T - 1

Last but one day at work!

John and Lorne came around for dinner last night, char-grilled Tuna steaks, spring-onion studded mash, and pesto baked cherry tomatos. John's just been through Tennis elbow in both arms, and had some useful advice to offer. There's hope.

Succumbed to temptation yesterday, and picked up a Nikon D50 on the remaining insurance vouchers. It's a cool piece of high tech machinery. I have a lot to learn to make the most out of it, but it's worth having a good camera for this trip. It is claimed that on a full battery charge, you can shoot 1000 pictures if you don't use the display. Of course, 'they' also claim that your iPod battery will last for 14 hours. We'll see.

The last few days in the country will be busy. Tonight it's Sarah's and mine farewell drinkies - although I shall be driving, as I don't want to drink this close to the race. Tomorrow, Chris and Nana are coming to stay, as Chris is also running. Have to make sure that both me and Sarah have moved out all personal belongings from our respective work places, too. We only have one car available now. Saturday day will have to be spent packing and shopping for any items that we may need. In the evening, Steve, Allie, John, Sue, Sharon and someone else I haven't met are arriving, and yours truly is on kitchen duty. They're down for the race. Me, Sarah and her parents are staying at Henk's, as our house is short on bedspace.

Sunday is race day, two hours of pain. This will be the longest distance I've attempted to run since I ran the Lasse Maja race in Arboga, twenty years ago or so. I'd like to send my best wishes to the orthopaedic surgeon in Dorset County Hospital who said I'd never run again after I broke my leg. I'm happy to have proved you wrong. Portland, Dorset is a great place to break your leg in that the Coastguard are extremely efficient and professional in getting you off the cliff. However, if you can, for surgery and patch-up you'd rather be at the Avon Orthopaedic Centre in Bristol. Take my word for it.

Monday we're picking up a hire car from Europcar. It is a sad state of affairs that to get two people Bristol to Heathrow Airport (and back, eventually) it's cheaper to hire a car than any form of public transport available. More mad running around to finish off packing etc, and then head off around 7am on Tuesday.

Soooo..... the itinery so far

Three nights in SF
Two weeks in Yosemite National Park
Five weeks in Bishop, High Sierras
Ten days in Fiji, first at Oarsman's Bay Lodge, and then Beachcomber Island
Four weeks in New Zealand, arrive Auckland, and depart Christchurch
Four weeks in Australia, arrive Sydney, travelling up the east coast departing from Cairns
Quick stop in Singapore, before landing back in the UK Jan 25th.

Two days in Bristol ditching beach, climb and camping gear, and picking up winter clothes and skis, and then off to France for eight weeks in Val Thorens.