It's been fun, exciting, frustrating, nerve wracking, worrisome and I'm feeling like a headless chicken right now.
Just under 3 weeks until we leave for KL and still so much to do.
Firstly, you need to plan early if you are wanting to take your furniture and household goods with you. I was fully prepared for Biddulphs to start packing only to be told 24 hours before the time that they could not as we needed Hubcap's work permit........argh!
So our furniture now leaves the day before we do. Not what I had planned at all, considering we'll be squatters in our house in KL for 6 - 8 weeks. But we've got the blow-up mattresses, vacuum packed pillows and a swimming pool so we should be fine. ( I hope!)
We decided not to go into a hotel/furnished apartment until our furniture arrives as I don't want too many moves for the girls. At least we'll be in the house and they'll have a garden and pool to keep them entertained.
Secondly, we have 200kg of air-freight allowed to us. Thank goodness! It will arrive the week after us and I'm packing clothes, towels, an iron, sewing kit, TV and DVD machine. I'll give you all some suggestions once we're there and I've worked out what I should've taken versus what I did.
One of the good things that I did do was write up an inventory for our entire household content that's being transported by sea freight. This was a requirement from Hubcap's company but it's good to have for future moves and although it took forever to get values and prices of our items it was worth it in the end. Also gives me a chance to clear out old stuff at the same time.
So now we sit in a house where I've separated items into piles and boxes in every room and pictures have been taken down where I'm painting walls. All a bit chaotic right now so no visitors allowed.
Then I must tell you about getting the girls' unabridged birth certificates - yes, You've heard all the chaos surrounding this issue. I applied at the Centurion Home Affairs in March as they have a 3-month waiting period. (And it almost feels like you stand in the waiting line for 3 months just to apply).
Anyway, I received one birth certificate - whoopy.......and they couldn't find the other.........seriously!
Applied for both together on same day and they muck up one of them? So I phoned the Home Affairs helpline to open a case for the missing certificate - 080 060 1190. I was pleasantly surprised at how well-spoken and helpful the telephone operator was. Anyway, then I had to go back to Home Affairs in Centurion and fill out 2 x forms and wait in line (again). They had to then fax these forms to the Head Office but I waited for them to give me proof that they did. And whoopy......3 hours later I got the sms to say it was ready for collection.......so back again to stand for another 3 hours in the line.
But at least I've got these two little pieces of paper that say my children can leave the country.
Oh yes and before I go, I've been told to get the Japanese Encephalitis vaccination for all of us. So I've made an enquiry with our clinic sister and will update you all on this in a while.
Until next time (If I'm still alive)
Claire XXX
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