how much?????!!!!

I am definately making this harder than it needs to be I think. China visas sorted. Am now drowning in SE Asia visa chaos.
Thought we would go overland......not entirely sure about visas but seemed like a good plan (although obviously due to Martyns distinct aversion to these there isn't really a plan......just a list, nope not allowed those either.....well just a sort of vague idea of things we might do then - thats a plan to most of us just don't tell Martyn)
Then we sort of chickened out of the overland border crossing thing - read some nightmare stories and didn't really fancy standing arguing with border officials with guns and the like......
Then discovered Thailand has an exemption for UK passport holders and you can get visa at airport - great, as long as you have proof of onward travel - and a flight out of Hanoi doesn't count......so we need a flight ticket out of Thailand........apparently no-one ever asks to see your proof of onward travel but given our luck (see previous Christmas Eve, no room at inn posting) we know what would happen if we risked it!
So I've spent 4 hours digging into SE Asia flights hence the HOW MUCH?????!!!!!!! humph and the like. We're definately going overland now!
Ah well, its kept me busy while the snow fell, and I've avoided the filing for long enough!
I think I shall do something more constructive and book a taxi to the airport (no doubt this will result in another HOW MUCH????!!!!!)
I have this excellent spreadsheet you see with macros and exchange rates and everything. Martyn of course is into blowing the budget with his gadget shopping list........we'll be doing lots of walking on this trip - its free! Unfortunately when I last looked at the spreadsheet I said 'HOW MUCH' - seems to be the phrase of the day.....haven't even left yet...........

No room at the inn.......

Seriously, its Christmas.....just had an email from our lodging scheduled for Christmas Eve and due to a double booking / date error on our booking there is no room for us........Anyone got a spare donkey........do you think three men will visit offering gifts........I am actually not joking.......

All is okay though - they have tents and Christmas Dinner is still on. Phew, was not looking forward to boil in the bag rice for Christmas......and if I had to make room in my bag for the camping stove for one night I would not have been pleased - I think camping stove is probably equivalent to at least 10 pairs of pants and something tells me I'll really value those pants.......Will let you know if we have any livestock try to sneak into the tent or other strange visitors or if someone tries to sneak a manger into the tent......I think Martyn might seriously object to that one - he's gamely smiling at the thought of a tent......my promise that we were following the sun around the world came to naught as he checked the weather for southern Chile the other day and discovered it was raining and 8 degrees. Maybe it will warm up by tent time.....

Have China visas - hurrah....watched An Idiot Abroad in China last night, not looking forward to eating toad - it was the spine on top of the pile that did it for me, foetus in an egg is definately a no no as well...... I tried telling myself and egg is an egg but no, our eggs must definately only be at the zygote stage....zygotes are fine, foetus no.....I might have to try a scorpion though. Martyn just keeps saying 'we're going on an organised tour - they'll look after us' I say'yes dear'........lol

Anyway, better go and investigate SE Asia flights......have checked list (again) and there still seems to be quite a lot of things we haven't done yet. Started moving things from the 'things to do before we go list' to the 'things to do when we get back list' at the weekend....ha ha don't tell Martyn.........

test

ha ha well, we're here, still in the UK that is, haven't left yet, in fact haven't packed yet......definately getting down the 'to do' list though being as today has been spent writing our Christmas missive to friends and family and, setting up this blog.......

Not that we're both at all excited or anything.......

Christmas presents wrapped, Kays family Christmas done, Martyns scheduled for a week or twos time. Last injections on Wednesday and a trip to the Chinese embassy on Tuesday and then we're just about ready.

Oh, apart from the ever growing pile of stuff in the spare room which means that the bags may actually be too heavy. blogspot.com..........

Life still goes on at its normal pace for now however and whilst this blog is now up and running dinner is also ready so I have to disappear for a bit.........more updates later no doubt, possibly before we leave as once I start on these blog thingies its usually hard to stop me.....K xx