The Long Short Wait

What are we up to right now?

Our house is 'sold'.

I say it like that because until things are done and dusted, they can still go wrong, right?

Lots of people are in a bit of confusion as to our 'situation' right now. That is understandable, when most information is from vague Facebook statuses.

So, I'm writing a more thorough entry on our state of affairs, and our future plans.

We are 12 days away from the 'confirmation of finance' clause needing to be fulfilled. In simple terms, the buyers have 12 days left to get the bank to unconditionally promise to lend them the money to buy our house. Once we get to that step I will rest a little bit easier, knowing we are just 30 days away from leaving our house for good. But things will not be 100% done. There are still 30 days after that before settlement, where we give up the keys, and leave.

So all up, we are still living in our house for the next 6 weeks roughly... (not the caravan AT ALL. We will have plenty of time to get sick of the caravan later) ... providing there are no delays, which there always seems to be in these transactions.

We will probably have a rush to get things out, packed and given away/sold when the confirmation comes in, but right now we are just sort of cruising along and getting through as much food in the pantry as we can.

Where are we going after that?

Things changed.

When we originally came to the point of knowing we wanted to buy a caravan and travel around OZ, we planned to leave in Feb 2014. Without going into too much information, we have to stick around in Tassie until Jan 2015 for a family wedding.

Why stay in Tassie for 6 extra months?

Well, lots of things go into a change of plans. In my heart, I desperately wanted to GET OUT OF TASSIE for winter. It is cold. But!

By the time we could book a sailing over to Victoria, it would be a mere 5 months before we'd have to be back in the state. Also, it is insanely expensive to sail with 7 people, requiring 2 cabins and a vehicle and van fee both ways, to leave... come back.... leave again. All for 5 months rushed travelling? It wasn't worth the expense.

Secondly, we get to see some wonderful things, that we would miss otherwise, because we are staying around a bit longer.

1. My sister in law from overseas
2. My friend who is due with twins in a few months
3. Another friend, due to have a bub later in the year
4. My Oma who is 93 in October
5. We can housesit for family to help them and give us a base OUT of the caravan over the months of waiting.
6. Christmas with said sister in law and other family!
7. We get a solid 6 months to travel our state and REALLY see it all well. It is possible we will not be returning to Tassie to live, and so it is a real bonus that we get time to see it while we can!
8. I can combine my 30th birthday and a farewell party before we leave.

So, when do you 'leave' then?

We leave our house and are 'free' to roam around Tassie at the end of June. If you would like us around for something in particular, just let us know and we can try to fit it into our direction and plans.

We leave Tassie (and it is likely to be a permanent leave) on the 31st January 2015. After our further 18 months of travel on the mainland, we will need to arrange for the transfer of our 'stuff' in storage. If, by some leading, we feel confident that we need to return to Tassie again to live, we will come back. Or we will settle down on the mainland and will return to move our things and say a final farewell. But that is years away, so nothing is even remotely certain in that regard. ;)

So we are still kind of in Limbo Land. Still waiting, though the end is in sight for the trappings of a house!

We are very excited that in roughly 6 weeks, we will be able to be together full time and start our exploring of this great state.

We want to get into lots of bushwalks as a family and just plain rest when we want to do that!

We are happy and content right now, and also tired, but the end is in sight, so it is not so bad. :)

For those who pray, please keep us in mind. Specifically that the selling process will run smoothly to completion. That the finance will come through without a hiccup and that the settlement will happen on time and without interruptions. If the contract should fall through, then we are back to having the house on the market! Not at all what we want, so please be praying for things to run along as planned.

Also, wisdom and time to plan and pack the caravan. It will be a little bit of a juggling act to work out when and how to get it all organised, with 5 undertow and a husband still working.

Thanks all! I hope that answers all your questions, but if it doesn't, just ask!

Sara and Dunc