I thought I better post on here to let everyone know my russian visa came through!!! So now I can finally start sleeping ok again....
Not to much to talk abot this week. I finish up work next week which I can't wait for. However, it's quite a funny feeling walking around there at the moment. I've worked at Clive Peeters for nearly 6 years (since I was 16), so to think I am leaving and never going back there is a pretty surreal feeling. I have changed so much over the years I have worked there, and will be leaving people I have known for longer than some of my closest mates. I have pretty much grown up there! However, I certainly don't feel bad leaving. I think I have well and truly had enough of retail for the minute. But you never know, I'l probably end up in retail in the UK because I wont be able to find anything else!!
I had a trial pack of my backpack a couple of weeks ago, to see how heavy and how much more room I had to fit stuff. It only ended up weighing 9.kg!! And I just about ahd everything in there I needed. It was a weird sight looking at all my clothes and stuff on the floor ready to be packed. I was like "This is my life for the next 10 months.....", but it didn't look any where near enough...but I think I have everything covered.
This is what I am taking:
CLOTHES
Shoes:
Salomen Hiking Boots
Brooks running shoes
Haviana Thongs
Tee-shirts:
x4 tee shirts
x4 singlet tops
x2 long sleeve tee’s (to wear under t shirts)
Jumpers:
x1 Fleece Jumper
Jackets:
x1 Gortex Rain Jacket
Pants
x1 Jeans
x1 long quick drying pants
x1 ¾ quick drying pants
Underwear & Socks
x14 bonds underwear
x12 long socks
x3 bras
Pajamas
· x2 shorts & singlet combo pj’s
Hats
· x3 Bandanas/Head Bands
· x2 Caps (stussy hat & hurley hat)
TOILETRIES
· x1 Shampoo/conditioner combo
· x1 Liquid Soap
· x1 Moisturiser
· x1 Hair brush
· x1 Roll On Deodorant
· x2 Micro Fiber Towels
· x1 Micro Fiber Face Washer
· Toilet Rolls
· x2 Chapsticks/Blistix
· Baby wipes
· Hand sanitiser
FIRST AID KIT
Band aids
Bandages
Sewing Kit
Shoe Laces (x1 for Salomens, x1 for Brooks)
Swiss Army Knife
Bushmans Gel (x3)
Sun cream
GUIDEBOOKS
Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia & The greater Mekong
China
Scandinavia
ELECTRONICS
Ipod + Charger
Digital Camera + Charger
Power adaptors Asia, Europe & The UK
Doesn't seem like much hey????? I just can't think of anything else to take!!
Anyway, that covers everything I needed to write about at the moment. My Chinese & Vietnemise visas are due back in about 2 weeks and then I'm good to go...scary!
Cheers,
Jess
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
33 Days To Go
Ok, so first off I apoligise to all the regular readers of this blog for the lack of updates. Everytime I sit down to write I think that what I am about to write is stupid so I stop....however I realised I am writing this blog for myself aswell as everyone else so now I will write what I want....
33 days to go....god I can't belive how quick this is all comming up now. I finally gave my official letter of resignation to work last week. That didn't really come as any major suprise...although some of my managers said they were hoping I might change my mind. I think at the moment...I'm more excited about finishing work than actually going overseas...!
I'm still waiting on my Russian visa to come back...there was some delay because of public holidays etc. Everything appears to be ok though.....although I don't think I will be able to sleep properly until all my visas and my passport are back in my hand.
Aside from my visas, I pretty much have everything else organised. My friend Brad is in Vietnam and Cambodia at the moment and has been keeping my informed of different places to stay. One thing he has mentioned to me is how him and his friends have not booked any accomodation the whole way through South East Asia. So I have now decided to take the same approach. I think it will be a bit of a laugh to rock up in each place and have to find somewhere to sleep. Well, it will probably be funny until I can't find anywhere to stay....then it will probably really really suck. But I'l cross that bridge when I come to it...! I have booked my first 4 nights in Ho Chi Minh City but thats it.
