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Planning Part 6: The Excited-ness Scale!
5th October 2001
Excuse me while I jump up and down and run around the room
screaming 'Woo-hoo!'. StayForADay is getting publicity, and I
haven't even tried to advertise it yet! I'm receiving e-mails
from people all over the world! I've had contact from people in
Germany, France and South Africa so far! Although we probably
won't be heading through South Africa this year, we're very
tempted to go there in the next year or two, especially by all
the invitations we've had!
8th October 2001
On a scale of excited-ness, (where 1 = unconscious and 10
= totally hyperactive and ready to explode), I'm about a '5'
at the moment. The anticipation is starting to build up, but
there's loads to do which is keeping my mind pre-occupied.
I'm spending a lot of my
time, probably too much, working at Marks & Spencer in order
to get my cash reserves as high as possible. Its funny how I
spend my 'day off' rushing around doing essential things, and
don't actually get any time off, so to speak.
For example, I have a day off
on Wednesday, but on that day I need to: get another injection
at the health centre; go the opticians and select a spare pair
of glasses; phone up STA travel and confirm the flights; go to
the bank and sort out my new debit card; phone up the gym and
cancel my membership; catch up on my sleep; print some
StayForADay business cards to distribute; and carry on my work
on this site! Then after all that, I can enjoy my 'day off'!
Oh well, I like being busy. I
get bored easily so I enjoy being on the go all the time. There
is a lot of organising to do, and time is counting down...
24th October 2001
StayForADay is still spreading along the world grapevine. I've
had contact with two students at Xiathang Polytechnic University
in China. They're offering to let us stay with them for as long
as we want! Although we weren't planning to visit China this
year, we've become very tempted. Well, first I need to find out more about this Chinese
University but I'm having trouble using their website, the
English version doesn't do much, and I can't understand Chinese
at all. Damn. Any English/Chinese speakers out there want to
give me a hand?
25th October 2001
We really should get our foreign currency soon. I've been told
that some post-offices, especially smaller ones, can take 4
working days to get in the travellers cheques and foreign money.
And we've got,1..2..3..4 working days left before we leave.
Right, I'd better get down the post-office now. When I write the
next diary entry, I'll have even less money that I do now.
27th October 2001
Today was my last day at work, in some ways I'm happy and in
some ways I'm sad. I'm going to miss some of the people I've got
to know during my time there. However, my slight sadness is
completely swamped by the excitedeness caused by the fact we go
in 5 DAYS! In the evening I went out with some of my work mates
and had the first of my final drinky sessions, doing a tour of
the amazing night life that is Fareham Town Centre.
29th October 2001
Today we trekked up to Southampton to get our Australian
Visas and our VIP Backpacker Cards. But after a long journey up
there, the STA consultant asked for our passports, and we
realised we'd actually left them at home. Oh for.... We are
fools with a capital F-O-O-L-S. Looks like we're going to have
to come back tomorrow. Let that be a lesson to everyone, don't
do things at the last minute so you still have enough time if
you forget something. I just hope we remember to take our
passports to the airport on Thursday.
30th October 2001
I started the day by shaving my head, no hair = no care!
This was followed by another trek to Southampton, this time
armed with all the essential documents, we managed to get all of
the remaining bits & pieces. After wandering aimlessly
around Southampton a bit more, we returned home. After a brief
packing session, we headed down to the local Weatherspoons for
our farewell drinkys with our mates. Sob sob! After a fun
evening, I got home at some ridiculous time before collapsing in
my bed.
31st October 2001
Most of today was spent packing & tidying my room
up. The rushing around of the day was broken by a yummy farewell
meal with my parents. I has a huge list of things to do: Pack;
tidy room; sort out addresses (for postcards); set up this site;
sort out poste restantes for my parents to post me my guide
books; sort out the list of emergency phone numbers; show my
parents how to pay off my credit card; and much more! By the
time this was done, I hit the hay at about 1:15am. Yawn!!!
Well this is it. Tomorrow is the big day. Tomorrow we leave ON
OUR GAP YEAR!
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To know the road ahead, ask those coming back
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