first morning

A long night's sleep. not sure how amelia feels about getting up in the middle of the night for breakfast!

We went out for dinner last night at Darling Harbour - it was a clear balmy night at 25degrees (or so). Amelia slept all the way though. And then got her revenge throughout the night :-)

we made it

tired, lots of luggage etc.

but we made it.


Sitting in the "horizon club lounge' at the Shangri-la, in Sydney - got a view of the bridge and the opera house. lovely.

more beer please sir.

Yesterday

Forgot to mention - leaving the house was "interesting" - last minute running around as expected.

Biggest pain was CRAPPY UKonline who neglected to mention to me that when I cancel my ADSL with them, it will take 10-15 working days to actually remove it. A bigger pain is that BT cannot/will not cancel my BT account (and thus the line in my name) until the ADSL is removed.

so a fraught time on the phone to them both, then on to the estate agent.

not good.

Changi Airport, Singapore

It is 16:05 local time - and 33C (outside - nice aircon inside).


We are booked in for the 5-7pm cultural tour of singapore, then maybe taking Amelia for a Swim.

The flight LHR->Singapore was ok - very quiet on the plane, so Louise managed to get 3 seats together for a sleep. Amelia was good, although unsetled - didn't hear anyone complaining about her (or they just muttered under their breath ;-)

bed time

for the last time in UK (for a while at least).

busy day tomorrow.

Car (nearly) sold

Louise is driving it over to the dealer in Swindon - less than 24 hours left in the house. We spent some time this morning in Reading - ho hum :-) - where I bumped into someone I went to University with - and haven't seen in about 9 years!

Sunday Evening

Less than 48 hours before we fly now.

Spent today in London and Colchester seeing friends.

Waiting to see if we have the (furnished) flat we have requested for the first month.
(Georgia has read my email, but not responded yet!)

Tomorrow the car dealer guy comes to buy the car (which we collected yesterday - just in time)

car

is back - horrah! Dealer is (hopefully!) buying it on Monday.

Pics of container from yesterday

Finally got the pics off the camera..

leaving do / shipping

Thanks all for the send off this afternoon; was quite sureal leaving vodafone for a second time :-)

Container went off ok - looks like it was just big enough! Will not see it now til late April!

oh god - the container is here

Not only has our 20' shipping container arrived - there are actually two! Ours and another. Given the size of the close we live in....

pics later.

Shipping - day1

Well - John Mason crew just left.

The 3 guys got here at about 8.30, and have done the lounge, dining room, most of the kitchen, back bedroom and nursery. Plus some of the garage and main bedroom.

Some pics...

Tired

It's 11pm on Tuesday - spent 2 hours this evening in the garage cleaning stuff up - louise has been packing.

We went into Newbury today to buy a third suitcase - Camp Hopson only had "soft" cases, so back into the car and off to Swindon's Great Western Outlet village, and the samsonite store. Nice green colour - should stand out on the carosel.

Don't know what time the shippers will turn up tomorrow - house looks like a bomb has hit it - need to take some photos to remind us!

Typing this on my (ex?) work laptop - just about to take a backup of some of my emails/contacts etc.

Norwich Union Direct - let me quote YOU happy

Sigh. Crap. sigh

NUD have just text'd Louise to say the car will now not be finished until the 24 - which is a problem as the dealer who is lined up to buy it is coming over on the 20th to look at it/buy it/take it away.

NUD say that they are missing a small part (sounds like replacement headlamp washer) which they don't have in stock.

CRAP CRAP CRAP.

accommodation

poo - place at miller street is gone.

But why do the agents always "but we have these other places" - always another $100-$200 more per week!!???

Open Day

Thanks to all that made it, and those who planned too, but had problems.

Sorry that I missed talking to some people - ended up on the phone for longer than expected.

I'll see some of you on thursday at the pub though :-)

Last Working Day @ ericsson

Well, everything is starting to come together - cleared most of my desk last night - ready to take everything at lunch time today.

We've given up on one appartment in Sydney; if they don't want to reply to email, there are plenty of others who will (plus the new one is bigger!)

oz mobile

Now that Vodafone have taken us off the staff tarriff, and we are moving, going to have to finally look at getting a new mobile deal.

Of course, having no credit history in Oz is going to make things a little interesting.

Still, there is always prepay - and I've actually now (in my hands no less) got a Vodafone Oz "RED SIM", with $30 (ooo - first time I've had to use the dollar symbol!) of credit, (bet it won't last) AND an oz phone number for it!!

Monday

Saturday - off to Gill & co
Sunday - off to Sharon & co

Sunday night - checking emails to see if we have got any further on short term house rental hunting (not really), but did get an email from Hudson (job agency) looking to meet me once we get down under.

398 hours before touchdown...

Friday again

Why are somethings just so hard - all I want to do is put a button on the sidebar bit to allow people we know to skype us (Don't forget the time difference!!).

Can I do it correctly?

Nope. Not and get the stupid button to display properly.

---

Anyway, what's new? Right, we have told tv licencing we are leaving - their highly technical cash collection system then falls down and they send a form in the post for me to complete to get the remaining money back (oh, and they only allow you to claim whole quarters).

going to be telling UKOnline that I want to cancel soon as well. It's going to be hell without broadband for over a month - hope there is a (cheep!) internet cafe near our first place.

One week to go at work. 465 hours before touchdown.

Update on the car

Forgot to say - car got picked up by Norwich Union direct on Monday. Have to wait and see what they are going to do.

516 Hours to go

Well, now into the home stretch - 516 hours before the plane is scheduled to arrive in Sydney at 10.55am on the 23rd.

Also 7.5 working days left for me at Ericsson :-)

Ho Ho. etc. :-)

Land Registry

Land Registry form completed for the solicitor - the house sale is a little closer now.

Have also (just about) completed the AQIS forms for Australian Customs