Process of Moving to Cairo (November 2007!)

This post draws together lots of posts I made during the last month before actually moving myself from London to Cairo in November 2007.

Companies I used:

(a) to arrange for my cats:

http://airpets.co.uk/ all you have to do is sort out the various injections and microchipping for the cats in advance. They handle ALL paperwork. They get the cats in 7 days before the flight, make sure they are well enough to fly, take them to the plane. (My only caveat is they didn't really have any idea about what would be involved at the Cairo end. Because animals MUST fly 'unaccompanied cargo' from Heathrow (even though you may well be on the same plane as I was), they are delivered to the mysterious depths of Cairo International Airport cargo area. You seriously MUST have Egyptian contacts this end. See my blog posts specifically about the cats for more information.

(b) to ship my piano:

http://www.allfreight.co.uk/ - great service - I entered my request on their website - I said 'piano box' - and within a couple of minutes of pressing SEND, they called me to ascertain exactly what I wanted and said they would make a special crate for me. Couldn't have asked for better service. (Separate blog post about collecting the piano this end!)

(c) to store my belongings for a few months:

http://www.safestore.co.uk/ - I used one of the Bristol storage facilities. They were very helpful and when I finally removed my stuff from storage, they knew the service I used for that so I did not have to be present.

(d) to move my stuff from storage and also do a run from London for me for another purpose:

http://www.taxitruckbristol.co.uk/ - again, great service and reliable.

(e) to give stuff away (without charge)

http://www.uk.freecycle.org/

I joined relevant Yahoo Groups local freecycle groups in London and South Wales to give away things - very successfully!

Plus lots of belongings went straight to local charity shops.

THE LAST MONTH BEFORE THE MOVE IN GORY DETAIL

2nd November 2007

I have spent 5 hours this morning just filling in paperwork, scanning, emailing, faxing and all to do with cats, things at home, baggage, shipping ....

Who knew emigrating could be so hard and I've still got to deal with banks, letting agents, mortgage company, freeholder, phone company, electric company, blah blah blah..... as well as developing my business.................................

I am cream-crackered as we say in these parts and I need CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


comment: good luck and enjoy the chocolate!!

3rd November 2007

Yum Yum I did and again today

One of the things I am transporting is a 65kg, full size digital piano. I got quotes from 3 companies to transport it to Cairo by air freight. The quotes ranged from £279 - £303 (excluding insurance).

I have accepted the most expensive quote, from Allfreight International, because Donna from the company phoned me within minutes of me pressing the 'send' button for the online quote, to find out exactly what my requirements were, spoke to her colleagues and came back to me, and their quote INCLUDES making up a special box to transport the piano! (Which I have partially dismantled so its reasonably flat). The other 2 companies could have done that but didn't and I would have then had to pay out for some kind of packaging material.

Anyway, thought I'd let other peeps know for future reference, and I will let you know how they actually perform!

comment Btw you still have to pay tax and customs for the piano.

Response to comment by me: Yes, I am trying to find out how much

5th November 2007

This is the trash heap which my flat is at the moment - things pulled out all over the place for decorating, packing, deciding... 3 weeks to sort this pig sty out

(Warning - occasional adult language!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwTpHXc6zlg

Wasn't too bad yesterday and the day before, got loads done - friend came round to help Saturday so we managed to keep it quite tidy while we were working, and got a handywoman in yesterday to do various handyperson jobs involving wood, saws, drills and other bits, but doing it on my own is SO depressing coz I don't have the energy to keep it tidy while I'm working.

Still - out of chaos shall emerge order or some such

7th November 2007

I'm knackered. I just finished packing up my piano after several hours of hauling it about. It weighs 65kg - its at times like this I can see the value of a physics degree the amount of levers and 'frictionless slopes' I've had to construct tonight out of a random selection of bits of wood and old metal shelves is amazing.

I had to wrap it in sheets, newspaper and bubble wrap because the freight co are going to construct the shipping box for me. I hope their driver doesn't have a blue fit tomorrow!

