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GirlChild
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Joined: 06 Mar 2012
Posts: 47
Location: Bagshot

PostPosted: Sun Jun 10, 2012 20:38    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

Time for a weekly update on our preparations!  Hope you are enjoying my musings ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We have returned from a week of relaxing and recharging.  Through our preparation, we have realised the value of taking time out to let the body and mind recover, and restore energy levels.  Although we still chatted about our journey, we specifically took time out to enjoy other activities!  While the initial instinct is to keep going - and taking a week out seem sacrilegious when every minute seems to count - giving yourself space to rest allows you to come back with even more energy and excitement.  I highly recommend it.

Another important part of our trip is about inspiring people to follow their own dreams.  And it can be any dream - whether to start learning a new language, learn a new skill, take a trip of a lifetime or move country!  

This Kapp2Cape adventure has been a dream of ours for a long time, but we repeatedly came up with every reason available why it wasn’t a good idea to follow.  But one day, we really sat down and thought through every reason why we couldn’t do it and found a solution: Stable job?  We’ll find another one - it is only a job. House?  Let’s rent it out.  Belongings?  Sell or store.  Then we asked ourselves what was really standing in our way.  It was painful to admit that it was ourselves - our own perceptions.

As we have started talking to people about our trip, we have been met with mixed reactions.  But, there are people who are already being inspired to explore what is standing in the way of them realising their own dreams.

This means the whole world to us.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Preparations to continue in the coming week.

Until next time,
African GirlChild
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African GirlChild
website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
The adventure begins in October 2012!
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fridayman
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Joined: 23 Jun 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Jun 11, 2012 11:18    Post subject: Reply with quote

GirlChild wrote:
Hey fridayman!

fridayman wrote:
What is your departure date?


We are aiming for 2nd September.  We're still on track!   blob8

fridayman wrote:
Reading your thread has forced me to pull my head out of the sand. We need to ship our truck and belongings by end of September or early October - that is not much more than 16 weeks...  Shocked AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!


What are you up to?  Where are you shipping to?  Take it from me ... time has funny way of running away with itself  Wink

kind rgds,
African GirlChild


We are emigrating to Australia, and have decided to start our life down under with a 12 month trip around the country. We will be shipping the Landcruiser over around the end of September (have a couple of shipping companies over this week to discuss options). I have already purchased a camper trailer which is waiting for us in Brisbane. All we have to do now is finish prepping the truck, ship all our stuff & truck (in September), live without stuff for 3 months (we will follow in January), and sell the house. Easy...  Shocked  Confused
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 19:15    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

What a productive week! The week off certainly gave us energy this past week.

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After a week of rest, we certainly had a very busy, very productive week!  It didn’t really feel it at the time, but we managed to accomplish rather a lot!

Our “kitchen” is now packed.  Well, at least the pots & pans, crockery & cutlery, and cooking utensils are packed.  We had most items already, but these have now been packed into 2 boxes, with a small number of items needing purchasing.  The fridge also arrived this week (currently living in the lounge!).

We had a long chat to Vicki on Skype about their trip (Langebaan Sunset) and gathered lots of useful information.  Many thanks to Vicki - and yet another demonstration of what a wonderful community this Overland community is.

The clearout continued with 11 items going online for sale.  We managed to sell 8 and the funds are helping with our trip preparation costs.  The unsold items plus a few more have been listed online for sale this week.

Very Helpful Friend lent a hand over the weekend, with preparations for the vehicle to go through it’s MOT. Nothing earth-shattering to be done, but learning to fix our own vehicle is invaluable experience.  In addition, we spent some time discussing the next level of the drawer system.  We have realised that we need to start packing some of the boxes in the other levels to understand what storage shapes and spaces we still need.

I also spent time on the less visible aspects of trip preparation.  We have now found an insurance company for our travel insurance.  This comes recommended, and the prices are more tolerable than other quotes (see our Paperwork preparation pages for more information).  I also chatted to an estate agent about renting out our house, and that is progressing.  Our final appointment at the travel clinic is booked for next month (final Hep B shot) and we need to start our oral Cholera vaccination this week.