The whole South East Asia segment fo my trip is pretty much as organised as it can be....I'm going to spend the next 2 days going through China again and making sure I am happy with everything I have semi-planned.
I have finally started sending out invites to my farewell on the 23rd of February. That should be a bit of fun. I just need to make sure I don't drink to much, because then I will probably just cry all night...which is never a good look when you have had a few....!
Ok, well I think that is everything I need to write about today. Will update again soon once I get my visas back....
Cheers,
Jess
33 days to go....god I can't belive how quick this is all comming up now. I finally gave my official letter of resignation to work last week. That didn't really come as any major suprise...although some of my managers said they were hoping I might change my mind. I think at the moment...I'm more excited about finishing work than actually going overseas...!
I'm still waiting on my Russian visa to come back...there was some delay because of public holidays etc. Everything appears to be ok though.....although I don't think I will be able to sleep properly until all my visas and my passport are back in my hand.
Aside from my visas, I pretty much have everything else organised. My friend Brad is in Vietnam and Cambodia at the moment and has been keeping my informed of different places to stay. One thing he has mentioned to me is how him and his friends have not booked any accomodation the whole way through South East Asia. So I have now decided to take the same approach. I think it will be a bit of a laugh to rock up in each place and have to find somewhere to sleep. Well, it will probably be funny until I can't find anywhere to stay....then it will probably really really suck. But I'l cross that bridge when I come to it...! I have booked my first 4 nights in Ho Chi Minh City but thats it.
The whole South East Asia segment fo my trip is pretty much as organised as it can be....I'm going to spend the next 2 days going through China again and making sure I am happy with everything I have semi-planned.
I have finally started sending out invites to my farewell on the 23rd of February. That should be a bit of fun. I just need to make sure I don't drink to much, because then I will probably just cry all night...which is never a good look when you have had a few....!
Ok, well I think that is everything I need to write about today. Will update again soon once I get my visas back....
Cheers,
Jess
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
No title.....just rambling as usual....
I had a list of thngs to write about from the past few weeks....but I have put that list somewhere in my room, quite possibly on the floor, and considering I can't actually see my floor at the moment there probably isn't a high chance of me finding that list....!
Camping at Wilsons prom last week was probably one of the best times I have ever had. Who would have thought something as simple as sleeping in a tent, drinking too much and seeing wombats would be so much fun? No seriously, it was more than that. I haven't really had break from work in ages, and I haven't had a break from planning my trip either. So it was nice just to chill out for a few days and do something completely different.
One thing that was really awesome about camping was seeing all the stars. I know that sounds quite lame, but it really was amazing. Hayley, Jimmy and I went down to the beach one night at about Midnight and just lay on the beach looking at the stars. It was crazy, you could see millions of them for miles. Being a bit of city girl (but not really because I live in Montrose), I don't ever remember seeing anything like it. It was funny, we'd downed quite a number of drinks by that stage, and I was getting to that "I'm so drunk and I need to say whats on my mind" stage, and found myself saying to the guys "Wow, what if I never come home? I'm never going to see stars like this again". To which Jimmy replied "Your not moving to a new univerese, they have stars in Asia too".
After I laughed at my drunken statement, began to think about what Jimmy said. He was right, I'm not moving to a new universe, but I might aswell be. One thing that has come to light over the past couple of weeks is how difficult this trip really is going to be. I mean, lets be honest, I'm exactly taking the easy road here am I? Some of these places are almost third world countries, filled with people who will never see what I have or what I will see in my life. People who I will never be able to understand, verbally and emotionally. I think & I hope that this trip will be a really big eye opener for me.
Anyway....on to other things.....!
Trip planning stuff has been pretty intense this past week. I came from Wilsons Prom to an email from my travel agent organising my Russian Visa saying that I couldn't apply for my Visa more than 3 months in advance....which sent me into shock mode. I spent thursday, friday, saturday & sunday freaking out and trying to work out a way to get into russia. I swear I didn't eat or sleep for those days. Anyway, come monday we had it all sorted so I applied for my visa this morning...fingers crossed it comes through in the next 12 days.
