2 weeks to go

Well it's only two and a bit weeks to go before April 22nd when we jump on a plane to Zurich to start the big adventure. So many details still to resolve but most of the big ones have fallen (or been muscled, coaxed or cajoled) into place. Finishing the home renovations (go Cathe - war may be hell but the reno comes a close second), renting the house, handing over to the new guard at work, buying the boat, etc etc.

At this time the plan is to drive from Zurich to Biograd, Croatia and finally see our new home. We bought "Familia", a 2003 Beneteau 423, sight unseen (hopefully she actually exists...) The idea then is to cruise the Mediterranean from east to west and then chase the sun across the "pond"with the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) once the summer has done it's dash. From there we plan to spin out the rest of our 12 months in the Caribbean, maybe Central America, who knows: our plans are loose apart from having to be back April 2011.

All of us living in such close proximity will be "interesting"; as will digging into the giant box of school material and playing at schoolteachers.

The goodwill from friends and colleagues has been fantastic, everyone has been seemingly as excited as we are. Special thanks to GG and all the good folk at SWP, whose good will in permitting the leave of absence has made the trip possible.

Finbar (10) and Sholto (6) are cautiously excited as the reality sinks in. A year is a bit long to really wrap your head around at their age.

As Cathe says "you have one life that you know about" so lets get on with the first day of the rest of it!

Steve, Cathe, Finbar and Sholto.