One Week To Go…

I am currently waiting for a shipping company to come and collect my boxes to send to the States, and in a week’s time I will be on a plane following them…

It was a big relief to get my visa approved, but it turns out that was far from the end of the work that needed to be done.

There are numerous posts on visa websites about the next stages, but my ‘todo’ list comprised of the following:

Change mobile phone to pay as you go
Cancel gym membership
Cancel roadside cover
Cancel car insurance
Cancel contact lens subscription
Get new prescription and glasses
Cancel car tax
Cancel all subscriptions
Pack and arrange shipping of possessions to America
Inform Student Loan Company of move
Cancel all credit cards
Cancel bank accounts
Cancel charity direct debits
Inform Inland Revenue of tax change
Get rid of car and send off log book
Get university transcript and degree certificate copy
Get International Driving Permit
Get insurance for USA

On top of this I was moving out of where I was living to move back in with family, and there is the small thing of our UK wedding ceremony in four days…

So it has been a busy period, but one day at a time tasks have been crossed off, and all of the key days are getting closer.

It’s a strange thing seeing pretty much all of your possessions boxed up in a pile, but packing certainly makes you realise what is important and what is not (I have been downsizing for probably best part of a year.)

Shipping everything overseas was one of my biggest concerns, especially in who to use and how to get a quote. I ended up borrowing some sturdy boxes from work to ‘pre-pack’; I went with The Excess Baggage Company and so far they have been fantastic. All boxes and packing materials are free, with just a delivery charge, and their support in filling in all the forms has been very useful.

The PDF document accompanying the order (that contains the customs forms, power of attorney and insurance) was 16 pages and rather daunting, but in the end my fears of having to list every single item were unfounded.

I get to collect my fiancée from the airport on Saturday which will be huge; that will be the first time we have met at an airport knowing we don’t have to go back and part there. Plus planning such major events – moving and a wedding – are not made easier by thousands of miles and six hours time difference.

The video camera for the wedding just arrived, that’s another item ticked off of the list, and it won’t be long until we can actually just enjoy everything that we have planned. Then there is the flight back to Minnesota, and I might just have a nap…