I have keep sending my passport off in the post over the next 6 weeks to get my Russian, Mongolian, Chinese, Vietnemese and Cambodian visas sorted. Everything has just crept up s god damn quick....!
I sold my car yesterday which is great....gives me a bit of a boost for my savings for the trip. Plus public transport vs. paying petrol at the moment means I should be saving more money now than ever.....
Anyway...I think that covers everything that may have been on my list for now.
Later,
Jess
Camping at Wilsons prom last week was probably one of the best times I have ever had. Who would have thought something as simple as sleeping in a tent, drinking too much and seeing wombats would be so much fun? No seriously, it was more than that. I haven't really had break from work in ages, and I haven't had a break from planning my trip either. So it was nice just to chill out for a few days and do something completely different.
One thing that was really awesome about camping was seeing all the stars. I know that sounds quite lame, but it really was amazing. Hayley, Jimmy and I went down to the beach one night at about Midnight and just lay on the beach looking at the stars. It was crazy, you could see millions of them for miles. Being a bit of city girl (but not really because I live in Montrose), I don't ever remember seeing anything like it. It was funny, we'd downed quite a number of drinks by that stage, and I was getting to that "I'm so drunk and I need to say whats on my mind" stage, and found myself saying to the guys "Wow, what if I never come home? I'm never going to see stars like this again". To which Jimmy replied "Your not moving to a new univerese, they have stars in Asia too".
After I laughed at my drunken statement, began to think about what Jimmy said. He was right, I'm not moving to a new universe, but I might aswell be. One thing that has come to light over the past couple of weeks is how difficult this trip really is going to be. I mean, lets be honest, I'm exactly taking the easy road here am I? Some of these places are almost third world countries, filled with people who will never see what I have or what I will see in my life. People who I will never be able to understand, verbally and emotionally. I think & I hope that this trip will be a really big eye opener for me.
Anyway....on to other things.....!
Trip planning stuff has been pretty intense this past week. I came from Wilsons Prom to an email from my travel agent organising my Russian Visa saying that I couldn't apply for my Visa more than 3 months in advance....which sent me into shock mode. I spent thursday, friday, saturday & sunday freaking out and trying to work out a way to get into russia. I swear I didn't eat or sleep for those days. Anyway, come monday we had it all sorted so I applied for my visa this morning...fingers crossed it comes through in the next 12 days.
I have keep sending my passport off in the post over the next 6 weeks to get my Russian, Mongolian, Chinese, Vietnemese and Cambodian visas sorted. Everything has just crept up s god damn quick....!
I sold my car yesterday which is great....gives me a bit of a boost for my savings for the trip. Plus public transport vs. paying petrol at the moment means I should be saving more money now than ever.....
Anyway...I think that covers everything that may have been on my list for now.
Later,
Jess
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Anxiety & The Workings Of The Human Mind....
Ok, so the title is probably a little more in depth than what I am anticipating writing about....however it seemed somewhat appropriate for some reason.
First off, I would like to apoligise for the lack of updates....my intetion was to update my blog on new years eve. But when I got home, I was sick as a dog for some unknown reason so the pos never eventuated.
Anyway, onto other things.....
Today, it is exactly 9 weeks until I leave. Starting to get closer now. To be honest with you, I am actualy starting to get a little stressed out about the whole thing. Ive had people commenting for the past 3 or 4 weeks that I have been losing weight, which was not intentional and I didn't even notice...Ive been pulling my hair out tring to work out why Ive been losing this wieght, I realised I have probably been stressing more than normal about the whole thing. Plus I've had some other shit on my mind too, which doesn't help. But I'm actually starting to panic a little bit about the trip...
It's somewhat amusing, because as I have sat here for the past week trying to work out what it is I am actually nervous about, its all fallen back to one thing. Its not the travel side of things, the language barrier, the un safe areas. No its none of that......
