We just received news from our shipping agents in Viet Nam that the police are giving them a hard time about de-registering the Vespa. Evidentially the agents have accompanied the police to the original owners house and done that part, but for reasons unknown the police now say that they won?t finish the paperwork until ?at least? the 17th of March and no amount of cajoling or inducement will seem to make them change their minds.

This means of course that the rest of our shipment is like wise held up unless it can be shipped separately and that means we only have what we brought in our suitcases to live with. No problems for a while but I really would like some clean undies! On the other hand, we just received some good news.

We had intended to find a place to rent for 6 months that was close to Queensland University and give ourselves time to look around and find something to buy. What we hadn?t figured on was the fact that the university semester begins this week and there are thousands of students looking to rent also.

Consequently rentals are expensive, in short supply and what we looked at were disgusting. Very disillusioned we realised that we had better get active and see if we could buy something. I mean my brother has been very good in allowing us to stay in his apartment, but we had better not push the brotherly love too far.

The first townhouse that we looked at to purchase was OK and ended up being the one we made an offer on. After a bit of to and froing with the price we just received a call from the agent to say that we have been successful with our latest offer. This takes the pressure off us a bit as we know now that we won?t have to live in a tent on the side of the road when our booking is up here.

The townhouse is situated in Toowong and is in easy (I hope) bicycle riding distance of Queensland Uni. Now all we have to do is get a few inspections underway, pay for the place and move in. Hmmm?? what will we do for a fridge and a bed I wonder?