Comment: LOL I thought you were going to say you could see the value of having a man I think the story of this piano is going to be a great saga. Good luck with the rest of your packing.

My response: Na, a physics degree is more exciting

Comment re ealier post: Muhahahaa I did it all 2 years ago so I know your stress..it's a lot isn't it!!?? The most difficult thing is doing everything to stop or end at the same time....I was selling my car like mad at the last minute, it was all a headache. Once you get on the plane you will breathe a sigh of relief!

7th November continued...

Yeah - just sold my entire record collection for £200 - including what he called my 'pile of shame' (which he said was 'remarkably small'. Tubular Bells came back out of the pile when I told him side 1 was TB (V2001), but side 2 was pressed with Gong - Flying Teapot (V2002) - second ever Virgin Records pressing! He said it was the tastiest collection he'd seen for ages

and again.....

Yeah cheers the piano has left the building - the piano has left the building.....................


8th November

comment: LOL ty for this... InshaAllah I'm soon to follow so its nice to get an idea for what im up against. Biggest problem I forsee.... hmmm I really dunno. I dont expect to be taking much, three bags at most... im not really planning to ship much just what I can carry with me, and my kiddo. I guess that will be the hardest part, lol the four year old.

comment re video of mess: OMG I thought my daughters bedroom was bad enough LOL - by the way you have great taste - same fridge/freezer as me LOL. Hope you have done more packing and you are able to put the hoover on without the entire contents of your flat disappearing up it. Good Luck

8th November continued...

LOL its looking a lot better today - losing the piano and the record collection (which you can't actually see in the vid because they are hidden in the junk) freed up a load of space so we could actual start manouevring stuff around to finish the decorating.. nearly done

9th November 2007

Was just informed by the freight co that the piano including packing is 108kg
No wonder it was so tough to move about!!!

So anyway, the freight cost is somewhat higher than they initially quoted (which was for 68kg - I allowed 3kg for packing - bit dim I know ) so further charges to be deducted from the plastic fantastic - I've given up counting now!

12th November 2007

Right, I made a decision today about storage. I just can't sort all this crap out in the time remaining (17 days from now I shall probably be over Alexandria on the plane!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) so I have got a quote for storage at a place in Bristol - its quite reasonable actually - for a 20 sq.ft x 8ft high room (about 4.5 cu. m.) its about £340 + insurance (for 6 months). So that's probably what I'm gonna do.

Now I've just got to put thumbscrews on - I mean ask nicely - my sister and her hubby to do 'man with van' duty!

There's actually half a chance that I could sell the stuff for the amount its going to cost to store - but I just can't sell it in the time available to me. (Anyone want a trumpet for £175? LOL!)

comment: I can only pray that my husband will be able to find employment in Egypt so the organization/company will take care of the shipping of our household! What a headache it must be for you right now to organize everything, Oldbag!!!

12th Nov continued...

Too right - mind u, I have known I'm moving for many many moons now so its my own stupid fault for being 'deadline-orientated' as we procrastinators like to say

All I'm saying is thank God for Flylady (flylady.net) - if I hadn't spent the past 5 or 6 years gradually decluttering (over 1000 books for example in the past 2 years!) it would all be A LOT WORSE!!!!

15th November 2007

Ok guys, I need some help. I have before me a small collection of bottles of perfume and oils bought from 'My uncles/aunties/sisters papyrus gallery and purveyors of fine oils' emporium in downtown Cairo over 2 years ago (yes, I was that tourist...)

Cost a load and I am NOT bringing them back - the risk of spills etc etc, for a load of old oil. Please give me a kick up the ass to BIN THEM NOW..

All ass-kicks welcome!!!!

comment: Any thing you have not used in the last 6 months ....get rid of it.....that means every thing, perfume, clothes, oils, shoes etc....

15th Nov cont.......

Not the shoes - on account of my ginormous feet (size 10 UK, 12 US and 44 Eur!!!!) and the impossibility of buying shoes in my size that not only fit, but also don't look like a couple of coalbarges, they stay - as I have a lifetime supply.