The website has had a bit more information added to it.  There is a map of the currencies in Africa and more content on other pages. Do have a look!

Our departure date is drawing rapidly closer!  We have a sense of urgency to get packed up - our house still doesn’t really look like we are departing in 11 weeks!  In the coming weeks, we may start taking a day’s leave each week to keep momentum on preparation.

The excitement is tangible!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a great week!

kind regards
African GirlChild
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
The adventure begins in October 2012!
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GirlChild
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Joined: 06 Mar 2012
Posts: 47
Location: Bagshot

PostPosted: Sun Jun 24, 2012 22:13    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi everyone!

After a long period of posts without photos  Embarassed  I have made sure to add in a few to this week's edition.  Sit back, relax and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week, Brodie officially became "Brodie". We thought it was only fair that he displayed his name proudly!



The rest of the week continued its frantic pace.  

The first aid / medical box was tackled this week. We have allocated a maximum of 1 wolf box. We had created an early medical list, and this was enhanced with the advice from the outdoor first aid course we completed in February. Then - we raided the bathroom cabinet, and discovered many items that were unopened and ready for use on the trip. (We also found many expired items, and while common sense it always implemented, we decided that anything that expired in 2007 really should be retired!).  Next, a trip to the pharmacy to top up on day to day items. Lastly, the first aid items were ordered online. Hopefully these will arrive soon, and we can close the box! (I’ll be adding a full medical list / first aid list to the website - please keep an eye out on the Medical page.)



We have been trying to wrap our heads around the paperwork for the car. We are struggling to understand the interaction between keeping the MOT valid, keeping the vehicle taxed and insured (to avoid fines in the UK) and the carnet. I have been in contact with RAC and await their response in the coming week.

Similar to the medical kit, the vehicle spares have an allocated capacity of 1 wolf box.  The spares list for the vehicle was finalised this past week, and the majority ordered online. There are a few items remaining which need to be ordered from Toyota directly. Again, hopefully these will arrive soon and another box can be finalised.

We also need to consider spares and tools for the mountain bikes which are joining us.  A list has been drawn up for this.

The sewing machine continues to be in operation. This week I have added a few more pouches to the collection, as we continue to implement a sense of order to the cables and chargers!

The hard work on the vehicle last weekend and during the week meant that Brodie passed the MOT! Hooray. Of course, more work is always waiting! The fridge, which has been standing in its box for a week or so, emerged! The base plate has been fixed in place, and the fridge fitted. Great progress.



On the house front, we made slow progress with online selling of our listed items.  We’ll keep adding more items as we really do need to start emptying the house. In addition, we have another car boot sale planned for 2 weeks time. Our aim this week is to spend time every evening in one room of the house and find more items to add to the pile. In addition, we’ll start packing some boxes of books etc that will ultimately head for storage (exact location still to be decided).

Anyway, another busy week. A scarce 10 to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
See you all next week!  Same place, same time ...

rgds
African GirlChild
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African GirlChild
website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
The adventure begins in October 2012!
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GirlChild
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Posts: 47
Location: Bagshot

PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2012 17:57    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

It is July already! Wow! Here is the latest weekly installment ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stop the clock!

No, don’t worry, we are still embarking on the Big Adventure.

In case we didn’t have enough to deal with in preparing for the big adventure,  there has been an additional thread woven into the fabric.  This thread, in many ways, has been an important one, because it has been a little nudge towards ensuring that we do indeed embark on our adventure.

At the end of 2011, it was announced that Viking Explorer’s company would be bought out by a competitor.  Even at those early stages, it was made very clear that there would be job losses. It took a little while for the legalities to be completed and the acquisition to proceed, so it was only in April that ownership formally passed over.

At this stage, the formal consultation period started, and Viking Explorer’s entire department was highlighted as being at risk of redundancy.  Initially, we had anticipated that his end date would allow us to proceed with our planned departure date, but it seems that there may be a few weeks delay.

And so, we pause the countdown clock while we keep progressing on the preparations.  New departure date to follow ...

In the meantime, though, I have handed in my resignation (in anticipation of a departure date of end of September).  Hooray!

