Claudia:
The next big step were all these vaccinations. Never in my life could I imagine the amount of vaccinations one could need. There were times when I felt like Arnold Schwarzenegger, after getting two shots in each arm... but now we are prepared for anything, even for being bitten by wild monkeys (doesn’t that sound inviting?)
One of the biggest hurdles to take was getting all the necessary documents – visa, insurances, trip-tickets, carnets de passage, letters from the company and the embassy confirming that we are good people :-) ... we are still not through everything, but now we know all the visa procedures for every country. We still have to return our Dubai visa, which sounds easy but turned out to be another problem...
It’s raining today in Dubai and looking out to the grey, wet and uncomfortable weather, I still cannot imagine that this will be our “home” for the next months...
... but a good day to pack our things for the trip. I’m about to become an Excel specialist because of all the lists Thomas made (Markus – you won’t believe it!). Millions of items that can be filtered and sorted... now we can find out exactly where in the car the blue toothbrush or the green screwdriver is located, in which box, in which area of the car.... Our first big fight will start when I take something and put it back to a different place than marked in Thomas’ high sophisticated Excel sheet...
What a great idea! And what a crazy one! When Thomas was talking for the first time about crossing Africa, I thought it’s just another one of his crazy midlife-crisis-ideas... Now we are about to leave, and I still cannot believe it’s true. But again – just for the records – it’s still HIS idea. That’s important, since whenever something will go wrong (and of course that will happen very often), I can blame him for everything :-) :-)
The preparations of our big project started mid of November 2008 with converting our Toyota Landcruiser. Thomas invested a lot of time in changing it to a real world-traveler-car. Only 2 seats are left, the rest is boxes, boxes, boxes, boxes.... and a roof-mounted luggage rack. Thomas even thinks we can sleep in it, but that would mean to put all our things out in the rain to get some space for us inside... and to arrange ourselves like Swiss knives...
The next big step were all these vaccinations. Never in my life could I imagine the amount of vaccinations one could need. There were times when I felt like Arnold Schwarzenegger, after getting two shots in each arm... but now we are prepared for anything, even for being bitten by wild monkeys (doesn’t that sound inviting?)
One of the biggest hurdles to take was getting all the necessary documents – visa, insurances, trip-tickets, carnets de passage, letters from the company and the embassy confirming that we are good people :-) ... we are still not through everything, but now we know all the visa procedures for every country. We still have to return our Dubai visa, which sounds easy but turned out to be another problem...
It’s raining today in Dubai and looking out to the grey, wet and uncomfortable weather, I still cannot imagine that this will be our “home” for the next months...
... but a good day to pack our things for the trip. I’m about to become an Excel specialist because of all the lists Thomas made (Markus – you won’t believe it!). Millions of items that can be filtered and sorted... now we can find out exactly where in the car the blue toothbrush or the green screwdriver is located, in which box, in which area of the car.... Our first big fight will start when I take something and put it back to a different place than marked in Thomas’ high sophisticated Excel sheet...
Dies ist ein Test
ReplyDeleteI wish you good luck and a wonderful time. I will follow your story and I am keen to read the first "adventure" report. By the way, I did not see any mountings at the car that could house a motorbike. You will not seriously tell me that Thomas will go on this trip without a bike? :-) Again good luck and I am looking forward to read the first "headlines" Klaus
ReplyDeleteHi Klaus, I gave it serious consideration to have at least a bicycle mounted somehow to the car, but at the end I had the choice between Claudia or the bicycle (space contraints). So I decided for Claudia.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the nice comment.
Hope to see you sooner or later in Gross Flöte.
Thomas
Ihr habt es endlich geschafft! Gratulation.
ReplyDeleteWir wünschen Euch eine ganz tolle zeit auf Eurer Reise und werden ab heute auch alles verfolgen können. Tolle Technik.
Ganz liebe Grüsse aus Kairo von den Brenner´s
Ich bin dann mal weg...
ReplyDeleteDie Ernst's on tour. Viel Spass Euch zweien und nur tolle Erlebnisse. Habe schon die Befürchtung, das es demnächst durch den Jemen geht, wenn ihr nun erstmal Richtung Oman unterwegs seid!!Welche Vorstellung. Paßt bloß richtig auf und seid vorsichtig. Das Lösegeld haben wir nämlich noch nicht gespart. Außerdem brauche ich noch die mail-adresse von angie!!
viele liebe grüsse von markus und andrea
Good luck. You will have a time of your life. When Renee and I set out to cross Africa we had no idea what to expect - all I can say is no matter what people will tell you, it will be different when you get there. The only real advice I can give is this - be patient........ and for sure we will join up with you somewhere in Africa.
ReplyDeleteWelcome bk to Egypt my dearest friends . .
ReplyDelete0h..i got you guys :-)
ReplyDeleteWie gehts euch claudia und thomas?
i have just check your plog out ..its wonderful
i will try to check you from time to time
pass auf ..and dont lose your way...lol
SAMEH