the last post

So now, I write for the last time ...

Thanks for joining us over the years. It's been a fun packed four years. From starting a new life in a new country millions of miles from home, renovating our boat, intrepid travels, and adjusting to parenthood .... we feel like you've all been there on the journey with us!

So here we go! Follow us as we undertake what may be one of the most challenging things we've ever done and what could well be the most rewarding.

We wont be far ... we'll be here, at www.lookoutlibya.blogspot.com

So to the Land of hope and glory, Mother of the free, with a tear in our eye we bid you farewell ... until next time.

the final countdown

Two more days. Just two more days in London and our life will change as it never has before.

Today we're saying goodbye to more friends, making phone calls, re-packing our bags, doing some last minute washing and all the things necessary when you pack up your life and move it somewhere else. There's a sadness but also an incredible excitement of the unknown.

I have made contact with a friend of a friend who is living in Libya, with her husband and two year old son. She has been tremendously supportive through emails and phone calls in the lead up to our move, despite the fact we've never met, and has offered to have us over to her house on the first weekend after we arrive. I'm not sure if she will ever know how grateful we are.

Oh yeah, and according to the BBC, the weather on Wednesday in Tripoli will be 30 degrees! Not sure I can wait!

on the homestretch

After months of talking about it, we finally have a date. We are actually going to Libya. In fact, as of Wednesday afternoon we'll be calling it home.

We fly out on Wednesday morning 9ish, and arrive at 1pm in the afternoon (2pm with the time change). Hard to believe that a place which right now feels like the ends of the earth is such a short flight away. We can only imagine what we'll see, hear and smell when we get to 'the other side'. This is adventure like we've never known it.

We have four days left to spend in London, with all the usual last minute stuff but this time it all feels a little more organised which is refreshing to say the least.

everything is as it should be

So, I've caved and spent US $20 on some extra storage space from Picassa, which means that I can now upload to Look out London again. Not so crucial for this blog as our time in London draws to an end, but quitting on this site would mean not being able to upload to Nate's site, and it was all getting a bit messy so I've upgraded and now have to wait 24 hours to get my 10 gig extra space. So, be patient, the photos and travel stories will follow, all in due time.

Today's adventures were at the Libyan Embassy where we went to simply pick up our visas which as you know, had already been approved. When we got there however we had to fill out three lengthy visa application forms (because we were applying for a visa which had already been approved - perfectly logical), submit more passport photos and of course, pay. So, our visas which have been approved are not ready today, but tomorrow, at 3pm where we will line up once again. Something we're going to have to get used to if we're going to and may be the difference between us sinking or swimming in Libya.

the louvre

city of love

something new

A new installation in Paris framing some stunning iconic scenes.

no place like it

paris ...

... has to be my favourite European city. No matter how many visits it's beauty is never lost on me.

We had a lovely last day of holidays in the capital, soaking in the sun and enjoying every minute. We stayed until sunset, then driving on to Calais ready for our ferry the following morning. Our last port of call was the Eiffel tower which has been adorned with the gold stars from the European Union flag since we last visited. As the sun set we waited for the lights to be turned on but they seemed to take forever. Long after the sun had set we headed back for the car, only to see as we were driving out that the Eiffel tower had been lit up a spectacularly deep blue colour, to reflect the flag. A symbol of unity hard to miss and would have made for an incredible photo. Perhaps next time.

the way to st tropez

last stop paris

We've made our way up the coast and are in France now, making our way slowly home. A hard job but someone's gotta do it. It's still wonderfully hot here and we're making the most of it with swimming at every stop.

Yesterday was a great day, swimming and markets in Nice before heading to Cannes where Woz and I had dinner out in the warm night air while Nate slept in his buggy. We love Cannes and will definitely return sometime to spend more time here.

Our last port of call on the French riviera was St Tropez where we've spent the morning looking at all the yachts we might like to buy when we're rich and famous. Tonight we head inland towards Paris for one last day of holidays.

doctor benny saves the day

We are a family of bloggers, but definitely the most blog-savvy is my brother Ben who has come to my rescue and set up a new blog for me to post all the photos from our travels. So, from now on read on at www.pinchyourselfdaily.blogspot.com.

Phew! Life can resume as normal! Have a bit to catch up on but with 40 minutes until the internet cafe closes I'll do my best ... oh and we got our visas, but you'll read that later.

Aurevoir!

the race circut

playground of the rich, the famous and the coal man

Monacco, a place Woz has long since wanted to visit, particularly with the Grand Prix in mind, but as we were in the area, we decided to stop in on our way along the French Riviera. It was a hot and sticky day and so after a walk around the main part of town we headed towards a swimming pool which Woz has had his eye on for years. if you watch the Grand Prix you will see that the cars whizz past a swimming pool which is on the coast. We found the swimming pool and it looked very nice, and like everything else in Monacco, very exclusive. Ever determined, Woz enquired as to whether we would be able to swim there and if we would need to take out a mortgage for the privilege. It turned out that the cost of a swim was cheaper than that of our local swimming pool in London! So, with Nate on his best behaviour we headed into the pool to cool off. Not long after we had started swimming another family came along. We immediately pointed the children out to Nate, excited at the prospect of him having someone to play with. Upon doing this we noticed the father who looked incredibly like the coal man from when we owned our boat. A man who would take his two boats along the canals and every few weeks would drop into the basin to supply us with coal (amongst other things). I waited to hear him talk to his son, listening earnestly for an English accent and then, summoned the courage to approach him. 'Excuse me, are you Barney?' Flabbergasted he removed his sunglasses and we both sat there in stunned silence at the coincidence! We spent hours swimming with him and his family and it was all very surreal.

'Where are you staying tonight?' he asked us.
'We don't know. We're sort of living day by day at the moment. We don't know what we're doing after our swim let alone what we're doing tonight.'
'Well you're welcome to come and stay with us for the night, we've got plenty of room and we've got some pasta ...'

The prospect of a home cooked meal was too much excitement for me to bear and we accepted his invitation before he had time to finish his sentence. To quote Jerry McGuire, "you had me at pasta".

So, after a swim, Woz and I took a walk up to the palace and then later joined Barney and his family at his brother's holiday home where they were staying. The home was amazing, and with a view of the harbour to die for. Nate, who has been deprived of toys for over a month now, had a ball playing with the two children and the toys they had.

It was a lovely, spontaneous and very unexpected surprise to spend some time with familiar faces in a foreign land.