In This Section
Money
Sadly, but inevitably this was the most important aspect to get sorted. In a nutshell, we sold our 4-bed detached house and downsized to a 1½-bed flat, so no more mortgage, some cash in the bank and we now had an easily rentable property for income while away. We then sold most of our worldly possessions, which freed up more cash and prepared us for living a more basic lifestyle. No more Gloucester Rugby season tickets, cancelling Sky TV, living without a freezer, buying more basic groceries all reduced our outgoings while prepared us for "life on the road".
Route
Our starting point was getting to Australia to visit friends and family. We initially wanted to follow the 'Silk Route' heading through Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India, then either up to China or ship Mario out of India. The obvious route would have been to drive through Burma, but it is currently only possible to enter and leave at the same border crossing - clearly not an option for us! Driving through China in a foreign vehicle is a bureaucratic nightmare, with the vehicle having to be re-registered there, having to take the Chinese driving test and employing a guide 24/7. With this in mind, we were considering shipping Mario from either India or Bangladesh direct to Malaysia.
Visas and Red Tape
The first thing we did to get our papers in order was to purchase new 48-page passports to ensure they would be valid throughout our trip and provide sufficient room for all the stamps/visas we hope to collect.
Health
Using the NHS Fit For Travel website and the invaluable help of our GP Surgery Nurse Practitioners, we drew up the list below of all the vaccinations we would require (including costs). We started this process 6 months before our planned leaving date in order to ensure we had sufficient time to complete the necessary regime of injections and tablets. We need to remember to organise booster shots in 12 months time which we hope to arrange in Australia.
Books
BOOKS
We have read lots of books that have provided advice, help and inspiration in varying amounts. In no particular order, these have included;