It was a cold August morning in 1991. I dressed in a skivvy, with baggy dark green Levi’s and an oversized cable knit jumper that my mum made! With my parents and my brothers, my best friend and her parents, we drove the long drive to Melbourne Airport.

Back then the freeways weren’t connected the way they are today, so from our outer Eastern Suburbs home, we travelled out along Bell Street to get to the airport.

I’d packed for a year. This trip was to farewell me! I was 15 years old and was heading abroad for the first time, final destination Chicago, Illinois. I was excited! I was finally heading off to meet the wonderful family who’d put their hand up to have me live with them for a year. With a large young family (3 boys and a little 4yo girl), these generous strangers were opening their home to me. I was their Australian Exchange Student!! And we were a match made in heaven- it was meant to be.

That December my host sister Megan turned 5, and to celebrate we road tripped it to Orlando, Florida, in a seven seater van. We went to Disney, Epcot, Universal and MGM.

Fast forward 28.5 years, 13 grand children later (including Cohen), numerous weddings- of which I was a bridesmaid in each, and Megan was a bridesmaid for me (along with the bestie who sent me off at the airport back in 1991!!). There have been 14 or so trips back to the US, and even after all these years and distance my host family and my US high school friends are still as close as ever. My host mum is also one of Cohen’s god parents.

So, when my host family gave me four years notice to join them in their next Disney trip, it was a no brainer! With Cohen at a great age to remember and enjoy the trip, we all knew we were about to plan the trip of a lifetime!

And so the planning began! Whilst it hasn’t all gone to plan- with Cam no longer joining us due to work commitments, and Hawaii and New York off the cards for this trip now, we still have an EPIC experience planned, and I can’t wait to share it all with you!

One of the many wonderful things about this trip that is extra special is that my little sister,Megan, and I have not been back to Disney since 1991. So we had our first Disney trip together, and now our second. Not only that, we both have six year old boys, who are both going to have their first Disney trip together. And her youngest son will celebrate a birthday during our stay too!

We have so much to look forward to, with some of the expected highlights being visiting our relatives in Denver and catching up with old friends; Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby; Disney, Universal, NASA, Daytona Beach, and maybe Legoland; a surprise 6.5 year dinosaur themed birthday party for Cohen; family holidaying in Florida, with friends holidaying at the same time; Chicago friends; a surprise sleep over in the dinosaur exhibit at Chicago’s Field Museum; Jurassic Quest; a weekend at home with my host family; and my first trip to Grand Rapids to see an old Aussie gal pal expat! This trip will be epic.

Packing is well underway- but I’m struggling with my stuff! After all, we’re literally packing for two seasons! With summer weather for a couple of weeks, and below freezing temps for the other two!! I find this challenging- but it will be worth it!

Whilst the trip is ridiculously exciting, and well overdue (our last trip was 8 years ago: the longest I’ve gone between trips), saying goodbye to Cam and our pups for four weeks is going to be depressing. Oh, and the 30 straight hours of travel are bound to push some boundaries!!

So thanks, in advance, for following our adventures! I hope I’ll be able to convey the journey in a way that excites our readers, and creates a great keepsake for Cohen, our family, friends and I to look back on with fondness.

Three sleeps!