, so glad it's gone. And even gladder that if I do take any flights they'll only be to europe from now on

Aww, thanks Windsong! I hope to be doing the same for you one day soon.

Despite odd moments of "what the hell have I done", it feels right, and I'm blessed to be able to spend time with family without the trip back constantly looming, never mind not having to pay megabucks for flights every time.

Now just wading through the steps of getting established in a new country, banks, driving licences, and on and on, but we're all used to that

Hope the jet lag has finally worn off?? It's weird how jet lag seems to be worse if you fly West to East and not East to West. I try to stay awake as long as I possibly can so that I'm going to bed at a reasonable 'local'' time, to see if that helps but it still usually knocks me around a bit.

Won't it be great to just 'pop over' to Europe?

Jet lag has worn off but body clocks are still a bit confused - getting better though. Will be glad to just deal with an hour's time difference from now on - and YES to the popping over to Europe, something I very much took for granted before and never will again.

Popping over to Wales for a nice little walking holiday soon, just hills and beaches and nice old buidings - bliss.

Doesn't it sound wonderful when you can say 'I'm popping over to Wales?". lol Sounds much better than....booking a ticket...waiting in line...long flight'

Don't forget to change your location in your profile because no longer are you in BC

Thanks for the reminder - done!

And yes, getting very excited about all the close and wonderful stuff. Just need to make a decision on a car, spoilt for choice!

Considering all you have been through and the journey you've made, I think choosing a car will probably be the easy part !

Posting a copy of this in here as wellOkay it's offficial ! I just bought my ticket !

BA5724 Phoenix to Chicago Tuesday 16th depart 13.45 local time
BA0296 Chicago to London Tuesday 16th depart 20.35 local time
BA1388 London to Manchester Wed 17th depart 11.05 local time

So I touchdown in Manchester on Wednesday April 17th at 12.05pm local time.

wow, just a few more days and you'll be "home" I so hope everything goes well for you . Your positive attitude will definitely help in case some hurdles come your way. Woo hoo , its exciting.

Was it relatively cheap and did you ultimately decide to get a one way ticket?

Can't imagine how you must be feeling knowing that it's actually happening now and so soon too. Have you checked the weather for Manchester on the day you arrive? It's always so much nicer if the sun's shining or at least if no sun, then hopefully it won't be raining
I doubt you'll care though, eh? You'll just be glad to be home

Depends on what you consider relatively cheap! I looked at one way tickets, and through Kayak they had them for just over $700, but the booking went through a web site called airfare.com. This close to going home I'm paranoid about anything going wrong, such as booking through a less than reliable web site and ending up getting to the airport only to find they don't have a record. So I decided to play it safe and stick to someone I knew and trusted! I also saw a lot of other one way tickets which were astronomically high so I avoided those like the plague.

Orbitz had one way for just over $800, but the flights left early in the morning, which meant I would have had to get to the airport about 3am. I had to take into consideration my roommate who would be taking me to the airport. He works nights, finishing at 8am, but he has 3 days off Sun, Mon and Tue and then back at work Wed night. Monday was out as he volunteered and I didn't like the Wed option because depending on the flight he'd probably not get much sleep in time for work that night - so Tuesday was my option! I wanted to get a flight that worked out well for everyone.

So in the end I decided to cut my loses and get a return ticket for $1164 through British Airways, and just cancel the return portion. I booked the return for mid October so that would give me plenty of time to settle in and then cancel it, in that way not making it look strange I was trying to cancel so soon after arriving..

Now the only thing I have to worry about is packing! I've also got to check with the airlines tomorrow because according to the BA web site I'm only allowed one suitcase and I really wanted to take TWO, so that way I wasn't leaving anything behind that needed forwarding later. The first part of my flight is American Airlines but with a BA flight number, so I don't know whether an excess baggage charge is levied by AA or BA and if that charge for the second suitcase would carry through for the entire flight or just the first segment and then I'd have to pay again once I got to London for the domestic part, or pay again to cover the portion flown by actual BA flights.

It's just all so confusing ! I know I'm probably going to end up paying something, I just don't want to pay multiple times..

Checking the weather will be next on the list, although I think the weather channel said they were heading for a heatwave (20 degrees C), so I think that's going to just right. But right now, as you said, I don't care if it's pouring down, freezing or snowing, just so long as I can get there, put my feet up and recover from jetlag knowing I'm home !

Wow, didn't think I wrote so much...but hope I answered the question??

Thank you! Undoubtedly there will be some hurdles...nothing ever comes easily, but I'm going home armed with as much as I can to help get over them with as little pain as possible. I'm going to stay positive !

That is fantastic!!!!!!!

Ohhh my gosh!!! I have the collywobbles for you!! Wish I was going in your suitcase!

Well done just think, this time next week you will be home!