I thought I should jump in a write up a quick first post… while I’m in the throes of setting the website up. Of course, most of the interesting stuff will come when we’re actually on the road, seeing stuff, meeting people and experiencing things that are completely different to our everyday lives.
But until we get there, there’s a LOT to do. We are knocking them off the list one by one though:
Done
Dog – Sorted. Molly will be staying on a farm near Bathhurst. We’ll all miss her terribly, me especially I think, but if there’s one place we know she will be happy it’s with Emma, her dog (also Molly) and having plenty of space to run around
Cat – Sorted. A friend who lives nearby has so very, very kindly offered to look after him. He’s an independent cat and pretty tough so he’ll be absolutely fine. The only fear is that our friend might live just too close and Oscar might be tempted to keep popping back to his old house… hard to know really.
Flights – Booked. The easiest bit really. 10 mins on the internet and we found a great one-way deal for 16th January 2014. Four people, one-way on Etihad, Sydney-Paris via Abu Dhabi for $3,427 inc taxes – pretty good for a flight just after Xmas with a top quality airline, I thought.
Doing
Visa – for Chelle. Everybody else has a Bristish passport so there’s no problem but seems like a fair few hoops for poor Chelle to jump through. Anyway, after gathering documents for months, she’s finally ready for her appointment in a week or so.
Truck Driving Licence. As we’ll be driving a motorhome over 5,000kgs, we’ll need to take our heavy vehicle driving test before we leave and then get an International Driving Permit to supplement it. Both me and Chelle, the truckie-to-be will be taking our theory test this time next week.
To Do
Simply too much to list at this stage…
I am gong to miss following your adventures, it has been a regular memory jogger for me for our past trips and a great inspiration for our next one. If you are anything like me, you will find the next year only a little tough settling back in but the following year a lot tougher. Strangely, despite coming home to space and familiarity we felt quite clostrophobic on our return, hard to explain. Something that we enjoyed as a family was getting the blog printed into a book and then reading over the posts at breakfast exactly one year on from when they were written, as ‘this time last year we were doing this’, I think it cemented the memories for the kids rather than just leaving it all in the past, and because let’s face it friends and family probably weren’t that intersted in us still talking about our adventures one year down the track. You have done such an amazing thing for your family and you will never regret it, and your kids will always appreciate it, my Boy talks about our last trip all the time (he’s desperate to go again, we are planning for Scandinavia next) and I still look back on my parents taking my sister and I travelling for 2 years 30 years ago as life changing. I bet in 2 years time you won’t be saying ‘maybe not a full year again’! Good luck and safe returns, I will be sad to not be able live vicariously through your posts.
Thanks Scott,
For your kind words and for following our adventure all year. You have a rare understanding of what it’s all about and have offered great advice and support throughout. Take care and I can’t wait to reciprocate and follow your next adventures. See you on the road….
Cheers
Dave
Such a magnificent reflection Davie and such a year of excitement and experiences you have given your family. Thanks to your need to have anything but a mundane suburban life, your family have not had a mundane life either. I think of the old man who met James during the year and told him that he would be someone special and important when he grew up. JB is special and important already but this year has shown him just what is possible. As for Abbie’s wish to be the first person on Mars, I have no doubt that coming from such an adventurous family, this is a distinct possibility. I shall miss your wonderfully written blogs, your escapades and your obvious enjoyment of being together with your family. I also cannot wait for you to get home as have missed you all dreadfully. Keep everyone safe for the next 3 weeks until I see you again. Merry Christmas my lovely ones. With love Mum xxx
Hi Deb,
Sorry I’m late to reply and thank you for the lovely words. The last of so many comments from you on this blog – all of which were such a support and a delight to receive. We are glad to be back and it will be great to see you so regularly again. Until the next trip anyway!
Love
Dave