It's the little things that pass the time.

Logistics are my thing. It's a weird little talent that gives me a great deal of pleasure. Give me destination and I can run the numbers and find five different ways to get there, the costs, the pros and the cons of each. So planning a move across Europe is like my birthday and Christmas all rolled into one. So I know several ways to get to Vienna, the cost of each and so on.

 However, with many months to go, the main details are sorted and booked. So that leaves me twiddling my thumbs, hoping to keep busy to pass the time. Right now though, I've hit the most important job of the whole trip. Making the Playlist for the journey. With two days in a van and many, many miles to cover, music is essential. But what music? 

Playlist mania.

Obviously, if your moving home, you'll need a sense of humour. So the playlist, which needs to cover nearly 20 hours of travel, needs your favourites and should be sprinkled with a few 'themed' songs. So scattered amounsgt the Queen songs, the odd soundtracks and the just plain weird tracks, there's the 'moving' themed songs to make the journey more fun. 

Now if you're planning a playlist, the first song is important. Given the early hour, and the vast choice of songs out there, I've settled with 'The Great Escape'. It sums up the mood. At 6 in the morning, with the rest of country mostly sleeping, 'the Great Escape' is perfect to sneak away from our old home. 

So playlist 1 (I've split the list into two, one for each day.) starts with 'The great Escape'. From there it's full of upbeat moving songs to help us wipe the sleep from our eyes. Here's a few that will brighten our first day heading to Frankfurt and our Halfway point. 

Eastbound and Down - from smokey and the bandit. 

On the road again - Willie Nelson 

National Express - The Devine comedy 

I've been everywhere man - Jonny Cash. 

For day 2, with us feeling pretty knackered after the first day, we're starting the day with Pharnell Williams's 'Happy'.  Throw in 'Everything is awesome' from the Lego movie to lift our spirits and we'll be on our way from Frankfurt to Vienna. Obviously 'The Blue Danube' will feature, as will a little Beethoven and the 9th symphony which doubles as the European Union's national anthem and the whole thing takes up an hour of airtime. (Filling 20 hours of playlists isn't easy.). 

The whole thing has gotten me thinking though, how many great moving/traveling songs are there out there. If anyone reads this blog. (And I don't actually care if no one does, Lynda and I are having fun just writing it!) and you think of a great song or songs, leave a comment and I'll add it to the list. 

In the meantime , I'm off to find room for the table we unexpectedly bought. That's a story for another blog post though.  

Jess 

When three became one!

You have to love the way your mind works, well, the way my mind works at any rate. A fleeting encounter yesterday has changed our plans once again, and this time it's for the better. 

Ok so it's going to be huge. We're not moving earlier than expected. Nor have we come into a tonne of money. Instead, our mad cap adventure has been simplified and streamlined. 

Harley the Saab 9000, and our transport to Vienna?

So, yesterday, having dropped Lynda off for work, I happened to pass Enterprise car rental. Now many years ago, whilst working out the logistics of moving in the first place, I looked into hiring a big van and loading up everything into it. The costs at the time were high, and the thought of carrying all those heavy items (our bed for example) up several flights of stairs didn't appeal.

Since then of course, we've streamlined our plans, cut the amount we're planning to take with us and we've gotten the plan sorted on the cheap. Or so we thought. 

As much as I love Harley, my faithful Saab 9000, it's difficult to work out what you can fit into the old girl. She's not really built for it. That's where Enterprise came it. Whilst the costs of hiring a big van were expensive, what about something like a ford transit connect? It's basically nothing more than a small car type van. Well I thought I'd check out the price. The van would allow for us to carry much more than Harley, potentially swapping three trips across Europe to just two or even one. 