Its actually me I'm nervous about.
I know I'm going to change on this trip. I know it. I know i'm gong to become a different person, because your surronds influence the way you think about things....and I'm going to be surrounded by some pretty surreal things. In my previous post I wrote about how happy I am with myself, and the person I am. But I know I'm going to change......a bit of a catch 22 really.....
I have a lot of questions within myself about my life that I need to answer. I know they are questions that no one else can answer for me....questions I can only answer when I'm ready to be completely honest with myself. I guess you can't be honest with other people like your friends and family until you are completely honest with yourself. I hope that this is something that I can begin to do while I'm travelling.
The whole concept is petrifying though. The idea that you are happy as you are....but knowing that you will change. Although that chane will surely be for the better, what if other people don' accept it? I guess that means they were never really your friends in the first place....but still. It doesn't change the fact you still want them to be a part of your life.
What amazes me is what anxiety and stress can make a person do. I mean, I'm only a little bit stressed and I have lost nearly 5 kilos. Imagine what could happen if I got really stressed. There has been some nights where I have woken myself up from some kind of anxious pain in my stomach and my mind. I guess I just didn't know what to associate it with...
I dont know....maybe I'm just reading to much into my thoughts again. Which is what I do every now and then.
Anyway.....I'm going to stop there before this gets wayyyyy to indepth.....!!!
I'm off camping on Monday with Hayley & Amy which should be good fun. I went out and bought a new tent and everything..... Should be a laugh anyway...and good to get away for a few days from my brain and its stupid thoughts.......!!!
I will attempt to update when I get back. As this trip gets closer, theres going to be more and more going through my head....so these posts should start to get interesting. Stay tuned....
Cheers,
Jess
First off, I would like to apoligise for the lack of updates....my intetion was to update my blog on new years eve. But when I got home, I was sick as a dog for some unknown reason so the pos never eventuated.
Anyway, onto other things.....
Today, it is exactly 9 weeks until I leave. Starting to get closer now. To be honest with you, I am actualy starting to get a little stressed out about the whole thing. Ive had people commenting for the past 3 or 4 weeks that I have been losing weight, which was not intentional and I didn't even notice...Ive been pulling my hair out tring to work out why Ive been losing this wieght, I realised I have probably been stressing more than normal about the whole thing. Plus I've had some other shit on my mind too, which doesn't help. But I'm actually starting to panic a little bit about the trip...
It's somewhat amusing, because as I have sat here for the past week trying to work out what it is I am actually nervous about, its all fallen back to one thing. Its not the travel side of things, the language barrier, the un safe areas. No its none of that......
Its actually me I'm nervous about.
I know I'm going to change on this trip. I know it. I know i'm gong to become a different person, because your surronds influence the way you think about things....and I'm going to be surrounded by some pretty surreal things. In my previous post I wrote about how happy I am with myself, and the person I am. But I know I'm going to change......a bit of a catch 22 really.....
I have a lot of questions within myself about my life that I need to answer. I know they are questions that no one else can answer for me....questions I can only answer when I'm ready to be completely honest with myself. I guess you can't be honest with other people like your friends and family until you are completely honest with yourself. I hope that this is something that I can begin to do while I'm travelling.
The whole concept is petrifying though. The idea that you are happy as you are....but knowing that you will change. Although that chane will surely be for the better, what if other people don' accept it? I guess that means they were never really your friends in the first place....but still. It doesn't change the fact you still want them to be a part of your life.
What amazes me is what anxiety and stress can make a person do. I mean, I'm only a little bit stressed and I have lost nearly 5 kilos. Imagine what could happen if I got really stressed. There has been some nights where I have woken myself up from some kind of anxious pain in my stomach and my mind. I guess I just didn't know what to associate it with...
I dont know....maybe I'm just reading to much into my thoughts again. Which is what I do every now and then.
Anyway.....I'm going to stop there before this gets wayyyyy to indepth.....!!!
