Well it's a week to go now and, as Bob Dylan told us, the times they are a-changing.
The main thing is - I am changing jobs. I've been where I am for 7 years now nearly, and it really isn't the place it used to be. I've hated going into work for ages now. I bumped into my old boss a few weeks back (at a leaving drinks for another colleague), and then a couple of weeks later - just before Christmas - he called me and offered me a job in the new company he started last year with the old CEO of my current place. I jumped at it. It's a new company so it's more of a risk, but they seem to be doing well and the idea of helping something on the way up is far more appealing than trying to stop a company on the way down... I'm massively excited about it, and several ex-people from my current place work there already, so it won't be full of strangers. I can't wait!
So on the first day back after New Year, I handed in my notice. What they haven't actually realised is that I've got this holiday booked. I mean the time is booked off, but it was arranged some time back and I don't think they've realised I'm not in for a week... I have purposely not mentioned it in case they get any funny ideas about needing me for the entire month...
One downside though is that I will only have accrued 2 days annual leave by the end of Jan when I leave, and will have taken 5 days off, so that will be 3 days unpaid if the accounts department realise
The other downside is I won't get medical so my ongoing knee problem will be a, er, problem. I'm trying to arrange to see another consultant for an opinion before my existing cover lapses, but any treatment will have to revert back to the NHS which is annoying. I asked Bupa how much it'd be for continued cover... yeah, not happening!
Anyway, back to the actual holiday...
I have cancelled the Roosevelt and the Intercontinental Times Square, leaving us at the Barclay.
I have booked transfers both ways with Blacklane (posh transfers in nice cars that meet you at arrivals. Well, the drivers meet you at the gate. Getting a car into the terminal is probably a bit tricky). I booked these on Black Friday as they had 20% off and it made it only about $10 more than a taxi. You could only get 20% off once, so I did one in my name and one in Ele's name. It does say 2 cases and there is a chance we will have a third (smaller) case, so that might end up on a seat and hopefully won't be a problem!
The group of us going is actually 10-strong. We know 8 of them - 2 of them we don't know. As previously mentioned they are going to Vegas first and arrive into NYC the day after us and leave the day before us. There was a group chat going on last night and one of the group (who is a travel agent and arranged all their travel) has booked us some stuff. So we are booked on Top Of The Rock and also on a Statue of Liberty cruise. I've no idea if it stops on the island or not - I'll just go with the flow! The rest are doing the 9/11 museum but we did that last time so we might go and do the Air & Space museum instead.
We go the day after the Brexit deal vote in parliament. What will that mean for exchange rates? Who knows. I'm planning on changing some more cash into $ a few days before just in case, but I still need to pay our hotel once there with a credit card so if the rate drops that'll push the price up. Of course if the rate goes up it'll work out well from that point of view, but when does that ever happen?!
Very excited now!