10 days left. That’s nuts!
I don’t feel like we’re anywhere near ready. But we probably will do what we always do … run around like headless chooks at the last minute.
Speaking of last minute … if you’re planning on following this blog as it unfolds, so to speak … then be sure and register in the login box to the right.
If you’re logged into the blog then there will be extra features available, especially while we’re travelling. You’ll know you’re logged in as there will be an extra toolbar with your name in it up the top of each page. The blog will periodically log you out after a few days, so you’ll need to re-log in occasionally.
So, what do ya get if ya register? For starters, under the SPOT menu you’ll have access to the live tracker showing the last few days so you can see where we are anytime. You’ll also be able to leave comments about each days post. There will likely be registered users only postings from time to time too … depending on what we get up to! There’s also a live map showing all the places we’ve stayed. Plenty of reasons to register!
Hmmm … well just so how are the preparations coming along you ask? For that, you’ll need to read on….
The Car
The car is technically done and back in one piece. I’d ordered a tire pressure monitoring system from Canada, but it arrived with 1 dodgy sensor. They’re shipping me another one, but there’s a postal strike in Canada and I doubt it’ll arrive on time. I’d also ordered some deck hooks from Canada to help strap down the rogue Engel. The Engel has already claimed a camera due to its wayward wobbling about so it NEEDS to be strapped down. These supposedly were shipped on the 8/6 with 10 day shipping … doubt I’m gonna see these before we go, if at all. I suppose that once all the extra stuff goes in the car then the Engel won’t have much room to move anyway … but still. Other than that everything seems good. I updated all the GPS software and maps too. Theres the Car GPS to keep the kids entertained with a vague approximation of where we are and when we’ll be ‘there yet’. Proper NAV GPS running Navman, IGO or OZI explorer as needed. Backup GPS running Ozi as track monitor and geocache and free camp proximity detector. Geocaching GPS for … well .. Geocaching of course! SPOT for the real-time tracking and messaging.
The Van
The van … well that’s another story. All the hard jobs are done. The camera is installed on the back and loomed into the regular trailer plug and works well with the screen up front. This will act as a rear-view mirror, not just reversing camera. It’s not as wide angle as a reversing camera so it should be a good complement to the mirrors and will be on all the time. We’ve got a safe tucked away as well to hold anything valuable … there certainly won’tbe any cash in there as Kel has spent it all already on getting her hair done.
Nothing is packed in the van yet. Lots gets put in, then gets taken out again since we still need tools, torches, etc. I did weigh all the big stuff though and found that we’ve 80kg spare to cover all the clothes and food. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but all the heavy stuff totalled 140kg. Chainsaw, Generator, Battery, Toolkit, Potty, Water tanks and anything else that looked like it might weigh much at all got weighed. I’m pretty sure that we’ll be on the limit but OK. We’re not going to be overloaded which is a bit of a shock. The generator is strapped down at the front now and looks like it was built for the spot. Everything else looks like it’ll fit where planned … it’s just putting it all in … which is this weekends job … haven’t I said that before?
Kel doesn’t want to pack any closthes or food until the very last minute, but all the kids and my ‘stuff’ will be secured by Sunday night. We still haven’t decided if the bikes are coming along for the ride yet, but there isn’t much else on the negotiating table. We’ll be ready.
Gadgets
PC wise, I still need to sort out the EEE PC. I’m not sure if its a good idea to take the work laptop with me and the EEE can do the job in a pinch anyway and won’t be a huge loss if it getrs destroyed. The work laptop ain’t so easily done without. On the one hand I’ll probably need to do something for work while we’re away … on the other I can’t afford to lose it either. Whichever PC comes along it’ll get used for updating the blog, emails, media center (for TV and music), trip planning, geocaching, web browsing, photo storage and manipulation, etc. Nothing too taxing, but the software all needs to be loaded on either of them at some stage real soon.