I'm off camping on Monday with Hayley & Amy which should be good fun. I went out and bought a new tent and everything..... Should be a laugh anyway...and good to get away for a few days from my brain and its stupid thoughts.......!!!
I will attempt to update when I get back. As this trip gets closer, theres going to be more and more going through my head....so these posts should start to get interesting. Stay tuned....
Cheers,
Jess
Monday, December 24, 2007
Christmas Eve and all that....
I thought it would only be fitting for me to post on Christms eve, along with all the millions of other bloggers around the world...
Its actually been a bit of an emotional week this week, for a number of reasons. I think one of the main reasons is this is going to be my last christmas at home for quite along time. Also once christmas passes, it really is nearly time for me to leave. I worked out that after I get paid this week, I only have four pays to go until I finish up work. Scary.....
I had a pretty intense conversation with my parents last night....we were all pretty drunk though(which is generally when a family discussion begins!). My parents were talking about people who regret things in there life that they have done, or didn't do. Both my folks could list things, quite a few things, that they regretted in there life so far. I found that quite interesting, because I do not reget anything about my life. If I died tomorrow (fingers crossed that wont happen!), I could die knowing that everything I have done in my life has made me the person, or the better person that I am today.
Its interesting because when I was growing up, I was a bit of a mess for different reasons. I was pretty much an all out fuck up between the ages of 14 to 18. But everything I did, or didn't do, has made me a stronger more independant person. I don't regret anything I got upto in those years; I don't regret messing up school, I don't regret the idiot I dated for 18 months, I don't regret the other stuff I got upto either.....because every single thing that happened has made me the person I am. And I think I'm a great person.....which I guess is all that really matters in the end hey? Being happy about who you are and what direction your heading in.
Well, I couldn't be happier.....
So christmas is here tomorrow.....it has really crept up quickly over the past month.
Anyway, thats about all I have to say at the moment.
Merry Christmas everyone....
Cheers,
Jess
Its actually been a bit of an emotional week this week, for a number of reasons. I think one of the main reasons is this is going to be my last christmas at home for quite along time. Also once christmas passes, it really is nearly time for me to leave. I worked out that after I get paid this week, I only have four pays to go until I finish up work. Scary.....
I had a pretty intense conversation with my parents last night....we were all pretty drunk though(which is generally when a family discussion begins!). My parents were talking about people who regret things in there life that they have done, or didn't do. Both my folks could list things, quite a few things, that they regretted in there life so far. I found that quite interesting, because I do not reget anything about my life. If I died tomorrow (fingers crossed that wont happen!), I could die knowing that everything I have done in my life has made me the person, or the better person that I am today.
Its interesting because when I was growing up, I was a bit of a mess for different reasons. I was pretty much an all out fuck up between the ages of 14 to 18. But everything I did, or didn't do, has made me a stronger more independant person. I don't regret anything I got upto in those years; I don't regret messing up school, I don't regret the idiot I dated for 18 months, I don't regret the other stuff I got upto either.....because every single thing that happened has made me the person I am. And I think I'm a great person.....which I guess is all that really matters in the end hey? Being happy about who you are and what direction your heading in.
Well, I couldn't be happier.....
So christmas is here tomorrow.....it has really crept up quickly over the past month.
Anyway, thats about all I have to say at the moment.
Merry Christmas everyone....
Cheers,
Jess
Sunday, December 16, 2007
way to tired to think.....
I actually can't believe I am attempting to update this blog right now, as I have had all of 5 hours sleep last night, about 4 and half the night before, and 5 the night before that....I am absolutely exhausted. Although some people can write better when there tired..you tend to be more relaxed apprently. That could also be a lie....I'm really not sure.
I found out this week my mate Sophie is now joing me for my trip for about 3 months, which will be really cool. I think we will travel pretty good together because we both have the same idea of what travelling is about. By that I mean travelling isn't about going out and getting pissed in every city you visit (although I'm sure that will take place a little bit, maybe every second or third city!)....to me travlling is about being outside your comfert zone and learning what its like to lead a life in a complete different way.
