Route Change

So I'm on a 5 day weekend *bounce* using up the last of my annual leave days from work, and I'm sitting with my granny (Hi Nanny!) looking at the route that I had plotted out on Google Maps based on the OzBus itinerary page when I spot that the itinerary has changed from what it was..and that if you book the trip now, it's more expensive than what I paid. Weird?!

We seem to be losing 8 days from the Turkey & Iran portion to the Pakistan/India/Nepal section..reckon that must be to get around Myanmar without entering it. The alternative route that plotted out the 'Stans we'd be using if there are problems on the India/Pakistan border seems to have disappeared off the site too and I didn't take note of it properly..it really is gonna be an adventure if we get diverted off the rough course OzBus list on the site. We've gained 4 days in Thailand/Malaysia at the expense of Indonesia too..not a bad thing as I'm probably looking at leaving the bus around there to get to Singapore for a beer, so it might make a logical break for me. All of these changes do of course throw my spreadsheet out of whack..the colour-coding isn't right anymore ;)

Loonie's visa applications are nearly sorted which means I'm regaining a level of calmness and not freaking out about her getting refused entry at borders so much anymore.

Not long now til we hit the road!

Sail & Rail Wins!

With only 18 hours left on the poll it seems that Sail & Rail is gonna be a clear winner so we're now booked onto the Stenaline ferry on May 22nd. It'll take us about 9 hours to get to London but it's worth it to be able to say we've done Wexford/Dublin to Syndey with the minimum of air travel.

My work countdown has stalled because I'm working on Sunday which I hadn't counted in so I'm still on 17 days :( But the real countdown is ticking away nicely...36 days left til London departure..NICE!!

I've picked out my books for the bus..Down Under by Bill Bryson and Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Both are based in countries I'll be visiting on my travels and come highly recommended. I'm still debating whether to bring my guidebooks along..or be so organised that I scan all the pages in and bring the scans on my netbook. Reckon once we get to Oz and NZ I'll need them but they're awful heavy to be carrying around. The pile of stuff for my rucksack worries me...there's no way that it's all gonna fit in that one bag!

Four visas down now with only one left to get...how exciting :)

Loonie came to the big smoke yesterday to start on her Visas...hilarity ensued when she arrived at the Indian Embassy 15 minutes after it stopped taking applications for the day. She got a cab to the Pakistan Embassy..and her tale from that journey is hilarious..now to get her to share her day with you :)

I'm real, honestly i am!

Someday I will write on this blog properly, I just have to work myself up to it:) I am practically computer illiterate (is it url or ulr, and pray tell what do these letters stand for?) in comparison to the mad one who set up this 'thing' called a 'blog'. A blog i ask! Joe Blogg? I'm a snail-mail, record playing, cd walkman, non ipod owning (I hear you gasp in horror!) kind of gal who struggles to keep up with modern technology and gadgets and the like-sigh! The moral of the story though is that i shall. . .maybe. .ah no i will, attempt to write on this thingie. Here for the moment is my token gesture. Bring on the OzBus I say-woo hoo!:)

Less than 50 days!

So, the countdown is now at less than 50 days left until we hit the road..how exciting?!? I think I've got everything under control at this stage with the 3rd of the 5 visas I need sorted before we leave being ready for collection tomorrow. I'm hoping to get the application for the 4th one underway as soon as I get my passport back. Exciting times! Running around like a headless chicken trying to squeeze in embassy visits and repeat visits along with work.

We're not booked onto the Sail & Rail yet..still toying with the idea of flying to London to take the easy route. I like the idea of keeping the trip as overland as possible...but easing ourselves in with a 12 journey to London instead of a 50 minute flight might not be the smartest..I can see us arriving into Paddington Station saying we never want to see another train or bus seat!

I've spent a bit of time this morning trying to find a cheap and cheerful place to stay near Cleopatra's Needle for the two nights we're in London before the off. Finding lots of cheerful places..not so many of the cheap ones..and I don't have a clue as to how close they actually are to Embankment where we'll be taking off from on the 24th. If anyone knows the area and has any tips..greatly appreciated :)

Finance for the trip is now finally in place too so I'm no longer stressing about surviving on bread and water for 6 months and having to miss out on parachuting, zorbing etc :)