Yeah!  Finally off the shore and onto the first stepping stone.

Kind of amusing as this was called the 'pre-verification scan'.  Nice tautology in the name methinks.

Very pleasant staff and not too long a wait.  I was glad to see that they take safety seriously and check who you are umpteen times on your way to the nuking chamber.  The last stage was a photo - face only - so that when I go back they can double check I am me and not someone pretending to be me, or someone who just happens to have the same name and DOB as me.  I guess with some names and ages it wouldn't be so impossible for there to be two of them.  Quite why anyone would choose to be irradiated like this is beyond me but hey...

So, more felt tip pen marks over the tattoos and in a few other places and no beauty products, not even deodorant, for five weeks... just as well this isn't a scented blog!  Baby soap at the ready along with with gentle clothing for when the skin gets sore, and lots of bottled water.

Tomorrow then, the first real zaps - three lots of about a minute each - and I leave the shore behind and head towards open water.