Six days and counting!

But it's just amazing how the list of things to do gets longer - and longer - as we get closer to departure day! I've been so busy the past week, you'd think I'd be packed and waiting at the door by now, but no! Especially with Thanksgiving two days before we leave. It just seems more and more things crop up that have to be taken care of.

We hauled out the bags last night - looks like we should be ok but will have to check them over because one of them had a fix in South Africa that may - or may not - last and if that's the case, we will have to go shopping! And I don't want to add to the list of things to do. We are each allowed two bags each weighing 50 pounds! That's a lot of stuff! Chris is taking his golf clubs, so that takes out one bag but I'm sure we can "make do" with just 150 pounds of clothing. After all, it IS summer down there.

And talking about clothes, I found a place online that has inexpensive camp shirts, all sorts of colors and patterns, and capris too, so I am set. Taking a couple of "good" outfits but mostly casual and as we will, for the most part, be based in Tauranga, we can leave stuff there when we take overnights and short trips.

We will be staying with Jenni, my niece. Zoze and Bryan are there too, so they have hired a caravan (trailer) and parked it in the garden for us! Pretty cool! Tauranga is south east of Auckland, a two-and-a-half hour drive. The town is on the Bay of Plenty and looks absolutely wonderful.

We wired money over there to Zoze and will open a bank account so we will have an ATM card, which apparently is used as much there as here. Cash is going the way of the dodo bird. I think it will be a good idea to rent a cell phone while we are there, so will check that out too. Our phones of course won't work there and Verizon wants to charge hugely per minute.

So despite the push and stress of getting ready, the rewards are going to be great!

It's two weeks and counting!

I've got two assignments - one for International Living to write a lifestyle and property article. And the other is for Dockside, covering boating and marinas etc around the islands. That's a two-parter, so hopefully can break it into the the logical North Island/South Island. Just hope we have enough time.

I've order and received my clothes but now we have to sort out which bags to take. Chris is taking golf clubs as he and Bryan will play the many courses and he wants to learn to fly-fish. So he will be off doing that and I can go exploring other stuff.

We have a housesitter organized who will take care of the kitties. Her name is Toni and she comes every two weeks to clean the house so she knows the kitties so it will be fine.

Getting the bills paid and organized, and all the other things one has to do before going on a fairly long trip. And I still have articles to do for Dockside and the Leader. So the next two weeks will be busy.

But what a reward at the end!