Bondi's best home delivery

As a service to those living in Bondi I thought I'd pass on my recommendations for the best home delivery in the area.

• Best Chinese: Green House, 9387-2131


• Best Thai: Eat Thai, 9369-5903


• Best Pizza: Big John's, 9369-1233


• Best Indian: Jewel On The Bay, 9371-4100

Seriously, what more do you need?

DM

Packing List

For those of you who are curious as to what we can't live without for five months, here is our packing list. To be honest, Dane would leave half of these things behind (like the shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, and anything else that may make him smell good), but I've insisted that we not leave the country without at least 30 anti-bacterial moist towelettes. :)

Each of us will be carrying:

*65 litre Mountain Designs "Odyssey" Travel Pack with detachable Day Pack
*1 litre aluminium water bottle
*Microfibre travel towel
*Inflatable pillow
*Wrapsafe (security cable)
*Combination lock x 2
*Torch/Flashlight
*Multi-pliers/Swiss Army Knife
*Tissue pack x 3
*Toilet roll x 3
*2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner
*Body wash
*Body puff scrubber
*Razors
*Gastro kit (including immodium, antibiotic, and re-hydration tablets)
*Berocca (Aussies will appreciate the absolute necessity of this item!)
*Thongs/Flip-flops for hostel showers
*Spork
*Flat foldable bowl
*Glasses Case
*Sleep visor
*Earplugs
*Digital camera
*Youth Hostel Australia membership card
*Passports, bank cards, and other important documents (in super secret hiding places)

In addition, we're sharing a few things between the two of us:

*Pacsafe (security cage)
*First aid kit
*Anti-bacterial moist towelettes
*Anti-bacterial gel
*Laundry washing liquid
*Hairbrush (foldable)
*Nail clippers and file
*Sunscreen
*Mosquito repellant (80% DEET)
*Natural sleep aid
*Alarm clock
*iPod Video (to download our photos onto)
*Film camera (this one is *all* Dane)
*"Europe on a Shoestring"
*"The Rough Guide to India"

As for clothes, Dane will be taking:

*Colorado boots with high performance odor eaters (he's been warned that boots will be hot, but he swears they're the most comfortable shoe he's ever worn)
*Socks x 3 (moisture wicking)
*Undies x 3 (moisture wicking)
*Convertible pants/shorts (quick-dry)
*Shorts (quick-dry)
*Long-sleeve thermal shirt
*T-shirt (quick-dry)
*Long-sleeve button-up shirt (quick-dry)
*Jacket (light-weight)
*Bucket hat (Cricket Australia)

Finally, as I girl, my clothing list will be a bit longer:

*Raichle walking/hiking shoes with arch supporting insoles
*Socks x 3 (moisture wicking)>
*Undie bottoms x 3 (moisture wicking)
*Undie tops x 2 (sport)
*3/4 length pants (quick-dry)
*Shorts (quick-dry)
*Wrap skirt (quick-dry)
*Tank top (moisture wicking)
*Sleeveless top (moisture wicking)
*Short-sleeve collared t-shirt (moisture wicking)
*Zip-up jumper (light-weight & quick-dry)
*Bandana
*Bucket hat
*Swimsuit
*(I may also be allowing myself another skirt, top, pair of cute shoes,...)

I've probably forgotten a couple of things, and I've probably included a couple of things that won't make the cut due to weight, but this is pretty much what we're taking to get us through the next five months (I'll be happy once we've survived India). I fully expect to want to burn all of these items by the time we finish our trip in September. :)

AM

India is go

Our passports arrived back from the Indian consulate today complete with business visas for the two of us. To the sub-continent I say, "bring it!"

Eurail tickets are in the bag too. Rings will be done by next Thursday and we'll pick up more packing boxes over the weekend. I can't wait for the only thing on the to-do list to be "decide which town to go to today and find a hostel" :)

DM

NY, NY

Why is NY so expensive? Just what are they trying to prove? And how are you meant to book accommodation there when one forum post will give a place five stars and the next will call it the absolute pits? We're so glad we can crash with friends and family in London.

But you have to do something because turning up in NY without a booking will get you fleeced faster than Australia cleans up the Commonwealth Games. After much angst the answer appears to be to go with our hostel chain even if it means that we end up in different dorms.

Five nights in the Big Apple sure should be fun though. Time enough to check out Apple's SoHo store if not anything else :)

DM

Test post from Flickr

Anzac Bridge at night
Originally uploaded by Leden.

Frankly it surprises me that you can blog a photo from your Flickr collection to Blogger. After all, eBay and Google are mortal enemies :)

DM

Clean and tidy

Cleaning this morning - not the best thing when you're hung over (curse St Pat) but with the real estate agent showing the flat later it has to be done. I almost feel like leaving little sticky notes around the flat suggesting things the new tenants should insist on getting fixed before they move in. It would certainly save some of the aggravations we've been putting up with.

Later we're buying our last few bibs and bobs for the trip; until we realise next weekend that there are more bibs and bobs to be bought of course. I've got to get my glasses prescription sorted out when we're up in the Junction later. Plus I've got to post off an iPod to WA for my famous namesake. Things to do, things to do.

DM

Gumbies are us

Hello world.

We're going on a World Tour so we decided to create a blog. This is now my fourth website which seems a little excessive. Of course it is my first joint website so that's exciting. Bring on the the template tweeking :)

DM

P.S. All posts lacking ridiculously large numbers of commas can be attributed to Dane. Stop! Grammar Time...