One thing that seriously annoys me at the moment is when I tell some random stranger or even someone I know about my trip and how I have a one way ticket and that I really dont know if/when I'm coming home, they give me the "settleling down" speach. Now this famous speach I thought was reserved for family members only, but apperently its now. Someone said to me the other day "But your such an intelligent girl, why don't you just settle down?".....to which my response was "What? So you should only travel if your dumb ass?". Or the other one that really makes me want to scream is "Why dont you just meet someone, settle down and buy a house?"
Can I just clarify something for everyone really quick???
I DO NOT WANT TO BUY A F**KING HOUSE!!!!!!!
I don't know why everyone seems to think "settling down" here in Melbourne is the be all and end all of the world. People in Australia are starting to sound like some American people....you know the type...the ones who have never left there post code area, but are determined to tell the world that "America is the most fantastic place on earth!". Well, australians are starting to sound like that, especially some people I know.
You know what the stupid thing is? I know Australia is one of the greatest countries in the world. But I never said that until I left to see what other parts of the world are like. I think you can never truly appreciate something until you have missed it. Its a bit like my family....they drive me well up the wall when I'm home, but sometimes when I'm away from here, they are all I want and would do anything to see them...crazy crazy.
Anyway, after that little rant....Sophie is meeting me and Ben in beijing and coming through Mongolia & Russia with me, then Ben leaves from St Petersburg, and Sophie stays travelling all through Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway & Denmark with me. Should be pretty ace....
(3 hours later...)
I'm going to have to sign off here because I have just fallen asleep next to my laptop on the couch for the past three and bit hours....I think its time I went to bed!
Till next time....
Jess
I found out this week my mate Sophie is now joing me for my trip for about 3 months, which will be really cool. I think we will travel pretty good together because we both have the same idea of what travelling is about. By that I mean travelling isn't about going out and getting pissed in every city you visit (although I'm sure that will take place a little bit, maybe every second or third city!)....to me travlling is about being outside your comfert zone and learning what its like to lead a life in a complete different way.
One thing that seriously annoys me at the moment is when I tell some random stranger or even someone I know about my trip and how I have a one way ticket and that I really dont know if/when I'm coming home, they give me the "settleling down" speach. Now this famous speach I thought was reserved for family members only, but apperently its now. Someone said to me the other day "But your such an intelligent girl, why don't you just settle down?".....to which my response was "What? So you should only travel if your dumb ass?". Or the other one that really makes me want to scream is "Why dont you just meet someone, settle down and buy a house?"
Can I just clarify something for everyone really quick???
I DO NOT WANT TO BUY A F**KING HOUSE!!!!!!!
I don't know why everyone seems to think "settling down" here in Melbourne is the be all and end all of the world. People in Australia are starting to sound like some American people....you know the type...the ones who have never left there post code area, but are determined to tell the world that "America is the most fantastic place on earth!". Well, australians are starting to sound like that, especially some people I know.
You know what the stupid thing is? I know Australia is one of the greatest countries in the world. But I never said that until I left to see what other parts of the world are like. I think you can never truly appreciate something until you have missed it. Its a bit like my family....they drive me well up the wall when I'm home, but sometimes when I'm away from here, they are all I want and would do anything to see them...crazy crazy.
Anyway, after that little rant....Sophie is meeting me and Ben in beijing and coming through Mongolia & Russia with me, then Ben leaves from St Petersburg, and Sophie stays travelling all through Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway & Denmark with me. Should be pretty ace....
(3 hours later...)
I'm going to have to sign off here because I have just fallen asleep next to my laptop on the couch for the past three and bit hours....I think its time I went to bed!
Till next time....
Jess
Monday, December 3, 2007
96 days to go.....
Can you believe I actually got yelled at by my friend Chris at our work christmas party because I hadn't updated my blog in a month???? Now I know at least one person reads this thing I will try and be a little more organised and provide more updates...!!
