To kick start the diary entries I�ll give a shortoverview of some of the incidents and experiences, both good and bad, that we encountered in the planning at preparation part of the expedition�

One thing that anyone who has ever worked on a car or even assembled flat pack furniture will tell you is that; regardless how simple the instructions are, it won�t be that straightforward, and that the estimated time the instructions tell you for a job should be at least tripled.  The first experience of this came when removing the extra seats from the back of a scrapped discovery to be fitted in the back of the truck.  What was described in the Haynes manual as simply ��remove the fixing bolts and lift away the seat� took around 4 hours, two broken allen keys, grazed knuckles and some language that would offend a sailor. This theme continued with virtually every job we did that involved removing something first and we soon learnt that merely �remove the bolt� doesn�t take into account the fact that the bolt in question has not been moved since it was fitted twelve years ago, and is trying its hardest to stay there for another twelve years!  Despite getting filthy every time we worked on the car (everything is covered in oil),  there is a great sense of achievement and masculinity, putting on some overalls, getting covered in used engine oil and seeing the vehicle change from one that is at home in the Tesco car park to on that will hopefully carry us around the world!

Three months before we were due to set off, and with the Land Rover in a state where we could test the off road capabilities of both it and ourselves, we journeyed to Cumbria to pick up our new off-road tyres and wheels.  This also gave us the perfect excuse for trying our hand at a spot of off-roading in the Lake District whilst we were there.

We decided we would take it easy and not try anything too hard, we were on our own after all, plus it was the first time so didn�t know the limits of the car yet.  We needn�t had worried, within fifteen meters of leaving the gravel track we found the limits of the car and my driving.  We had, like book we had read told us, got out of the car and had a look at what we were about to dive into.  Our attention, however, was more focused on the wide but shallow river that we were about to cross and we forgot to look at the bank we would be driving down; it was down hill after all, there was no need to worry, we couldn�t possibly get stuck!  As it turned out, there was need to worry, the bank was deep clay-like estuary mud that clogged our tyres, making the deep tread useless, and I promptly sank up to the axles.

Getting out of the car I too sank into the mud.  We also discovered that trying to jack a vehicle in mud doesn�t have the desired affect.  Instead of lifting the car upwards it drives the jack deeper into the ground!  About two and a half hours later and quite a lot muddier we gave up our futile attempt at rescuing ourselves and rather sheepishly headed back to the main road to find help.  As luck would have it, almost straight away we succeeded in flagging down a local farmer, who, after laughing at us for trying to drive through, kindly pulled us out with the winch on the front of his car!

Deciding not to try driving through again, we drove off to tackle another track, preferably one that doesn�t involve any mud!  Great fun! With the track skilfully navigated, we changed drivers and headed off to the next track marked on our maps.  Unfortunately we didn�t make it.  On one of the many narrow lanes in the Lake District we were driving around the outside of a bend when another car came round the corner towards us in the centre of the road.  To cut a long story short, he smashed into the side of us and pushed us part way through a dry stone wall!  We, and the car, managed to limp home and then, a couple of days later, to the garage the insurance company specified.  With a very real chance of the being written off, I waited on the decision of the insurance company to come through.  This led to the first and almost certainly not the last days of stress.  The prospect of searching the internet for hours and driving hundreds of miles to look at vehicles again did not sound good, especially as we were now only twelve weeks before our ferry from Newcastle to Norway was due to set sail.  Not doing the trip was not an option, we had our minds set on it so couldn�t cancel now!  After around a week I got a call from the garage telling me that, despite more than two thousand pounds worth of damage, the insurance company had decided to repair the vehicle!  Six weeks after the crash, and many nagging phone calls to the garage later, I gratefully collected our revived Land Rover but with only seven weeks before we were due to leave, it is going to be busy!

The run up to departure

Six weeks to go.  After three long and busy days of a bank holiday weekend working on the car, the bulk of the work is now done.  We worked as mechanics, electricians, locksmiths and joiners all with a surprising degree of success, leaving only the finishing touches to be done!

The paperwork for the car is complete but the paperwork for ourselves is still lacking.  Because of the length of time we are travelling and the limited time period that many of the visas are valid for it means that the applications have to wait until nearer the time we leave, or even once we have set off.

Two weeks to go. The trip is now starting to get worryingly close, as we are getting closer to leaving, excitement is gradually being eroded by apprehension as we start to realise how much we need to remember, how much there is left to do and how much can possibly go wrong!  Last week saw us having to alter our route

Highs and Lows of the preparations

Highs

• The bank manager happily signing the guarantee for the carnet without really knowing what he was doing, or charging us for it!
• Getting the car back after the accident
• Completing a majority of the car work and it now looking ready to drive around the world

Lows

• Limping home after the crash in the Lake District.
• Waiting to see if the insurance company were going to write the car off or repair it.
• When hours spent working on the car seem to give no progress.
• Panicking with two weeks to go as my to-do list is far longer than the amount of time left

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