And what about the 4 million useful computer cables? - geek heaven - guess I'll freecycle those to some deserving geek somewhere!

16th November 2007

Ok oils and perfumes now lined up next to toilet so can make nice smells when it flushes

comment: You are very funny! You made me laugh.

16th Nov continued ....


Right - just booked and paid for the van for next Thursday.

Luton van with tail-lift - 2 days hire for £110.75 including VAT and insurance. Will also have to donate cash to the sister/hubby combo and pay for diesel.

comment: OOOHHH it's all coming together now!!

comment: sell on Ebay, then you can get money as well as declutter

response to above comment by me: Nice idea, but I just haven't got the time or patience for Ebay - I have a hard job just posting letters let alone parcels

19th November 2007

comment: Are you all ready Oldbag? What have you got left? And how long til you go, a week? You must be so excited!!!

19th Nov cont ......

11 days from now, I should be wending my way through customs at Cairo inshallah!

I've got 3 packing days left to decide what's coming, what's storing, what's staying in the flat for tenants and what's getting charity/freecycle/bin ned AARRGGHHHHHHHHHHH

Naturally enough, given that I was away this weekend at a conference and am so tight to time, I decided that Friday morning really was the best time to set up a new internet forum for a group I am a member of - nothing like a deadline to get the creative juices flowing I always find

My purrbabies are leaving for Heathrow Pet place on Thursday, my stuff is leaving for storage on Friday and I shall be accompanying it to get a last couple of days in with the parentals before I leave!

Then I will have 3 days next week I have to clean and paint 9 doors in my flat, gloss my skirting boards, paint the hall ceiling with special cover up now-dry damp spots from the flat upstairs, paint the windowsills, finish painting the kitchen, get an inventory done of all the stuff staying in the flat done, clean all the furniture, shampoo all the carpets, go and visit kitties in the Heathrow place so they know I haven't abandoned them, get rid of all remaining items, pack up my computer stuff to come to Egypt (laptop, sound card (ext) and a few bits), find a home for the tv and printer until I come back in Feb for a couple of weeks and can get them down to the store!

Oh dear, I've come over all faint, I better go for a lie down. I have a feeling chocolate is going to find its way into the shopping bag again before the week is out

comment: purrbabies! I love it!

comment: oh you poor thing, so much still to do and so little time, but I am sure you will do it....well you HAVE to!!! I wish you all the luck in the world making your deadlines and eat lots of chocolate to motivate you!! x

comment: Holy moly woman, that three days of fixing up the flat better be fueled by lots of caffeine and chocolate. Not sure how else you'll make it!!! Wish you the best with it though.

21st November 2007

Photos dudes - how many of your precious photo albums did you bring????
Do I keep them here and scan photos in and bring gradually or what?
I'm scared stiff of losing them en route but they weigh to much to bring hand. And no, I don't have the negatives!

comment: How about emailing them to yourself and printing them off when you get there?

response to comment by me: Coz these are actual photos from the land that time forgot before digital so I would have to scan them all in - many many hours of work

comment: Could you take the pictures somewhere and pay to have them scanned and then put onto cd's? I guess it might cost a bunch for all the work, but you don't have the time and they're too heavy to take. Alternately, just take small bunches at a time, leaving the balance in storage until you can get to them.

comment: Oldbag, this is your last day with your precious pussy cats, I hope parting with them tomorrow wont hurt too much, you will see them again soon

comment: darling OldBag if you are reading this, then you are being a bad baaaaddd girl, and not working on packing up your stuff.....so get back to it, woman !! only a week away !!!

22nd November 2007

I didn't read it til today! I was a VERY good girl yesterday and did not put my computer on AT ALL even for 1 'just a peak at my email'.

(The cats left today and it was traumatic. The guy with the cage didn't understand when I said hold it opening up so I could drop my girl cat in, and kept holding it sideways. She escaped and fled in terror to the top-most cupboard in the kitchen. It took me nearly half an hour to get her down and in the end I had to resort to something really bad to get her down - shan't tell you because I'm ashamed of it but there was no other way. She left me with very bad scratches and in a rage. My boy cat was much more subdued. He loves his mummy and noone else. I am very upset too - if anything happens to my beloved cats en route and our last time together was this - doesn't bear thinking about.)

