Hello People, well time marches on and now we have only two weeks before the pre-dawn rush to the airport...note: must book Taxi! Most of the bills have been paid, especially all the travel costs, Hire-cars are booked for pick-up at various airports and all our accommodation has been confirmed. We have both bought new luggage - well a new case each large enough, in my case, to carry my laptop computer, yet small enough so that we can fit everything in but still are able to lift and carry them. Selecting a medium size case also means that we will have to pack to a minimum weight to satisfy the airlines as well.
The new, spare-bedroom has advanced apace, floor-tiling is completed , all the wall framing done, ceiling painted, electrics installed and, now, the wall sheeting is in progress. After that, hang the sliding door and paint the walls and it is all done.
We have mixed reviews about weather conditions in Russia...this time of the year it can get cold, ie, about 12 Degrees 'C' of a night....which to us is NOT cold and, from the internet, Hungary, where we have a week at a resort-spa has been sweltering in 40 degrees 'C' with hundreds dropping dead...Bit like Katherine for us...The Trans-Siberian train, we are informed, is heated to 80 degrees Farenheight which is bloody too hot for comfort but nothing we can do about that except dress/undress appropriately and drink cold beer (available on the train) or Vodka with ice, which everybody (past train travellers) seem to prefer...
Turkey has cleared up its internal troubles with their last election so, we should have no problems exploring the Black-Sea Coast and the Northern Mountains.
Each day, as I think of something else we have to take, it get dumped into my open suitcase...a culling process may well be necessary before the final pack and weigh!
We have finally sold our Nudgee Beach property after 18 months on the market...we put it up for sale just as the Real Estate Boom busted! But now, the money is in the bank! and will be invested somewhere before we go! I have been researching various investments for the last few days but managed (wholesale) nil entry fee and high interesyt-earning funds , as many as five or six which will appear as one, single Allocated Pension fund, appears to be the best way to go.
Best I get on with the wall sheeting before my Boss (me) gets crankey due to lack of progress, goofing off by the worker, etc...!
Cheers to all, the next entry will probably be from Seoul Korea.
Pat and Lynne McKay
