Skiing in Austria for a week. We decided that we needed a little holiday in the middle of packing, sorting and organising. Matrei in Osttirol is proving to be a perfect place for relaxing with friends and family. And more importantly, there is nothing to pack, sort or organise!

Removal company has been in to assess what size container we will need ... the bigger one ... well, that was expected.
2 estate agents are busy trying to find subletters for us.
Ian went to Munich last week to hand in all the papers needed to apply for an employment visa to India. The following day they called and said it was ready!!! Amazing - must be some sort of a record. I'll be going on Thursday probably to apply for visas for me and Maia. Hope that will be quick as well.
The house is pretty much sorted - things not to bring stowed away in cellar/attic, things that we have not used since we came to Germany (!!) taken to the tipp, this and that given away to people who can use it and thus we are pretty much on top of things ... or so we like to think anyway :-)
Only insurances, tax declaration, car selling and a few more things to take care of, then we are off on our big adventure.

The die is cast

Well, the die is cast  - we signed the contract last Friday.
We now have 2,5 months to get visas, clear out the house (sell, give away and throw away - which, by the way is not so easy in Germany!), get the shots needed, cancel TV, phone, internet and insurances, do our income tax declaration, sell two cars, find subletters for the house and apartment, decide what to bring and what not, and last but NOT least have good bye parties! A piece of cake ...

Monday Jan 27
The contract has finally arrived! Exciting times - pros vs cons, can we afford it, do we really want to, what happens afterwards ... Maia is not jumping for joy ... yet ... hmmm