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Chapter 4

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                                                           CHAPTER 4
 Well,it is now about two weeks until we take off to Vancouver.  There has been quite a lot of preparation going on and last minute details to sort out.

Firstly the bikes are on the way. They got delivered to the Mr BMW bikeshop where they were serviced and both bikes got their full 10,000km service check. Both bikes have new tyres and the theory is that the tyres should get from Vancouver up to Prudhoe Bay and back down to Calgary before changing.  That should then synchronise with the need for the next 10,000km service. We should be due for a nice break by the time we get to Calgary. In Calgary we should be able to trade the bikes in for horses if we have to!


Now Ken, exactly where is Alaska ?   Off to be crated. The journey starts !


Anyway back to shipping. BMW crated the bikes up in the packing crates that were used to ship new bikes out from Germany. With good German thoroughness they are as sturdy as. Then it was off to the Shipping Company and on to the good shippe "Captain Vilano."


Not bad being able to watch loading from the deck of our apartment.  Careful Fellas!

And the ship sails out under the cover of darkness at 9.15pm
Meanwhile all the other preparations are coming together.  Bike insurance has been arranged. Travel insurance has been arranged. Hotel is booked in Vancouver.  Medical checks have been done. Final gear has been purchased.  Bills are being paid in advance! Business matters are being tidied up.  Spanish lessons have increased in intensity.  Diana has done a First Aid Course. Lonely Planet books have been purchased and read. The fitness regime has been upped. The weight loss program has been intensified! The list goes on.......!

I decided to be a thoroughly modern man and practice writing and posting blog updates from my Ipad just to check it out in advance. Woops and whoa baby!  It is not as easy as that apparently. It seems you need special aps to be able to do this.  Investigations are a continuing as they say.. If we cannot get it sorted out as to how to do this then plan B is to write up and post in internet cafes. That might keep the writing a litle briefer which may not be a bad thing.

And there will be a little less writing anyway and a few more pictures on the blog as Canadian and Alaskan vistas start to come into view.


So now just roll on the 23rd of June when we roll out of Auckland for Vancouver.



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