So, what have we been up to this past week?

Grand Central Station it was this week, as numerous orders were delivered.  The medical / first aid kit is now practically complete.  The vehicle spares box is bulging!

Much time has been spent investigating how to keep the vehicle legal after we have been on the road for more than 12 months.   I have been in contact with RAC, dropped a note to DVLA and trying to make contact with other travellers who have travelled from more than a year.  More info to follow.

The house has looked far too lived in for 2 people who are leaving in a few months.  So, I put all the furniture from the spare room up for sale!  We plan to turn the spare room into Adventure HQ and put everything for the trip in one place (rather than some under the stairs, some in the shed, some in the lounge ...).  Then, to continue the momentum, we packed 4 boxes of books!  Two are headed for storage, one is off to the car boot sale, and the final small one will become our library on the trip.  Let’s make sure the right box ends up in the right place!!

In the vehicle, the creation of storage boxes continues: one box has been installed (it required the fitting of the fridge last weekend) and another box has been built and first coat of varnish applied.

And so we continue in earnest ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have a fabulous week!

See you next time!
African GirlChild
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
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GirlChild
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Posts: 47
Location: Bagshot

PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2012 21:54    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

Another week has flown by - not without activity.  Excuse the length - time to get comfortable and enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rollercoaster continues!  This week, we received good news about Viking Explorer’s end date, and have adjusted our departure date from 2nd September to 7th October.  After weeks feeling a little like we were in limbo, it is a great relief to once again have a departure date set.  We sincerely hope that this won’t change.

As a result of our delay, we are able to attend the Adventure Overland Show.  Not only that, but Brodie will be on display and we’ll both be on hand to answer questions about our preparation.  We will also be giving talks in the Seminar marquee about the trials and tribulations of our preparations.  Lastly, we’ll be given a send off before we head to the ferry port at Harwich to catch our ferry to Esbjerg, Denmark.  So very exciting.  Big thanks to Tom Mc.  Do head over to the show website to see more.

Onto the more mundane …

A relatively successful week was had with the furniture sales:  A bookshelf, double wardrobe and futon all found new homes; the bed not yet.  There was a momentary feeling of space in the spare room ... Before the boxes were gathered from the rest of the house.  Good.

Our planned 2nd car boot sale was, unfortunately, a victim of the great British Summer.  We postponed it to a later date in August the forecast promised yet more rain.

Regarding tax and MOT on the vehicle while we are travelling, we received good news from DVLA: they are happy with the letter that RAC has provided us.  We can let them know to put a permanent export marker against the vehicle in the database after we have taxed the vehicle and are on foreign shores.

I also spoke to Peter, a very friendly helpful man who has travelled overland extensively.  Their solution to the tax and MOT issue was to SORN the vehicle, and then reverse the process when back in the UK.  Either solution requires booking an MOT for the moment one is back on UK shores.

Grand Central station continued:

Our cast iron “Dutch Oven” arrived this week.  Unfortunately, it somehow was damaged in shipment, and arrived with a large piece missing.  While a replacement has been offered, I am unconvinced that this product is up to the rigours of Africa.  I’ll have to resort to the proper South African potjie pot ... A false economy not to, me thinks.

In addition, the jacket for the fridge arrived; the final items for the medical and first aid kit joined the kit.

I have also been in contact with a few storage companies about storing our precious possessions.  So far, it looks to be more reasonably priced than self storage.

So, that was the week!  Only 13 to go ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until next week!

Kind regards
African GirlChild
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
African GirlChild
website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
The adventure begins in October 2012!
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GirlChild
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Posts: 47
Location: Bagshot

PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 21:40    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all,

Just a quick update this week!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Another week flown by, followed by a tiring weekend, so excuse the quick update:

We have finished our cholera vaccinations this past week, with the second dose of an interesting tasting effervescent drink.  Tomorrow sees us complete our jabs with the final Hep B jab.  Hopefully we have now given ourselves all the immunity we’ll need (or rather not need) while on our journey.

