I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING!!!!!!!

Yay!!!

Statement of compliance

In honor of one month remaining until our wedding, I offer the following responses to The Surprise Honeymoon Rules, Vol. I. The original rules are italicized.

1. I will not do anything that is considered illegal in my host country.
Our itinerary, as planned at present, requires no illegal activities. Whether or not you engage in illegal enterprise while on the honeymoon is at your discretion.

2. I would prefer a destination where it is not necessary to bribe border officials or transportation agents in order to ensure smooth travel.
The bribing of border officials is a fine art. When in doubt, officials are best left unbribed. Bribery will not be necessary on our honeymoon.

3. I would rather not be in motion for more than 15 hours each way (not counting layovers).
Not counting time zones or layovers, you will not be in motion (to/from our initial destination) for more than 15 hours.

4. While I am too hyperactive to lie on the beach for hours, I do not want an itinerary so action-packed that I return from my honeymoon thoroughly exhausted.
Much of the honeymoon planning process was invested in the painful process of simplifying the itinerary. I intended our daily schedule to be highly flexible.

5. I will not ride in any vehicles that I know to be smuggled or stolen.
Then you must never know.

6. I prefer to remain at least 80 miles from areas known to contain land mines.
As I understand it, our destinations are at least 80 miles from known, active land mines.

7. If traveling to a cold destination where sitting out by the pool is never an option, I would like at least one opportunity to sit in a Jacuzzi or indoor pool for a minimum of fifteen minutes. (In other words, one defining characteristic of a honeymoon is that it requires purchasing new swimwear.)
There is at least one swimming opportunity.

8. I would like to avoid bedbugs at all costs.
So would I.

9. My general opinion is that while "winging it" by finding last-minute accommodations is often part of a great travel adventure, paying to sleep outside at an overbooked hostel doth not a romantic vacation make.
But it can make for adventure. Though I sincerely believe that "winging it" in the right situation can actually be more romantic than pre-planning, in this circumstance it wasn't worth the risk. Romance, in this instance, is trumped by my need for sanity; see below.

10. Minimal cause for panic attacks--always a good rule of thumb for vacay!
I agree. See above. However, some forms of transportation cannot be avoided in our particular circumstance--namely, flight. And remember, this isn't plain ol' "vacay!"

11. As our honeymoon will occur during early hurricane season, I am wary of hurricane hot spots.
I, like the insurance company, make no guarantees regarding acts of God. Or nuclear war.

12. If we are traveling to another country and a different language is spoken there, I would like to know what that language is (if it can be revealed without compromising the secrecy of the destination). For example, being told that I will need to learn some conversational Spanish or French would certainly narrow down the possibilities but not give away the destination, while "Time to learn Nepali!" makes it really freaking obvious.
I believe the language selection game effectively met this rule.

13. While vegetarian options galore are not necessarily a requirement, I do not seek a travel spot where the only culinary delight is roasted on a spit (or where there is no food at all).
While there will be many culinary delights on our honeymoon, I do have some concerns about this rule. In some specific locales, we may have to go to some lengths to meet your dietary needs.

14. The destination(s) must be finalized at LEAST 6 months prior to departure. Basic travel arrangements (flights, hotels, etc.) should be made at least 5 months in advance, barring any extenuating circumstances. The GTB's failure to get in gear does not constitute an extenuating circumstance.
This was the most difficult requirement to meet, I believe. It was not a matter of "getting in gear," but one of trying to keep my excitement in check. I had to keep my goals simple for a more relaxing honeymoon (see rule #4), and cutting back was the hardest part.

so close

ONE MONTH!!!!!!!!!

Still waiting...

This is a gentle reminder to the GTB that we are
STILL WAITING
for the post explaining how the honeymoon destination complies with the fourteen original honeymoon rules.

:) xoxo BTB

From Staunton to Scranton in 400 days

One year ago, Melissa exited I-81 and drove into the town of Staunton, Virginia. An elaborate ruse awaited her, straight from the mind of a mystery novelist...

Yesterday marked one year of engagement for Melissa and me. May 20 will soon be overshadowed by the significance of June 24 (if it hasn't been already), but this is where the wedding really began--even if the date was chosen because of North Carolina vehicle inspection regulations.

Here's a little clip for you, courtesy of Mark the BM. Sorry, I wasn't able to stream it--but it is iPod ready! It seems to play best in QuickTime or iTunes.

MoB and MoG celebrated

Happy belated Mother's Day to the MoB and MoG, by the way.

My turn!

I didn't get to play with the new video camera yesterday because I was involved in an 8-hour shopping marathon. But today it was my turn to play, and I produced my first dramatic short film, After the Rain.

Update (5/27/2006): The links to the video have changed.

Documentary overload

Honeymoon departure is about 45 days out, and we picked up our first piece of honeymoon hardware: a new video camera. But before this raises everyone's fears of another "Miami Roadtrip Video" situation--forcing friends to sit through 1.75 hours filmed in a three-day weekend--we actually have some editing capabilities.

Here is our first attempt. (It is a little smallish for now. I might upload a larger one tomorrow.)

Update (5/27/2006): The links to the video have changed.

Runaway bride?

Forty-five days, 19 hours and 55 minutes remain.

But her training is nearly complete.