Final preparations

 
Time flies...
 
In January, we informed our employers or clients that we were leaving in a few months. The same month, we booked our plane tickets. We then concentrated on the practical aspects of our travel : buying the material (thank you Seeonee), studying the maps (thanks to the great Te Araroa trust website), making new orthopedic soles (thank you CBAO), finding someone that would take care of our flat, asking for a 6-months visa for New Zealand (and getting it), finishing our phone/Internet/television contract, as well as our mobile phone postpaid deal, communicating about our project in the medias (radio and newspapers) and... training in the moutains.

And here we are now, ready to leave in a few days. We'll first travel in the indian Himalayas, from end September till October. End of October, we will say goodbye to India and fly to Auckland, in New Zealand. It will be the start of the longest hike of our lives...

Yesterday evening, I was in my bed, trying to sleep, but my mind was running (like an hamster in a wheel, imagine how easy to sleep with such an animal in your brain !). When we'll be in India, we'll probably have to leave our backpacks on the roofs of the bus (they are not allowed Inside the bus). The problem is that, sometimes, your bag end up squeezed between a tree trunk and an oil can... My delicate, light backpack in such a position ? Never, ever ! Ok, well, then I could take my old one for India, right ? But the question is what to do with my old backpack after India ? I could leave it at my friend's place in Delhi (Richa, if you read this, be sure I'll check with you before choosing this option ;)! ), but then we'll have to go back to Delhi after New Zealand or ask my friend to bring it back in Belgium (Richa, I really hope you'll read this, I'm sure you'll Whatsapp me; anyway, you're welcome home ;) ).  Another option would be to leave the bag in Auckland (now, it's Frogs in NZ that might read this and wonder if we'll choose this option), but I'm not sure if we'll go back to Auckland after our walk, before flying somewhere else. Or we could send it by post to Bluff (the end point of the trail), but I fear it might be expensive...
As you see, the question remains open. If you have some inspiration, please let me know ;-).

Last thing I would like to share with you : our living room. Yes, our living room. It's completely stuffed with packages, maps, clothes and gears ! Poor Marie-Laure, that likes to live in a tidy flat...

 

Comments

  1. HeatherRSeptember 9, 2017 at 11:38 AM

    Wow Emilie - preparations are well underway. Bring your backpack to New Zealand. I don't think it would cost that much to send to Bluff. I have Guiding friends in Invercargill that would probably very happily receive the pack for you and hold on to it until you get there - and it would be another new guiding friend to meet :-)

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