 Checking the price, I wasn't expecting good things. However, I was wrong. Hertz offers a small van for just £120 for the week! Checking around with a few others, the price is similar. Then things got weird. For £175, we could get a standard transit which would allow us to do the whole move in one. At this point we were starting to foam at the mouth. A quick check of the T&C's though told us the van wasn't allowed out of the country. Sigh. Europcar however does offer out for the country rentals. However, it comes with a catch. There was an extra fee on top of the rental cost. That was fine since there are extra items required to take the van on to the continent, and it wasn't a great deal on top. It was the limited mileage that really chaffed though. Adding nearly £200 extra because we'd exceed the mileage limit of 90 miles a day didn't seem fair. Hertz had unlimited mileage. So, hopeful that the website T&C's were wrong, we rang hertz. It turns out that we just had to tell hertz that we wanted to take the van out onto the continent, pay the extra fee an that was that. 

Head buzzing, we ran the numbers. With the van, eurotunnel costs and bits and pieces, the cost of the single trip would be just around £800, or the cost of two trips in the car. So it's a no brainer. The van wins. So it's booked.

There is a downside. Originally , I had around a month to relax after arriving in Vienna before I had to take Harley back to the UK to load up for the return trip. That's not going to happen now and the leisurely three day journey from home to Vienna has now become a two day trip, and that all down to us bringing the star of the show, Geri the parrot. In order to minimise his discomfort we're doing the trip In two days. I also only get one day's rest before I have to set off and get he van back to Cardiff. So I'm going to be knackered. Oh and then I have to get back to Vienna. 

The van presents us with new issues though. So far, with the three trips originally planned, we've been itemising our possessions for either the first, second or third run. This has made it easy to pack up the things we need on arrival and earmark the items we're still using to be packed up wished we started the first run. That's all gone by the by now and it'll be a case of 'pack it all'. So next year, a month before we leave, we'll be packing it all up. It's going to be manic. 

Public Transport showdown

This week, Harley, our beloved Saab 9000 decided to finally get that gastric bypass she's always wanted, sucking her fuel tank out of shape due to a very blocked breather pipe. The fuel tank is just a mess.  

Harley, prior to corsetting her own petrol tank. 

So with Harley getting sorted by the garage, we've been left at the whim of Welsh public transport, and that isn't a good thing. 

One of the great things about Vienna is it's fantastic public transport system. Buses, trams, trains and the U-bahn all combine to get you almost anywhere in the city in under an hour, and cheaply at that.  

The Welsh system is somewhat, different.

Picking up the car.

So with Harley in a garage some 20 miles away in the beautiful little village of Taff's Well, it falls on public transport to get us to her location for pickup. Here goes. 

Step 1 - The bus. 

Ok, our first job is to get the bus down to the nearest train station. Taff's Well has its train station just two minutes from the garage, but for now we need to walk to the bus stop. The time is 15.10. 

The walk to the bus stop takes just two minutes. Home has two bus routes. The main route passes through the heart of the village half a mile away. The second route connects Merthyr Tydfil to Aberdare and passes along the road near to us. So we choose that. This route has a bus to and from Aberdare every 20 minutes, until 18.00. Then it stops all together, leaving just the main service from the village which goes once an hour after 18.00. 

For now, the bus is due at 15.20. Our train goes 15.52 and we've just 5 miles to go. This should be a slam dunk. 

Waiting for the bus.

The bus arrives two minutes late. Great. Lynda checks with the driver what time he's due to reach town. 15.45 comes the reply. That leaves us 7 minutes to get to the train station from the bus station. 

Of course the Bus doesn't stop at the actual train station, that up would be easy. 

Arriving at the bus station at 15.46 (pretty in time for the bus) we have to run to get the train. Missing this train will mean we'll miss the garage's closing time. With 30 seconds to spare, we make the train.

Step 2 - the Train

The train pulls out slightly early at 15.51. The journey is due to take 40 or so minutes. The train itself is comfortable but very tired. Built in 1984, the sprinter is still considered a fairly modern train for the Valleys commuter lines. 

The sprinter is still considered new for the Valley's lines. 

It's loud, diesel powered and definitely showing its age. Fortunately it's not the other type of train that runs along the lines. The class 143 trains are literally buses that have been mounted on a train chassis, and should have been retired several years ago. We cough and splutter our way to Taff's Well and arrive on time. 

Step 3 - returning home. 