I’ve taken 2TB of backups and countless DVD’s. We should have enough entertainment for the eventual rainy days. Something like 300 movies (100 of them on DVD’s for the car), almost 20000 songs from nearly 2000 CD’s, a couple dozen audiobooks and podcasts too. The kids have their ipods and Nintendos. The kids are well setup in the back. They’ve got desks! They’ll be able to do homework when they admit to being bored … Kels picked them up a whole swag of activity books for their year levels. They’ll also be keeping a paper diary, so they don’t forget how to write. They were right miffed when they learnt their diaries weren’t going to be online ‘like dads’. They’ve got noise cancelling headphones to plug into the car, ipod or nintendo so they’ll be blissfully unaware that we’re talking about them up in front. The headphones work brilliantly. The kids can’t hear ‘dads music’ at all … apart from the subwoofer … and they seem to be able to tune that out. Neither of them really get carsick much so they’re all set … they’ll be oblivious to the fact that we’re only really circumnavigating the Peninsula for 4 months. All the other cables, chargers, adapters, caddies and memory sticks are all sorted … I think. The home server and VPN has been working pretty well and should recover from most things by itself. The home router seems to die about every 2 weeks though … it will probably behave much better without me here to annoy it. Worst case, I can get someone to drop by and reboot the house (Hi Jazwoz!)
Us
Blake is back from camp tonite and has 2 pairs of other peoples tracksuit pants and some dodgy jocks. He managed to lose a single boot in a mud pool. He also managed to lose 2 jackets. At least one was coming on the trip. He now effectively has no warm clothes to take. Apparently there were 8 bags of lost property brought back from the camp so Kel is going to try and see what she can find tomorrow. As tomorrow is the last day of school though, if his clothes have ended up with anybody else then we’re not likely to get them back for 4 months, if at all. It’s not all his fault though, he assures me. (Update from the morning after: Kel went to school and was amazed at all the lost property. She was able to recover ALL of Blake’s stuff even the boot that he left in the mud puddle. Guess what? All the lost property was from the boys … I guess theres something in that for all of us…)
Hannah, the useful one, has at least gone thru all the DVD’s and sorted out the kids ones from the adults ones and put them in folders. She’s also lost a tooth!
Neither of them has put any thought into what they would like to take with them other than ipod and nintendo. Kel has arranged plenty of reading and games though for the driving days and there won’t be too many non-activity days during the trip either … I’m tippin’ they’ll be catching up on sleep as they’ll be wrecked little articles if they think they can keep up with dad’s pace.
I’ve no idea what Kel will do to occupy her brain. She can’t read, since she gets car sick. Can’t watch any movies either. She can only watch the passing extravaganza or sleep. She will be doing a bit of the driving on this trip and I’ll save that pleasure for the moments that we all need to stay wide awake (with terror). I’ve never been able to do more than shut one eye and feign sleep while she’s driving … not that she’s bad at it, mind you.
I think I’ll have more than enough to keep me occupied for the trip. Bit of photo work and blogging each night and the family meeting of whats to come the next day. There’s plenty of planning yet to be done as most of the touristy days are ‘just wing it’ days. There’s plenty of surprises in store. I just can’t wait for it to start.
Lately, every night is filled with dreams of dread. Everything that can possibly go wrong, I reckon I’ve dreamt it. Accidents, Snake bites, broken bones, breakdowns, lack of accomodation, crocs in the window during river crossings, a pack of feral wombats trashing the camp … you name it, it’s kept me awake. There will be some set backs I’m sure, there would be during anybody’s life over 4 months … but not even Russell Coight has had as much misfortune as I’ve dreamt recently. Plenty of sleepless nights in the lead up due to that silliness … yet I’ll sleep like a baby on night #1.
I think I’ve figured out how to explain the feeling. It’s kind of like being at the top of a bungy jump. It’s something that you want to do and can’t wait to do it … yet being at the top, being on the edge, mind racing with all the ‘what could happens’ … doesn’t let you savor the moment … you don’t even get to notice the view. Yet once you take the plunge all that is forgotten. Well, that’s me right now … looking over the edge and hoping there’s enough bungy cord attached. I’m sure we’ll be fine and have a great trip … just bring it on in 10 sleeps !!!