daveyandsam.com » Pre-departure

Our life in two bags

Davey — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 17:20:47 +0000

With only hours remaining it’s time to pack our bags. it’s amazing how much stuff you can get into 2 x Berghaus Jalan 60+15 litre rucksacks. Our neighbours coined a new phrase when describing our contents – flashpackers instead of backpackers – we are a muggers dream.

Here is a list of our contents, before you say it, no I didn’t spend hours writing out this list, I’ve had it for insurance purposes – yes it’s all insured:

Sony Vaio VGN-TX5XN Laptop

Panasonic Camera DMC-TZ5K

Panasonic Marine Case DMW-MCTZ5

Apple 80GB Video Ipod

Apple 8GB Nano Ipod

Panasonic Camera Battery x 3 CGA-S007A/1B

SanDisk 2GB Memory Cards (x 3)

Panasonic Camera Case DMW-CHTZ3

Berghaus Jalan Travel Pack (60+15L)

Berghaus Jalan Travel Pack (55+15L)

Karrimore Global 700 Traveller Lite Sleeping Bag

Sea to Summit Silk Travel Liner (Premium Ripstop)

Lifeventure Sik Mummy Sleeper

Lifesystems Micronet Double (Mozy Net)

Tevab – Pretty Rugged Leather Sandels

Lifeventure TSA Packlock TZ300

Eagle Creek Pack It Cubes (x 2)

Lifesystems Iodine Droplets Water Purification

Lifesystems Expedition Sterile Set

Lifeventure Money Belt

ALS West Island Shorts

NorthFace Vitesse Fuse Tee (Short-Sleeve Top)

Meridian Convertible Shorts

NorthFace Agility Shorts

P20 Sunscreen

Lifeventure Soft Fibre Trek Towel (XL+Giant)

Ted Baker + Boot own Wash Kit

Lifesystems Travel Sink Plug

Lifesystems Travel Clothes Line

Hilco Prescription Diving Goggles

Maglite Tourch

Bye for now

Davey — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:33:07 +0000

Last night Sam’s grandparents Anne and Joe came over for a farewell dinner. It was a great opportunity to discuss our travel plans – they were very excited for us both. Joe turns 80 in three weeks and it is sad that we will miss the big occasion – they both know we will be thinking of them.

Happy Birthday Joe, we know you will enjoy the occasion.

Farewell BBQ

Davey — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:43:50 +0000

Last Saturday we had our farewell BBQ in the courtyard which unsurprisingly lasted 13 hours. We open open our first bottle of Champaign at 2:30pm and finally made to bed at 3am. Throughout, we had a variety of champagnes, beers, cocktails and wines!

It was a combined effort between ourselves and all our neighbours and we were very grateful – thank you. We were very unsure about the weather, rightly so, it rained intermittently throughout the evening until we retreated to Kim’s to huddle around the log burning stove.

We had a steady flow of friends, family and neighbours throughout the day, leaving the hardened drinkers to burn the midnight oil. We left Kim’s at 12am and headed over to Darren’s for the final few hours, much of which I barley remember.

Thank you again and we will miss you all dearly. All the photos can be seen here.

The dreaded packing

Davey — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 13:18:08 +0000

We had to start somewhere. Since leaving work two weeks ago we’ve been flat out packing and moving all of belongings to Ireland where they will be stored until we return – thank you Clive and Tracey for allowing us to use your crib!

Having removed all the hanging baskets, troughs and pots the house now looks so bare. Trust us to pick the hottest day of the year at 35 degrees for packing and moving. Then a 13 hour drive to Ireland in the pissing rain and back two days later in the sweltering heat with no air-conditioning – too stingy to upgrade :-).

At least it’s all done and we can now concentrate on packing only our rucksacks.

Thank you

Davey — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:45:47 +0000

A quick thank you to our colleagues at ITM Communications and Acco UK for the presents, gifts and kind words of encouragement and support written in our cards. We have been very lucky to have worked for such great organisations and we wish you the very best for the future.

It was such a strange feeling for me waking up these past few weeks and not having to iron a shirt or shave or do many of the things I had gotten accustomed to over the last 10 years – it’s a great feeling and I’m sure I (we) won’t miss it.

Very quick update

Davey — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:01:46 +0000

It is just over a month since our last post and a lot has happened – it’s all good. We have finally booked our first flight so there is no turning back. We’ve both had our operations and seem to be recovering well, handed in our notices at work, arranged storage – booked the hire van and ferry, archive boxed everything in the attic (thank you Sam), had our last camping trip, said goodbye (for now) to our friends, closed all the household utilities like Sky, telephone etc. Lots more to do but not as taxing.

Visas. You need the patients of a saint and a degree in nonsense to understand the wrangling’s of the the worldwide visa system. We are still waiting on our Indian visa which is a week late – you ring the number provided, but no answer – how frustrating. We need Chinese, Vietnamese and Nepalese visas before we go – lovely long road ahead.

We both finish work and have our leaving parties on the 27th June – two weeks today. We then have two weeks to clear the house and hand it over to our managing agent.

We fly out to Sharm El Sheikh on the 12th July for a week diving and to obtain our PADI certification, then it’s on up to Cairo for for a week before we fly over India. We have the itinerary finished, although not set in stone, we’ve decided not to give too much away, you’ll just have to keep coming back to check on our progress.

With us being so busy organising it is unlikely that we will get a chance to upload another post before we go. So with any luck the next post you will see will be of us diving in the red sea.