Well, the countdown has finally hit one month.
As I sit here typing, there is a distinct feeling of butterflies in my stomach as I REALLY realize that we are going to do this - and like really soon!
Our planning continues and this week we hit the task of getting things ready for our leaving party next week. The guest list has already hit the 50+ mark and could get as high as 100! At this point, we will be joined by our first Couchsurfing guest this night - a young German couple - Fabi and Inga, so if you are here, be sure to meet and welcome them.
It looks like Couchsurfing is going to be a wonderful experience for us.
We have offers of accommodation in Bruges (Belgium), Milan (Italy), Berne (Switzerland) and Palmyra (Syria) that we have pencilled in. We will continue to explore this option as a way to extend our $. Although the exchange rate has rallied slightly, it slipped again last night.
Our passports are back with the Chinese visa affixed to them. Quite a nice one. Still have to arrange a Syrian visa and convince someone that we need a Schengen Visa so we are not limited in our travels through much of Europe - trouble is, most of the consulates keep telling us we don't need one as we will not be spending more than 90 in THEIR country.
Will sort this one next week. And we could even be looking for an Iranian visa yet ;).
Michael also hopes to get to the Crimean battlefields (in the modern day Ukraine) with some local people in June or July next year.
We managed to get our hands on a reasonable supply of Australian souvenirs this week - albeit most of them manufactured in China! Got keyrings, coasters, stickers and tattoos, stubbie holders, pencils, clip on koalas, purses, and small toy kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, koalas plus a heap of postcards. These will be used to spread the Aussie cheer. Would love to take small pats of vegemite with us, but based on the reactions of all the international visitors who have graced our doors over the years, it would be wasted - 99% of them HATE it! Now, Tim Tams are another matter - but too bulky to carry (and Michael would eat them all anyway!!!)
As I sit here typing, there is a distinct feeling of butterflies in my stomach as I REALLY realize that we are going to do this - and like really soon!
Our planning continues and this week we hit the task of getting things ready for our leaving party next week. The guest list has already hit the 50+ mark and could get as high as 100! At this point, we will be joined by our first Couchsurfing guest this night - a young German couple - Fabi and Inga, so if you are here, be sure to meet and welcome them.
It looks like Couchsurfing is going to be a wonderful experience for us.
We have offers of accommodation in Bruges (Belgium), Milan (Italy), Berne (Switzerland) and Palmyra (Syria) that we have pencilled in. We will continue to explore this option as a way to extend our $. Although the exchange rate has rallied slightly, it slipped again last night.
Our passports are back with the Chinese visa affixed to them. Quite a nice one. Still have to arrange a Syrian visa and convince someone that we need a Schengen Visa so we are not limited in our travels through much of Europe - trouble is, most of the consulates keep telling us we don't need one as we will not be spending more than 90 in THEIR country.
Will sort this one next week. And we could even be looking for an Iranian visa yet ;).Michael also hopes to get to the Crimean battlefields (in the modern day Ukraine) with some local people in June or July next year.
We managed to get our hands on a reasonable supply of Australian souvenirs this week - albeit most of them manufactured in China! Got keyrings, coasters, stickers and tattoos, stubbie holders, pencils, clip on koalas, purses, and small toy kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, koalas plus a heap of postcards. These will be used to spread the Aussie cheer. Would love to take small pats of vegemite with us, but based on the reactions of all the international visitors who have graced our doors over the years, it would be wasted - 99% of them HATE it! Now, Tim Tams are another matter - but too bulky to carry (and Michael would eat them all anyway!!!)
No comments:
Post a Comment