The weather kindly held out for us, and we managed to hold our second car boot sale.  After another scan through the house, we managed to fill the Touran yet again.  It was somewhat successful in that we did sell some of what we took, but not nearly as much as hoped.  However, all funds are welcome!  We’ll likely hold a third and final sale in late August / early September after which any remaining unsold items will head to the charity shop or tip.

We are continuing with selling our furniture, and have listed a few more items online - hopefully they’ll all sell this week.

Our library swelled by another valuable book: a bird book for Southern Africa!  A late birthday present for Viking Explorer from our dear friends which is much appreciated.

Brodie has been booked in to the doctor.  There is a “seep” and a “weep” on the transmission box which we thought better to take care of now before we start our journey.

Viking Explorer spoke to Patriot roofracks this past week.  The roofrack seems surprisingly more ‘customisable’ than we had anticipated.  This is good - but means we need to design what we want!  We need to decide now about the layout of the roofrack - particularly the positioning of the tent.

Just a short one for this week!  12 more weeks to go ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until next time!

kind regards
African GirlChild
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geordie_boy1978
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 21:49    Post subject: Reply with quote

enjoying the updates ! Very Happy
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2012 21:51    Post subject: Reply with quote

geordie_boy1978 wrote:
enjoying the updates ! Very Happy


Excellent!  That is what I like to hear! hello1
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4runner
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 13:37    Post subject: Reply with quote

not long now!  look forward tothe updates when you are enroute too

it does take a long time to sort everything out!
took me weeks to prepare for just 2 weeks camping and offroading in alps this summer in our landcruiser!!
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 17, 2012 20:59    Post subject: Reply with quote

4runner wrote:
not long now!  look forward tothe updates when you are enroute too

Nope, not long at all!  I do plan to keep posting updates while en route, but they may not be quite as regular Razz  Do check out our website and blog ...


4runner wrote:
took me weeks to prepare for just 2 weeks camping and offroading in alps this summer in our landcruiser!!

Ooooh - we went to the Alps last summer - it was AMAZING!  Gorgeous weather, stunning scenery ... made us want to return Wink  I am sure that you will love your time there.  Just a little tip (in case you don't know already) - we were caught out by how many tolls we ended up paying.  And, if you have a roofrack, you trigger the sensors at the toll booths that think you are a lorry instead of a car ... more £££ to pay Sad  Have a fab trip!
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 22, 2012 20:50    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

It is that time of week again - update!  Lots of pics this week - they have been rather scarce in the last few weeks, so a decent number for your enjoyment!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This week we really made a breakthrough in our preparations!  It felt like a huge leap forward that puts us back on track for our departure date.  First up, we sold the spare bed - the final piece of furniture in the spare room. Finally, we could set up our Adventure HQ and collect all the items from around the house and put it in one place.  The furniture sales continued, with the first item from the main bedroom finding a new home.



Design of the roofrack was finalised this past week.  Viking Explorer spent time talking to Paul at Patriot roofracks to ensure we had a sensible design, and the necessary brackets and attachments.  We look forward to its arrival in early August.

The next layer in the drawer design in Brodie has eluded us for weeks.  We weren’t sure what shape storage we required - more wolf boxes?  Bigger boxes?  Space for soft bags? We also needed to decided where our cooking equipment will be stored. Anyway, we had a very productive half hour peering inside and measuring the space, and have a design we are happy with.  I’ll be sharing progress on the construction in the coming weeks.

Not done yet, we took advantage of the sunshine to bring the rooftop tent out from under the stairs.  I have been dreading this, fearing that the second hand tent we bought would not be in as good condition as I have imagined.  I needn’t have worried.  The tent canvas is in remarkable condition - even moreso since it has already been through Africa twice!  The flysheet has been reunited with the tent, and looks great (remember the repairs completed months ago?)



The mosquito net was indeed in a dire state - as remembered.  No challenge for the mosquitos - you could drive a bus through the holes and tears  Shocked  



However, now armed with replacement nets (courtesy of Jurgens in South Africa) all I needed to figure out was how to remove the old net from the zip and reattach the new net to the zip!!?!!  Easy enough?!???



A slow job unpicking the old net was followed by setting up a mobile sewing room half inside, half outside the tent!  With help from Viking Explorer, the new net has been 80% attached, with the last bit likely requiring hand sewing.  



