Bad at blogging...

Hmmm, so we've been away for over month now and haven't actually updated our blog! The truth is that we've been a little busy. We're settled in Sydney now and we'll start writing a little more.

The main thing to say is that we're having a great time! We'll post some photos very soon.

22 days to go...

Just over three weeks before we fly to Tokyo.....about a million things to do!
We still haven't managed to rent out our house, which is getting quite frustrating now. We are reconciled to the fact that it will lie empty in September but we can't afford for it to lie empty for any longer than that! 9 months of travelling will quickly turn to about 3 if we don't find a tenant soon.
Apart from that, things are going ok and I only have 5 days left at work! Very exciting! But in the meantime have to write an essay, empty the house, finish my work, make a dress for my friend, go camping with Parkes and say goodbye to everyone!
We're going for drinks in Leeds on 29 August to say bye to people before we leave - email or text me if you're around and want to come and I'll let you know where we're going.
Oh yeah and it's our 4 year wedding anniversary today. 4 years! Blimey!
Tim has promised me we can go to 2 karaoke places in Japan (I think this is a compromise) which is very exciting. Would be happy to have any recommendations from anyone who has already been there and partaken - get in touch if you know of a 'great little place' (with Carly Simon on its books)!

Ok, so maybe I set this blog up a bit too early....

I am being mega keen and started to set this up three months before we go....probably not much will be posted on here until September. However, maybe we could post some thrilling pictures of us attempting to pack up our ridiculous amount of stuff and empty the house before the tenants move it? I'm starting to panic a little about whether we'll be able to do this, as both Tim and I are so bad at chucking stuff out. But there comes a point when your stuff starts to own you and I think that point is getting near!
Anyway, our route looks something like this:
Leave England on Friday 5th September
Fly to Japan
Stay in Japan for three weeks or thereabouts, try not to spend too much money
Fly to Sydney
Stay in Australia until New Year
Earn some money in Australia (Tim teaching, I'm not totally sure - selling smoothies? translating? not sure how many openings there will be for a 'widening participation and recruitment' officer down under!)
Fly to New Zealand
Hire a camper van, drive through New Zealand (I will be driving..........apparently the roads are pretty clear though, no lorries or lanes so just be fine!)
Fly to Chile
Apparently Chile is pretty boring (sorry to any Chileans reading) so we'll head to Argentina.
Spend some time in Argentina, then head to Brazil
Hang around in Brazil with the beautiful people
Go to Bolivia
Go to Peru.
Do the Inca trail
Fly home
By which time it will be May 2009 and then, I'll go back to work in June
Phew. I'm exhausted already

Here is a list of things we have to do before we set off:
Sell loads of old clothes on ebay
Empty house of all stuff
Find places for all stuff to be stored (hello mum, dad, flo, michael, anyone with an ATTIC please raise your hand!!!)
Find tenants for house
Try and find the additional £5k we optimistically thought we'd manage to save
Organise a leaving party
Finish my MA and hand everything in by 31 August
Get jabs
Pack our rucksacks
GO!

I'm sure this list should be longer...