And the count down begins.....

The last week has seen an endless list of tasks....from making sure growing teenagers actually have clothes and shoes to wear to creating PINs on credit cards to ensure they will work overseas.

It's been a week of preparations that haven't exactly run smoothly. The banks' foreign currency supplier computer system went down the 3 times I tried to order foreign currency; the local train station can't pre sell tickets for a 5.45 am train - you have to use a vending machine that has a 10 coin limit with no notes or eftpos facility (just imagine $60 in 20 coins :-)

The impending adventure is only just starting to sink in for all members of the clan. M is asking whether there will be fake iPhones; L is thinking about packing dresses; B2 is telling me he needs to see his friends because he won't see them for a month and B1 is saying 'don't worry - it will be fine' at every question I ask. I concerned about going to a country where limited English is spoken and I can't decipher the written script!

Just found this great translation app for the iPad - itranslate voice - you just say what you want translated and it then reads it in the language - it will be interesting to see the reaction in mandarin speaking areas as to the accuracy!

In less than 24 hours we'll be making the trek to Sydney to board planes. Of course, I've been recalled with horror stories of it taking over 4 hours to get through customs....my mantra.... I will relax!