Lastly, we need a replacement mattress - Howling Moon have been contacted.  As for the old mattress?  This will be reused on the roofrack to protect the bicycles. Perfect!

Aside from everything else, we managed to squeeze in our last visit to the travel clinic.  If all has gone to plan, we should be riddled with diseases, and avoid the real ones on route.

We have engaged estate agents to manage our property while we are on adventure.  We hope they will find kind tenants who will treat our house with love and care - and pay their rent on time!

All in all, a very productive week.  It is 11 weeks until we leave, 8 weeks until Viking Explorer finishes working, and 9.5 weeks until African GirlChild follows suit.  Exciting!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As you can see - a great week had!  Let's hope more of the same to follow.

Until next time!
African GirlChild
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
African GirlChild
website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
The adventure begins in October 2012!
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 26, 2012 19:10    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

It's a midweek special!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With it having been such a productive week so far already, I thought I would capture it all before I forget what we have achieved.

I was transport-less on Monday, so used the day as “get it done” day.  

First, I patiently sat and hand stitched the remainder of the zip for the rooftop tent.  It should now be strong enough to withstand the journey through Africa.  I also feel confident that should it be necessary, I am able to replace any other mosquito nets by hand while on the road.  I also took the opportunity to wipe down the tent both inside and out.  Once dried, we packed up the tent and moved it back into the under-stairs cupboard.

Next up, I had a chat to Howling Moon about a replacement mattress.  They were very helpful, but unfortunately do not have a replacement in stock, or one arriving soon.  No problem.  I called around to a few companies who custom make mattresses with covers.  I found a very helpful gentleman at “Foam for Home” who will provide a standard piece of foam of correct depth (which Viking Explorer can cut to size) and a mattress cover made to size.  The upside of this is that the offcut pieces will provide the last foam pieces we need to packing the bicycles on the roof.  Perfect.  I’ll place an order once the Olympics are finished.

A removals company came to inspect what we have left to store, and arrange for a storage quote. We realised that the hard work of reducing our belongings is starting to payoff!  The quote came through today - not toooo eye watering, but there certainly is incentive to keep on minimising, minimising, minimising…  I have also contacted a few other removals / storage companies for comparative quotes.

Then, off to visit the estate agents and arrange for more photos of the house.  They were suitable impressed at our general high level of organisation - very flattering.  We hope to see the house advertised soon, and tenants agreed in not too long.

Not quite done, I have been in touch with a journalist from our local newspaper about sharing our story and hopefully inspiring others to follow their own dream, no matter what it is.  We’ll have to wait and see what materialises.  In addition, I have been in discussion with local radio.  We are booked to join them in studio after the Olympics.  Very exciting - and similarly we hope to inspire others.

Last, but just as important, I bought lottery tickets for the big draw on Friday.  100 UK millionaires!  I’ll be one, thanks.

And in amongst all this, I have been to work and volunteered for the Olympics!

And so we continue …  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yip - a good week so far.  We'll have to see how the productivity is affected from tomorrow with the start of the Games ...

Enjoy the Games!  Whether on TV, on the roadside or from the stands!

kind rgds,
African GirlChild
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 22:09    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

Back to the regular service ... week end update.  Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So yes, the Olympics are underway!  I now have every sport available as it unfolds … at my fingertips ... dangerous.  Much discipline will be needed.

In spite of the Olympics, progress continues.  

Our blog is now up and running!  We have opted for a format that is easier to update on the road than uploading to our website.  So, if you’d like the updates delivered directly to your email inbox, please head over to our blog and click on subscribe to add your email address to our list.  Remember to tell your friends and family about it too!  We'd love to share our story and inspire them too!


The sewing machine continues to kept in service.  This weekend my project was to make cushion covers for the cushions which will form our 3rd seat.  This would not have been possible without fantastic customer service from Sew Essential.  I realised on Friday morning that I didn’t have the zips I needed for the cushions.  I decided to reschedule the project until next weekend, but still went online to place my order.  Imagine my surprise when I received a dispatch notice at the end of the day, and my order arrived on Saturday morning!  And that was without my making a sweet-talking phone call.



