Things done this week!

Been to school this week to talk to the older children about the Oz-bus. They were very good and seemed genuinely interested. I also received my final injection against Japanese Encephalitis. My passport is now returned from the Myanmar embassy to the visa company. I only have the Pakistani visa to collect before departing. All other visa’s are obtained en-route! I also got myself an i pod to help pass away the hours on the bus.

“Are we there yet?”

Bart and Lisa Simpson were being driven to a theme park by Homer and Marge. They can’t stop shouting, “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?” “Are we there yet?….etc”.
I am beginning to know how Bart and Lisa felt and I am just waiting for the day when the journey begins! What will it be like after three months on a bus?

The Countdown Continues

I visited our local village school today (The Robert Wilkinson School) in order to arrange an assembly to talk about my trip.

Some of the classes are going to follow my blog and plot my progress across the world. They will also be encouraged to send me some questions about the places I visit. I hope they are not too difficult! Children always ask the best (most difficult) questions.

It will also be great to hear news from the children. They will hopefully keep me informed about the really important things that are happening back home.

Time flies

Time is passing quickly and lots of preparation still needs to be done.
All the relevant visas are applied for and I am awaiting my passport being returned from the visa company. Only one more travel vaccination remaining (Japanese Encephalitis) and then the courses are finished.
The next big decision is what to take? Clothing for both hot and cold weather. Something for the rainy as well as the sunny days.
I have also decided to buy the most comfortable travel mattress I can find. No good traveling all that way and being miserable due to lack of sleep.
I now need to concentrate on the practicalities of such things as practicing pitching my tent. I would like to get my tent up and down as quickly as possible. When the weather allows I’ll get into the garden to start practicing.
I have also made a start buying some sun cream and insect repellent!
A real nuisance at this time of year is the need to complete and file a Tax Return. I need to get this done quickly. I also need to complete a student loan application form for daughter number 2. All to be done before I leave in May!! Will it all get done?

In the Beginning

I am about to have a Sabbatical and I am amazed at the amount of preparation that I have had to do in order to get ready for it.

Originally I was intending to go to Mount Athos in Greece. Athos is known as the ‘Holy Mountain,’ and there are 21 monestries scattered around a rocky and beautiful promontory of Halkadiki.

In order to get to Athos I needed to apply for permission from the Ecumenical Patriarch in Constantinople (Istanbul). Unfortunately permission was a long time in coming, as the number of foreigners (Especially those who are not of the Orthodox Faith), are limited on the mountain. After waiting for quite a few months I decided that I needed to arrange to do something else instead.

At that time I heard about the Oz Bus, which travels from London to Sydney through 20 countries stopping at some interesting and out of the way places. For most of the way camping in the preferred method of accommodation and of-course the mode of transport a bus! I was so intrigued by this idea that I decided to explore this as an alternative option to Athos.

After asking a few questions I booked my place! (My permit for Athos arrived the following week!).

So I shall be travelling across Europe to Turkey and then south through Iran and Pakistan to India. Then to Nepal and Myanmar and south through Indonesia. The only flying will be from Bali to Cairns and then we drive through the heartland of Australia.

I don’t know what this trip will bring. Perhaps it will be like life itself. A journey with a beginning and an end and lots of different and exciting experiences in-between?!