1st of July 2016. We are coming/going/leaving/arriving.
We booked our ferries last night so it's real and really happening. On the 1st of July: one self-drive van (see below, advice/tips needed), one normal family car with roofbox, two adults, two children, two cats, and three gerbils - with a temporary travelling teenager : will all be getting the ferry at portsmouth to move their lives to Galicia. 24 hours, then a 6 hour drive from Santander to near La Coruna/A Coruna and we'll arrive at the family home to get a nights sleep, then awake to unpack and start our new life.
The complex logistics start slightly beforehand with finishing work (a freelance/contract role by mid/end june), packing our things, hiring a van, filling the van.
Then the continue after we arrive. we'll keep the van for 10 days, then I -solo- will travel back to Santander, back on the ferry (on my own on my 3xth birthday! 11th July), back to portsmouth and home. Then drop the hire van back. Then have a day to relax in the UK, then on the 13th fly back from LHR to La Coruna/A Coruna.
This should be the start of an x weeks holiday/settling into the house and land prep - although in the heat of July/Aug hopefully not too much.
Then sometime in August (flights not booked yet) I will return, sell or freecycle our remaining things, put some into storage, and clean/handback our rented house. Help our teenager (by then, 20) move into a houseshare probaly in Brighton, start back at work in london (new or extended previous contract), and then start a period of weekend travelling to/from Galicia. [already looking at booking the flights now : around 150 gbp return Fri 5pm / Sunday 3pm.
wow. so it's real.
Advice particularly needed with regard to Self Drive van hire. I am NOT taking a Luton which I think is the root of the problems I've read about to do with laden weight and Spanish police pulling and fining UK Drivers. I am assuming a LWB transit, although may reconsider to a SWB.
We're not taking a whitegoods although quite some stock of books etc which of course are heavy. and some plants. But hopefully should be under 3,500kg (european breakdown cover max: LWB are 3300 KG unladen I think).
Any advice, horror stories or reassurance anyone?
Next planning update to come soon.