Getting the ball rolling.... things to do.

1. Sell our house. We have lots of tidying up to do; fix the garden, clean the pool yard, pressure clean the deck and the windows, throw everything out that's in the garage!!
2. Sort our belongings into three catagories; coming with us, stick in the garage sale, store for later.
3. Have a massive garage sale!
4. Set the truck up properly for travelling; optimise storage areas, a canopy at the front.
5. Organise storage in the caravan; make some shelves or drawers, get some crates etc.
6. Full service and check, and make repairs to caravan.
7. Decide on the best products to buy to make life practical v's keeping weight to a minimum.
8. Dr check-ups and selective vaccinations.
9. Caravan and contents insurance.
10. Fishing license
11. National Parks Pass
12. Mailbox or Mail Forwarding
13. Get a copy of Tim's eye prescription.
14. Get a copy of our medical histories
15. Tim to get a forklift ticket and other things to help find work on the road.
16. Decide on phone, internet, satellite tv providers
17. Register with ICV

The little things...

1. Make some fitted tablecloth covers
2. Get a collection of recipes together that are suitable for on the road
3. 
   
   

Things we'll need to buy
Cooking-

1. COBB cooker or DreamPot
2. Melamine crockery
3. Small bread-size camp oven
4. Thermos
5. Pastry matt and roller
6. Whistling stove top kettle

Bed/Linen/Bath-

1. Bed Protectors or underlays
2. Mozzie Nets
3. Safety bar or netting to stop Darcy rolling out of bed
4. Clothes Line
5. Non-slip floor mat for in bathroom
6. Fabric foot-drying bath mat for outside bathroom
7. Washing Machine

Furniture/ Storage

1. Clothes Line
2. Dining Table and Chairs for outside or in annexe
3. Non-slip matting for crockery
4. Cutlery insert and drawers/ shelving for cupboards
5. Hanging bathroom rack

Caravan/ Truck setup

1. tv antenna or satellite
2. Gell Cell battery
3. invertor
4. solar for trickle charging
5. Car Seat covers
6. knockabout motorbike or scooter
7. Outdoor foam floor matting
8. First Aid Kit
9. Good foot-cleaning door mat
10. Hand vacuum unit

Clothing

1. Good sneakers or boots
2. Protective gloves for Jordy
3. Rain gear
4. Good broad-brim hats

Other Stuff

1. Drink backpack

a big decision

We have always known we would travel. But it was always something we would do after the next baby, when we had paid off the house, when work permitted, when the children were older..... and then one day amongst the looming recession, stock market doom and gloom, and an increase of financial pressures we looked at our life and looked at our boys and then looked at each other and said "Why not? Let's just go."

And so we are going.

It feels wonderfully liberating to have made the decision. But the task ahead of us is not a simple one. There is just so much to be done to sell the house, set up our caravan and prepare for our future. Some of it is wonderfully exciting to plan! Flipping though caravanning magazines, our Camps 4 bible, imagining where we will be in six months or next year... and some of it is downright daunting; insurance, budgets, opportunities for work, buying the right gear.

I can't wait for the journey to begin. And i can't wait to share it with you. If you are thinking about travelling with children, or wondering if you could possibly live in a caravan for a couple of years then i hope we can share a few tips or offer a little inspiration.