So as the title says, I am finally under the 100 day mark. Starting to get a little nervous now. I had my monthly panic about money on thursday and stayed up most of thursday night going back over my budgets to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I think (fingers crossed!) that I should be fine. I have worked out that it will roughly cost me $23,000 from Ho Chi Minh City to London (March 8th to End of October). Thats includes flights, accomodation, food, drinks and visas. At the moment, I have budgetted to have $20,000 cash to take with me....I have already payed $4000 of the trip which means I should have a few grand up my sleeve just in case and trouble occurs...! I only really need to stress abou money until I get to Finland. If for some reason I have over spent from Vietnam to Russia, I can then fly to the UK and work - save up and come back to where I left off.
Still - it would be pretty damn cool not to work for 8 months...!!!
I'm about to sit down and go back through my itinerary aswell. Not because I want to change anything, but because I need to double check everything. I have written the date for when I need to leave each place...but have forgotten in some spots how and when I actually leave those countries...! For example....I still haven't worked out how to get from Luang Prabang in Laos to Hanoi in Vietnam on the cheap yet. Just little things like that...
I'm going to start buying things for my trip now. I have been holding off for a while waiting the sales and all that. They have finally begun - so I will start my shopping this week. The main stuff I need to get is a new day pack, some good hiking/walking shoes and a really tiny sleeping bag.
I think the next three months are going to go so quick. I worked out that I have 6 pays from work left....which means I only have 12 weeks of work left before I finish up. 12 weeks is nothing!! When ever I think the trip is ages away I just remember that bit and it tend to rev me back up again...I do wish I was leaving earlier though. I've just had enough of everything at the moment!!!! I guess when I go I might wish I had more time at home....but I would go spare if I had to wait any longer.
I went and saw an awesome movie with Jodi last week called "Into The Wild". Absolutely awesome travel and life movie. Anyone whos anyone should go see it....
Ok, so I think thats it at the moment.....will update again soon I promise!
Cheers,
Jess
So as the title says, I am finally under the 100 day mark. Starting to get a little nervous now. I had my monthly panic about money on thursday and stayed up most of thursday night going back over my budgets to make sure I hadn't missed anything. I think (fingers crossed!) that I should be fine. I have worked out that it will roughly cost me $23,000 from Ho Chi Minh City to London (March 8th to End of October). Thats includes flights, accomodation, food, drinks and visas. At the moment, I have budgetted to have $20,000 cash to take with me....I have already payed $4000 of the trip which means I should have a few grand up my sleeve just in case and trouble occurs...! I only really need to stress abou money until I get to Finland. If for some reason I have over spent from Vietnam to Russia, I can then fly to the UK and work - save up and come back to where I left off.
Still - it would be pretty damn cool not to work for 8 months...!!!
I'm about to sit down and go back through my itinerary aswell. Not because I want to change anything, but because I need to double check everything. I have written the date for when I need to leave each place...but have forgotten in some spots how and when I actually leave those countries...! For example....I still haven't worked out how to get from Luang Prabang in Laos to Hanoi in Vietnam on the cheap yet. Just little things like that...
I'm going to start buying things for my trip now. I have been holding off for a while waiting the sales and all that. They have finally begun - so I will start my shopping this week. The main stuff I need to get is a new day pack, some good hiking/walking shoes and a really tiny sleeping bag.
I think the next three months are going to go so quick. I worked out that I have 6 pays from work left....which means I only have 12 weeks of work left before I finish up. 12 weeks is nothing!! When ever I think the trip is ages away I just remember that bit and it tend to rev me back up again...I do wish I was leaving earlier though. I've just had enough of everything at the moment!!!! I guess when I go I might wish I had more time at home....but I would go spare if I had to wait any longer.
I went and saw an awesome movie with Jodi last week called "Into The Wild". Absolutely awesome travel and life movie. Anyone whos anyone should go see it....
Ok, so I think thats it at the moment.....will update again soon I promise!
Cheers,
Jess
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)