Harley's not ready so we're left to wait until the repair is finished, and that'll be tomorrow. It's rush hour so we head into Cardiff, a further twenty minute train ride and grab a meal out. But with the time getting on we need to head home. After six, like the buses, the trains home become, infrequent, with a mix of one and and two and hour services available. We've just missed one train and the next one is in an hour. At 18.41 we get the train back to Aberdare, ironically it's the same train we started our journey  on. We reach Aberdare one hour and five minutes later, fortunately avoiding the drunk guy who thought he'd regale his fellow travellers with his singing (he was heading to Rhymney and needed a different train.)

We have hopes of catching the next bus, but as we reach the station and see, well nothing. We have no idea when the next bus is, and with the time approaching 19.50, we decide to grab a taxi from the rank. When I say 'a taxi' I mean 'The Taxi'. 

The bus station at 19.50 in the evening. 

Step 4 - The Taxi

Our taxi driver forgot to start the meter for the first half a mile, however the quick 8 minute journey still costs us a 'steep' £9. Our taxi driver is a pleasant chap but his seatbelt remains unfastened for the trip. Either way, just before 20.00, we get in and reflect in the public transport system. Lynda's mother informs us that the next bus would have been at 2030 from town, meaning we'd have gotten home around 21.00, a whopping 2 hours and 19 minutes since we got on the train in Cardiff. 

The rough cost.

 All told. It's cost us nearly £25 for the round trip,though if we'd just gone to Cardif and back, we could probably get that down to under £20. The same trip in the car would be around £10 rising to £16 if we've parked for a long time. Compared to Vienna where €15.70 will get you a weeks pass on every form of transport within the city and its no wonder Vienna looks more appealing by the minute. It is hoped however that by 2020, we'll have a more integrated transport system from the Valleys along with new electrified trains. However, the plans are already running behind. Hope springs eternal though. By then though, we'll be sipping coffee in Cafe Central. 

Of Cabbages and Kings

"The time has come" The Walrus said, "to talk of many things.

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax, and cabbages and Kings."

Lewis Carroll

The words from Lewis Carroll's poem from Alice Through the Looking Glass, are in my mind this morning as I type this post. It could be that Vienna seems more like wonderland than normal today, or more likely, I've fallen down the rabbit hole and I'm about to take a most awesome adventure. And Yes I know a little 'Bill and Ted' sneaked in there, It's that kind of morning. 

Of cabbages and Kings seems oddly poignant, because it sums up the highs and lows of trying to plan a move to another country. Cabbages represent the bad, whilst the Kings represent the good. So let's get the bad out of the way first. 

Of Cabbages.

Our cabbage for today is of course work and money. There's not enough of either, and the lack of work has yet again knocked our leaving date back. So its bye bye February 29th 2016, and hello, well a few months later. The date is a secret for now. Why? Given the fact that the damn thing moves almost as soon as Lynda and I can pick 'em, we're trying a new strategy of not announcing the date, so we can sneak up on it and catch the bugger.  There is a cut off though, and this move has to happen next year, or it won't happen at all. By the end of next year, there simply won't be enough work around to be able to save the money we need to move. At that point, Lynda will be looking for a new job, and the Welsh Valley's aren't exactly overflowing with high paying jobs for people as qualified as she is. It's no joke, Lynda is considered overqualified for the most abundant job type found in the Valley's, the factory worker/shop assistant. She was once fired from a bakery job 'for not being suited' to turn fruit cakes on their side! That's true. So one way or another, she'll be looking for a new job, so it may as well be in Vienna as here, as we'll have to move to find a good job anyway. 

And Kings.

