Only a week to go to Christmas and nine days from departure, to return to Mexico. We are relaxed about our preparedness for Stage 3. Today we had booster Tetanus and Hepatitis A jabs. There are so many other inoculations available but we decided the risks to be negligible. Yellow Fever though is mandatory for South America and we had those several years ago before visiting Kenya.
Activity while home has been frenetic. ‘Blerta’ my 1963 Humber 90 is showing signs of real progress. Most effort has gone into the mechanicals. A box of parts arrived from England containing pistons, bearings, and all sorts of repair kits. Jen and I have joined the local Veteran Car Club in Rotorua. Attending meetings and enjoying a club run in our not so old, but qualifying, 1983 Land Rover Series 111 Stage 1.
Jen has spent countless hours in the garden. It’s her therapy. We have a large section or plot of land, with fruit trees, a vegetable patch and many flower gardens. The place is looking fabulous, but of course she will have to start all over again when we return, whenever that will be.
It’s been too many years since us siblings have all been together. Brother Kelvin and partner Jen 2 have visited from Australia, while sister Liz and hubby Chris came down to Rotorua from Auckland. Youngest brother Ash lives here so we had two wonderful evenings of humour and nostalgia before Ash & Michelle headed south to cycle the Otago Rail Trail. Liz & Chris returned home and Kelvin and Jen stayed on with us for a few days. We have a very special family and while we are constantly touch, reunions are rare.
On retuning to Loreto in Baja, we’ll be meeting up with daughter Sarah and family who are waiting for us. The plan is to travel much of Mexico in loose tandem together.
Our first job is to replace the burnt out hand brake cable and fit new sheepskin seat covers, purchased locally in NZ. We also purchased a hand held device that not only gives altitude but temperature and humidity readings. Altitude could be important for trips across the Andes?
Saturday 21 December.
Very sad news. We have just learned that Jen’s lovely Mum has passed away, in the UK. She had been unwell after a suspected stroke only a week or so ago and passed peacefully. Aged 90. RIP Joan Gander you will be sorely missed.
This is going to present us with logistical challenges as Jen will be travelling back to the UK for the funeral service and no doubt rejoin me in Mexico somewhere, sometime!
Visits: 47
Very sorry to hear the sad news about Jen’s Mum, our thoughts are going out to Jen and her family. On another note we’ll be eagerly awaiting more great reading from the adventure’s of stage 3!
Thank you for your kind words, Logan. I am back in the UK now. Mum’s funeral is tomorrow. I am planning to catch up with Dennis is Mexico City on 8th. He is somewhere south of Loreto now. Hope Jamie is going on okay and all is well with you. X