Packing

Packing up a house is not my favourite job. Having to haggle about the price of freighting my pathetically small amount of belongings really takes the shine off an already stressful situation. It's kind of amusing now it's done, the lovely men helping me do the final bits and bantering with me and each other as Caribbean men do. As Rob commented when he and Gill took away some stuff for me, we spend lots of time gathering belongings and then give them away when it's time to go.

True, I have given away heaps of things that I have enjoyed for a while, some of which came with me from Al Ain and some that I'd gathered in my time here. Gill and Rob saved me untold stress today when they donated their padded bike bag to my shifting cause, surely a worthy swap for an outdoor setting. 

My bike caused much of the hassle with the packing costs. I'm not sure they knew that I could break mine down into a bag much smaller than the packing box they counted towards the total volume of freight. Break it down I did, I'm sure Tim would have been proud of me as I figured out which parts to remove and how. I hope he will help me to reassemble, my last effort required instructions via Skype and was a little frustrating. The men came and were very surprised to see the small pile of goods I had packed. One commented that he would only take a month to gather that amount of stuff, I've taken a number of years and a few countries. 

In the next hour or so, we put the bike bag into a bigger box, along with another bag and my carpets for padding. It's now extra safe. Seven other quite small boxes later the job was done and my goods on their way to New Zealand. I now have to make 20 kilos with what I have left so I can fly without hassle. I should manage that. I got confirmation this evening that I'm staying at the Marriott for two nights, just have to sort the other three and I'm good until I fly. 

It's really good to be able to give things to friends. My lovely cleaner who has just got accepted into nursing school commented on my shoe collection. Luckily we're the same size so she has many of my heels. Sailing friends liked my soft cool bag and they now have that and my folding desert chairs, gone to a good home. Others will get the contents of my cupboards, the Humane Society more clothing and goods that I will use up until I leave.

I feel like I can relax now, work is done after tomorrow's hand over of my swipe card and Blackberry. I will be phoneless and on holiday. Not sure I'll cope without a phone for too long. I suspect I'll get a Cayman sim and put it into one of my cheapest finest Nokias. I do plan to buy an iPhone in New Orleans, it's about time really.

I took my small camera sailing on the weekend and got some photos. The packers came a bit earlier than expected, a whole day earlier, so I packed the camera without downloading the pics. They will have to wait a few months. Here's one I prepared earlier, an untouched Cayman sunset. Beautiful.

Cayman sunset