*Test Blog Post*.  Just testing out WordPress capabilities and getting used to the logistics of posting.  We also want to use this *test*entry to thank the folks that have supported, cautioned, and provided advice as we prepared for this trip. A big thank you to those that have helped already and/or offered to help in case something comes up while we are traveling.  As with most ventures, preparing  for and embarking on this trip would be much more difficult without our support system.  Thank you!  At times it seemed like a few of you were putting more thought and effort into this trip than the two of us and those efforts are much appreciated!

We started packing this morning, Saturday, September 3. This is some of our stuff.

This is the rest of our stuff.

Hours later, but minutes before leaving the house we were ready to go.

Got it on the first try; close call though.

We did what seemed like a thorough job of packing and taking care of loose ends, including notifying our banks and setting various bills on autopay.  We had two things left to do when we got to the airport – send out a batch of wedding thank you cards and take out some money from the ATM.

The thank you cards were placed in the airport mail without issue. However, Aimee’s card did not work at the ATM.  Aimee, like a responsible adult, cut up her old debit card upon receipt of her new one.  Unfortunately, the card she received was to a new account–one which has a new pin number she doesn’t know. She cut up a valid card and now has a useless one. Wouldn’t be day one without a minor issue, right? So…Travel Tip 1: Don’t cut up your current debit card prior to leaving the country for 6 months.