25th November 2007

Hello each - well had a VERY stressful 2 days - piling all my crap into a van, my sister and her hubbie and me all driving from London to Bristol, getting stuck in a horrific traffic jam, moving my crap up to the 7th floor of a warehouse building - moving beds around the countryside, moving big beds up narrow staircases in my parents home, blah blah blah.
I woke up in the middle of the night having a panic attack about the amount of stuff still to do before Wednesday night (travelling Thursday!), gave myself a good talking to - no point panicking, better sleeping

The absurdity of paying out for storage for stuff that I could buy new if I needed it ----- but the problem is, you can't think straight when you're surrounded by the crap. The other problem is how could I get rid of it by Thursday if I didn't do this - no guarantee of any sales by then, and what would i do with it if it didn't sell? My family have no space to hold my stuff and all live miles away.

Anyone here contemplating a major move - start getting rid of your stuff NOW!

Sister reclaimed the oils that had yet to be flushed away - I think I know what people are gonna be getting for Xmas!

26th November 2007

Well people, the enormity of it all finally hit me this afternoon. I was in Asdas (Walmart) about 20 mins ago, peacefully doing my shopping and it all suddenly came home to me. Before, I haven't spent more than 2.5 weeks in Cairo in one go - so I know during my time I've done my shopping locally, in Carrefour, Hyperone, Metro, Khaer Zaman, but from the end of this week I will be doing all my shopping there, for more than 2 weeks.

Having spent several hours today making phone calls, writing letters to various places with a change of address, and visiting banks to change my address, I think I've now got 'pre-wedding nerves' is about the nearest description I can put on it - sort of excited, anticipation, its too late to go back now kind of feelings all mixed up.

I am so grateful to the people that I know in Cairo waiting to welcome me.

I decided to leave all my photoalbums at my parents house for the time being, together with my entire CD collection and do exactly what you say there - take in small bunches.

comment: good luck old bag, have a safe trip and i wish you a wonderful life here

comment: 3 more days to go, Oldbag, ARE YOU READY????

26th Nov continued....

No AARGH its all getting too real!

Tonight though, I put an email on a group local to me asking if anyone could take my stuff that I need til the last minute on Thursday morning but which couldn't stay in the flat (tv, radio thingie, subwoofer & speakers, two printers, various duvet, pillows etc) and I got contacted by someone connected to an adults with learning difficulties group who will take it all on Thursday morning so I'm quite pleased with that - it will be going to a good cause.

28th November

comment: Tomorrow is THE DAY for Oldbag! Good luck with the travel and have an easy start in your new home!!!

22.5 hours til I leave the house and I'M IN ABJECT PANIC gotta go and buy new clothes - can't bring these old dishrags to wear, gotta get everything in to 3 suitcases including my computer - Ahh Ahhh

Bought cheap gloss paint and it still isn't dry 24 hours later - Ahh Ahh

PANIC PANIC PANIC.....................

comment: Oh yes I can imagine! But make sure you keep your passport and airplane ticket nearby; these are the two things which really matter right now!

28th Nov cont...

Why on why do clothes look nice in shop windows and rubbish close up?
I've bought stuff but not happy.

I have just spent (and am still holding!) 1.5 hours on the phone to numerous customer service departments closing utilities, changing addresses and so on. Give me strength - 22.5 hours I should be in the air - my flights an hour earlier than I thought - good job I checked the ticket eh! I forgot about the hour change so it still arrives in Cairo at 2305 but sets off an hour earlier UK time.

I think I'm gonna sign off the 'puter now for the last time in Blighty and so I can pack the computer items away. So next time I write, ISA I will be there!

Bye byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

30th November 2007 (post arrival!)

comment: Oldbag, congratulations on your move and I hope you enjoy your new home!
I'm sure you'll be happy to be with your kitties again. Have fun settling in.

I will blog some follow up posts later.