Anyway, the cushions are now covered and installed in the vehicle.  We officially have space for a visitor or guide … or random hitchhiker?!?!????

Not a bad end to the week - especially considering 2.5 man days were lost to Olympic volunteering ...

It is a mere 10 weeks until we leave ... 70 days and counting ...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That's it until next time!

kind regards
African GirlChild
_________________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
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GirlChild
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 22:23    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi all!

Another week flown by ... much distraction caused by the Olympics!  Supporting 3 nations is hard work Wink

Lots of photos this week - enjoy!
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I can’t quite believe it - 2 months until we head off to live our dream!  We are actually enjoying our preparations - of which there is still quite a bit.  OK - quite a lot.  To say we are distracted at work is an understatement.  Every Monday I experience a culture shock: back behind a desk, toiling away at a computer on work that feels mundane in comparison to the long list of items on my ‘To Do’.  It seems so removed from the weekend of activity: creating, sorting, ordering, crossing-off.  Not long to go.

So what have we been up to this week?  

Well, we again fell ‘victim’ to the Olympics. We were fortunately to have tickets to handball, and spent a memorable day in the Olympic Park, watching sport, wandering around an soaking up the electric atmosphere.  A bit more volunteering to continue our Olympic experience.

Our house went on the market last weekend to find tenants for while we are away.  So, the first part of the week was spent turning our Adventure HQ back into a bedroom to convince viewers that you can actually fit a bed and wardrobe into the chaos!  We were rewarded for our efforts - from the 4 viewings we had, 2 expressed interest, and we have given the go-ahead on one.  Gratitude must be expressed to the estate agent for their service.

We are getting closer to installing our bedroom.  The roofrack and new mattress have both been paid for, and should be delivered in the coming week.

The carpenter and seamstress have been hard at work over the weekend.  Lots of pictures for everyone to enjoy!  The design of the third level in the interior storage make significant progress this weekend: frame plus 2 drawers built and the first coat of varnish applied.  







The third layer is only half the depth.  This gives space for 3 wolf boxes at the bottom.  All the remaining space (on top of the wolf boxes and in front of the third level) will no doubt be very useful for whatever hasn’t found a home yet: soft bags, boxes of fruit etc.

The other significant design modification is the right hand side of level 1: the 2 wolf boxes have been removed, and replaced by a full size drawer at the back, and a shallow drawer with space for the cooker on top.  The back drawer will make a perfect larder (any tin cans and other food stuff) that don’t

need daily access. The shallow drawer has a divider for my spice rack (special anniversary present from Viking Explorer), and guides on the lid to keep the cooker in place.

The sewing machine has also been in good use this weekend.  First up, a cover for the braai / BBQ grid.  This should help prevent any grease and grime from being spread on other items in the vehicle.



Then, it was time to recycle Viking Explorer’s old work jeans into something functional for the trip.

So, the bottom piece of one of the legs was turned into yet another pouch.





The rest of the jeans were turned into a carrier bag - useful for avoiding plastic bags when we go shopping!  I have more jeans from a friend, so time and priorities permitting, I would like to create another.  After not having broken a needle in years, I managed 3 in a weekend!  The sewing machine worked hard …

Other odds and ends have been ordered: vacuum storage bags, telescopic poles for tarpaulin.

The carnet application has been completed and submitted.  There seem to be comments that the processing has lengthened to 6 weeks, so we hope we’ll be able to sort ours in time.

Aside from our long list, this coming week will have a big focus on visas - particularly where we need to obtain which ones!  This appears to be an intricate strategic game in itself.

And so we are a mere 9 weeks to go.  This time in 63 days, we’ll have had our send off from the Adventure Overland Show and be sitting on the ferry to Esbjerg in Denmark.

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As you can see, a very busy, very productive week.

Until next time!

kind rgds,
African GirlChild
_________________
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African GirlChild
website: www.kapp2cape.net
blog: www.kapp2cape-blog.net
Overland from Nordkapp to Cape Agulhas
The adventure begins in October 2012!
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