The Kings of our piece are much more fun, and in keeping with the 'down the rabbit hole' feeling I have this morning. Last post I talked about the fact we won't be using a moving company to take our things to Vienna. In order to save a bit (Quiet a lot actually)  of money, We'll be doing the trip with the bare minimum of stuff required to start a new life in Vienna. Harley. My trusty Saab 9000 (Yes she has a name.) will act as a life boat of sorts. With the rear seats removed, the old girl can carry a hell of a lot. She's designed to move heavy loads and that's what she's going to do. It's not going to be an easy trip, and for a car of Harley's age, it's potentially fatal. At 18 years old and with a total of 221000 miles on the clock, Harley has been around the block a bit. However, Saab's, especially the 9000, have a reputation for being sturdy, and 200000 miles on the clock is considered to be 'Just run in'. So with any luck she'll survive the first trip and hopefully at least another as well. 

The route itself is daunting. just take a look. 

It's a gruelling 1000 mile journey from home to Vienna, and the same back! And it can't be done in one go. Not safely at any rate. However, splitting it over three days would make things a lot easier. So the plan looks something like this. 

Day 1 - dep 1800Z for Dover

Travel to Dover for an overnight hotel stay in a local premier inn. 

Miles covered - 264 

Day 2 - Dep 0600Z for 0700Z ferry to Dunkirk.

Arrive Dunkirk at 0900Z then head East for Frankfurt Airport. 

Overnight hotel at Frankfurt. 

Miles Covered - 355 

Day 3 - Dep 0600Z for Vienna

Miles Covered - 450

Thats a total of 1069 miles!

Hopefully, and with traffic being nice to us, we should arrive in Vienna by 1400Z and be able to unload the car, do a quick bit of food shopping and then fall into bed and sleep, after we inflate the bed that is. The apartment won't be furnished. Don't worry, the kettle will be the first thing to be unpacked :)

The route could be squeezed into two days by driving straight to Frankfurt, but what kind of hell would that be. It's also not without its complications, all be it small. For example, before we enter Austria at Passau, We'll need to have an Austrian 'Vignette' This little treasure acts as a kind of Road Tax. Available in 10 day, two month and 12 month versions, Prices are quite cheap. A two month sticker will cost you just €25.70. It's important though that you stick the Vignette to the screen, or you'll be fined by the police, and at €280, its best to stick it and forget. 

Whilst planning the route, Google maps did amuse me by warning me that 'This route crosses through Belgium'. I don't know why Belgium comes with this warning, but it does. 

So that's the Journey. and the return is even more fun, as it may take two or three trips to get everything, including Geri, Who will travel with us, and gets to stay in a hotel in Frankfurt, for a small fee. All this must be complete by October 31st though, as from November 1st, snow tyres are mandatory in Austria, and we can't afford to fit four new tyres to Harley to use possibly once. So that's the cut off date for when everything must be moved. Oh and Harley can only stay in Austria for 30 days at a time before I have to register her as an Austrian car, and that will cost a fortune. 

Finally, and most positive of all, The first hotel has been booked. Frankfurt beckons, and its going to be a wild ride getting there. 

Until next time.

Jess.

2015 scorecard, nil points so far

There's simply no getting away from it, so far 2015 has been awful. With the first half done and dusted, 2015 has not been a good year. 

Nothing so far this year has gone well. Unexpected deaths, unwelcome bouts of illness and a unbelievable conservative victory in the general election have left us feeling battered and very bruised.

Even now as I write this, our planned summer trip to Austria isn't happening. It's just been one of those years so far. So what does it mean for our moving plans? Not a lot really, and yet everything.

Whilst deaths and illness have slowed us up, it's the new government that has really helped push us to get to Vienna. Just last week, we had the first conservative budget since the mid 1990's and as expected, there were winners and losers. Invariably, we were in the losers camp. It all comes down to work. Or more importantly, working tax credits. 

Working tax credits are a benefit paid to the lowest paid people to help 'top up' their wage to something survivable. At present, anyone earning £6400 or less a year after tax goe the full amount. The problem is that the system put in place back in 2004 has become bloated rising from a £3 million cost annually to a very large £30 million today. So something had to change. With over 98% of the working population eligible to came the benefit, I have to agree that change is needed. The problems begin when you start to look at the suggested change, and the idea behind it. 

The current thought process says 'paying tax credits to people allows businesses to have low wages and let the government top up the difference.' Solution, 'remove tax credits and businesses will have to increase their pay.' 

