Blog Has Moved

Dear Readers,

DriveChuckDrive has been renamed and moved to VagariesAbound.blogspot.com.  All traffic to this site should automatically be redirected to Vagaries Abound.  If for some reason you are not redirected, Use the link below. 

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Blog Changes

G'day  readers.  Since we have a bit of downtime before our van is available, we are making some changes to the blog.

The address will be changing to https://vagariesabound.blogspot.com, The template and appearance will also change some.  If you currently receive updates via email, you should continue to receive them after the change.  In the event you do not, you may need to resubscribe.


Expect a new post sometime next week.
 

Touchdown!

Morning folks, its warm and sunny in Melbourne. We are lounging in our hotel, waiting for van news.

Here is a quick update on the last couple of days.  We arrived in Melbourne on Monday afternoon. After leaving LAX at 11pm on Saturday.  We arrived in Sydney to find our checked bags were lost.  No word on when we will get them, but they are probably still in LAX.

We have cleared the van with customs, and started the quarantine  inspection paperwork.  The ship is being unloaded, so we are waiting for our container to offload to the shippers warehouse for unpacking.  At which point we need to clear AQIS inspection.  Once that is done we can pay the remaining fees, and claim the van.


Other than some mild jetlag (and a cold for me) we are doing well.  We started shifting our sleep schedule before leaving the USA, so we only had a few hours of offset to deal with.  

In Transit

Quick and dirty update from DFW airport.  We are in the process of getting to LAX where we will hopefully catch a flight to Sydney.  It looks like we will be arriving in Australia on Monday morning.  Of course nothing is certain when we are flying standby.  May the almighty Priority List smile upon us!  The van is in Syndey, soon to be on its way to Melbourne.

See you next on the other side of Pacific.

A Year Ends and Another Begins

By jen

Well, the last few weeks for us have been spent with my family. After spending 3 years in the same town as Jonathan’s family, I felt like it was time to give my family some attention. It has been really good to visit with them and spend some quality time with them. It had been a long time since I had spent much time with my siblings, so they each got the honor of hosting us for a week. ;)  I enjoyed seeing what they do in their normal, daily lives and what their current passions are.

Christmas was hosted by my sister this year. I am older than my sister by 4 years, so most of my most-recent memories of her are from when she was in elementary or middle school while I was in high school. Sometimes I feel like it is almost black-and-white contrast to how she was then to how she is now. She successfully planned 2 days of Christmas celebration that worked well with my family’s quirks, including getting us to the gym to workout. I must give her kudos. It was a good Christmas celebration. Jonathan and I even got some last-minute items we needed for our travels, including a satellite phone so that we can make emergency calls in the middle of nowhere.

Family cat helping with presents!

My brother and I were always close growing up, so much of his current self doesn’t surprise me. I do get surprised by how much of a mediator he is now. Though that shouldn’t be too surprising, he is a middle child. He has become such a good manager. And, I am proud of how much fitness is a part of his life now and how much weight he has lost.

But, as we change from house to house, Jonathan and I have been counting down the days until we arrive in Australia. We are so eager to reach this goal that we have been working on for the past 3 years. We have dedicated most of our waking hours to reach this goal for the past nearly 3 years. It has been both exhausting and rewarding. I feel that this season in our lives has been preparation for the next decade or so. Because of the groundwork we laid down, we should be able to do less prep work next time we decide to travel. It definitely wasn’t my favorite way to spend 3 years, but because of it, I think we will be able to do something more enjoyable and more future-looking when we stop next.

For now, we are planning our trip in Australia. This next year should be a good one. This will be Jonathan’s first time on this continent (my second), and we will both be seeing new places. We will be doing what we love to do. And, Jonathan and I both turn 30 (me first!). While you may think I am crazy, I am actually looking forward to it. I like celebrating my birthday (though I don’t expect anyone else to like celebrating it, so I will only tell you once when my birthday is) and getting a year older. Perhaps I only enjoy it because I normally don’t feel older or more rickety, just more experienced. But, I enjoy life, so why shouldn’t I enjoy getting older? Especially when I plan to live to a healthy 120. Anyways, going to a fun new place is a great way to celebrate my birthday.

   

And, we are hoping that several of our friends and family will make it down here to visit us. Most of them haven’t been to Australia before, so it will be a new adventure for them as well. I know the plane ride (hefty price and long flight time) is one of the biggest hurdles for many of you; but once you can get past that, there are many options for how to spend one’s time down here, such as:

1. Rent a vacation rental (condo) for your time here (you can always bring friends down with you to share in the cost).
2. Rent a RV if you want to travel to more places than just one area. Alternatively, you can rent a trailer, and we can pull you (make sure to check with us that the max weight is something we can tow).
3. Of course, you can always stay in hotels or hostels.
4. For a longer stay, you can even buy your own vehicle (including RV) down there and sell it when you leave. All a foreigner needs to buy a vehicle down there is an address (even the post office’s or hotel’s).

Remember to give us several weeks head’s up so that we can make sure to meet you (it can take a while to cross the continent).

As each year passes, remember that life is short. Live your life intentionally so that it will be full. 

Sailing!

By jen

After all our struggles, the van is finally sailing! It set sail on the 27^th of December. We can track its progress aboard the vessel, CAP CORRIENTES. Watch it in real time below (courtesy of vesselfinder.com)!

The sailing takes about 22 days, so Jonathan and I are working to be ready when it arrives. We have already been contacted by our receiving agent, which, so far, has been a lot easier to work with than our shipping agent. But, I will reserve judgment until I have van in my hands, free of customs.

Here are some interesting facts about the ship:

Ship type: Container Ship

Flag: Liberia

Built: 2013

Size: 228 x 37 m (748 x 121 ft)

Gross Tonnage: 42690 t

Deadweight: 51759 t

A Remembrance

By jen

This year, a couple of days before Christmas, my paternal grandfather, Rayburn Britt, passed on to be with the Lord. While so few of my days were spent with him, he did make a big impact on my life. He was such a kind man. Even though I was not a direct descendent (of blood), he made me feel like I was his favorite. Of course, I am pretty sure he made everyone feel like that. Just ask my siblings or my cousins, any of his children or grandchildren or great grandchildren. It was a joy to hang out with him.

Another one of his many legacies that has stood out to me was how much he loved my grandmother and cared for her. One of the events that really stuck in my mind over the years was that he would bend down on the ground and help my grandmother put on her shoes, even when he wasn’t feeling in the best of health himself. All I can say is that if Jonathan will continue to love me even half as much as my grandfather loved my grandmother, I will probably be in great shape.

Here is to a great man!