Shopping for Tanzania

T Minus 9

Today has been a shopping day in preparation for Tanzania. Traffic in Lincoln was as bad as ever so it took much longer than expected.
Even so our spree resulted in shoes for all (2 pairs each) ;school uniform for our kids; a work suit for me (linen – for the hotter climes – not sure if I’ll need a jacket but useful even so); a mini camera and an iPad Air (our iPad 1 being on it’s last legs) to add to our collection of electronics – we feel this important and necessary in our transition and will provide some semblance of normality along with the laptops for work etc.
We have also plumped for trekking towels – I found that these worked excellently in Vietnam /Cambodia last summer and are do much less bulky than the traditional material. It’s a bit like drying with a chamois leather but very effective and they dry so quickly.
I really don’t know how all this is squeezing into the luggage, but needs must.

Last Trip to Lincoln

T Minus 9

Our grand tour continues as we make our way to Lincoln. Although not the place of my birth – it is the place I grew up in and now we have sold it is the closest thing to home there is (for now). A house I moved to in 1972 with lots of memories so a good place to reflect ahead of the move. I will feel the leaving of this place almost as much as my own home (perhaps more so as this was such a rush in the end).
It is a place I lived in until 1984, and came back to throughout the next four years whilst at University; rather like this visit with a tonne of washing (following our 10 days under canvas!). Even after 1988, it was still a home from home – especially in those years before 1993 when I bought my own house. Now we are homeless (in the UK) at least it has reverted to it’s prior role for the first time in 21 years.
Lincoln is the place I transitioned from
childhood through teens to adulthood; the place I became a Christian. Similarly MK was the place I transitioned from young adulthood to middle age; single to married to parenthood.
Life lived in phases (the seeds of another blog in that phrase alone!).
The next phase is rushing upon us – where will it lead and how will I (we) change?
For certain the next 5 years will see the transition in our family, as our kids finish school and start out on their own careers / university / college courses, becoming young adults (as I was when I left Lincoln). You never give up on being a parent but things will change, whether we go to Africa or not.