That's where the whole idea falls down though. If you run any business in the UK, by law, you must pay the minimum wage. This is set by the government and is mandatory. Removing the tax credits won't increase the minimum wage, and an employer isn't legally bound to increase an employee's wage if they are already paying the minimum. Let's face it, if you run a business, you want to make money, and whilst it's noble to say, 'yes, I will pay a better wage so the government doesn't have to' it's not likely. The thought tha businesses will act altruistically hasn't really been born out. 

As a way to tackle this, the chancellor announced the arrival of the new 'living wage' which will set a new minimum of £9 ph in 2020 as it rises from the current level of £6.80. The thing is, this rise doesn't compensate for the loss of the tax credits, so the most vunrable employees are the ones who are going to lose the most, and will find themselves anywhere between £800 and £2000 a year worse off. 

So what about us. The idea above is based on the principle of the employee at a firm. The thing is, tax credits are also there to help the self employed persons, like us. Now being self employed, we can't really raise our own wages, and the tax credits are often there to help keep us afloat whilst we wait for payment for jobs done, some of which can take 60 days to pay from the point of invoice. So with a lowering of the threshold from £6400 to £3895 in April, we're going to be £1200 worse off. Add to that the slow death of local services from the council and our time in the UK is up. 

So, we've sat down and drawn up a plan that will see us move for as little as possible. There'll be no moving company to help pack boxes, or to deliver them to us in Vienna. Instead it will be us, a loaded down car and a 1000 mile trip across Europe in three days. 

We've worked out what we need to survive and it'll all fit in one load in the car. So look out Vienna, we could be there sooner than you think. 

The year ahead.

Lots of things in life revolve around firsts. Your first steps, first drink, first kiss! They're all moments that mark a milestone in your life, and usually things to be celebrated. By contrast, lasts tend to be glum occasions. Last meals, last dance, last breath! All solomn occasions, often mourned more than celebrated. Well no more.

Whilst March the 1st next year offers us our own year of firsts, right now, we're looking at the year of lasts, and we intend to celebrate them as best we can. So of these moments are a bit daft rally.the very first 'last' starts today with the last MOT for our car. It's not normally a cause for celebration, but after 20000 miles a year, the last MOT represents Jess's retirement from daily driving. It's also going to save around £200 a year just on the MOT and repairs, so yay.

There'll be lots of others to, and some are likely to be more 'bitter sweet' than all out celebrations. With two birthdays, christmas, new year and countless other little moments the Year of Lasts will be a great way to countdown to the 29th of February. In honour of the event we've even started using #yearoflasts for use on facebook and Twitter. With 11 months and 8 days to go, join us in celebrating #yearoflasts. 

Jess. 

It's On!

Hot on the heels of our last post, things are all go. Yes suddenly after months of uncertainty, waiting and much pacing around, we're back on track to move. It won't be this year as hoped, but we have a date picked, flights priced up and a small degree of panic has set in. 

The Date chosen is a bit special. On February 29th 2016 we'll be leaving the UK for Austria. Seen as we have an extra day, we thought we'd do something special, plus Lynda's mother turns 80 next year on February 21st, so we really needed to be here for that. 

So what's happening now? A little celebration is happening right now, but from Monday our timetable restarts. It's going to be a year of lasts, last British summer, last birthdays in the UK and even daft things like the last MOT for the car is likely to result in a bit of partying. If all goes according to plan, we'll have the movers in around November to quote for the move, and over the course of the next 10 months, we'll be boxing up what's not being used and discarding the stuff that just isn't coming.

As an extra treat this summer, we'll have another 'last'. Our last trip to Vienna before we move. Best of all, this final trip is being shared with a few friends. Taking in Salzburg then Vienna, we'll be enjoying a final trip, one last coffee and an slice of Sachertorte before it becomes home. 

That's the year coming up, and we're hoping to share it all with You guys reading it. In the meantime, you'll spot the a countdown timer on the right. In the words of Douglas Adams "Don't panic!"

Jess