Now that the flood crisis has been averted in Ebb Court, I have been able to focus instead on preparations for my departure for London this Sunday. Given that I have spent a few years living overseas before, I have become a bit blasé about the whole packing thing, generally leaving it until minutes before leaving home that I remember I haven’t packed my travel hairdryer/bikini/underwear/passport and I forgot to get travel insurance. This will probably come as a surprise to everyone who knows me only as Corporate Girl the perfectionist and detail-freak – but it’s true. When it comes to travel planning, my mind automatically switches to island time well before the flight attendants don their yellow safety vests and the plane leaves the tarmac.
This has in the past resulted in some minor travel related issues. Like arriving at Vancouver airport without any of my paperwork to prove that I had the cash to support myself on a twelve month working visa. I had been too busy trying to get my i-pod sorted out at the Apple store four hours before my flight left Australia to be concerned about minor things like, oh, packing for living abroad for 12 months. Making sure Coldplay and Fleetwood Mac were coming for the ride seemed far more important. Thank God there was an immigration officer on duty that day that was just as lazy as me. It’s a wonder she didn’t pull me over on suspicion of being a drug mule I was sweating so much standing in line. Instead, she gave my visa about as much attention as a vegetarian would give a pork chop and sent me on my way.
This time, however, without that nasty business called work to get in the way, I have actually managed to get some key departure preparations in hand a whole week before take-off. Just the critical, more-important-than-world-peace kind of things, like:
1. Organise somewhere to stay. Obviously quite an important one as it is a bit chilly to be sleeping in Hyde Park this time of year. All I can say to this is THANK GOD for Lizzie, Jane and Fran who have all very kindly agreed to take it in turns to keep me off the streets for my first few weeks in London.
2. Purchase lovely new coat. I know, I know, I am not supposed to be spending any money, but what, do you expect me to wear my doona? Besides, I got it in the sales, so it was practically free (if you work out anticipated cost per wear based on the next 50 years).
3. Meet up with my lovely Portuguese friend Sara for all of her hot tips on where I should base myself in Portugal and other important information such as the location of the best shop for Portuguese tarts in Lisbon. I just have a feeling that there will be a really important scene somewhere in my book involving a Portuguese tart shop. Must do extensive research.
4. Purchase exit row seats for all of my flights. This to me is the cheapskate’s equivalent of first class. I honestly don’t know why anyone would bother spending all that extra money when you can just pay 80 bucks to stretch your legs out. See, another money saving initiative on my behalf. Although I honestly do believe that the airlines should change the pricing structure of exit row seats so that the taller you are, the less money you pay. I once flew home from Canada in an exit row seat next to a middle-aged woman from Taiwan who was about the same height and size as my five year old nephew. Her feet barely touched the ground. I felt annoyed on behalf of other tall people that whole flight just looking at all of that wasted leg room.
5. Start downloading reading material to my kindle (yes, I caved. Yes, it arrived. Yes, I am a traitor. No, it is not the same).
6. Read 1000 things to do in London and dog-ear all of the pages that have things that I want to do. Not that I will have time to do any of them because I will be so busy staying inside and writing etc. Honest.
In amongst all of these important activities, I have even managed to do some writing! I know, I almost fell of my seat as well. Some days I have been managing 2,500 words or even more, some days a few short of that (about 2,500 short). Today I, er, went to the movies and then out for lunch. But generally the word count is ticking over nicely. More quantity than quality at this stage, definitely nothing worthy of Maggie Alderson’s eyes and red pen quite yet.
5:51pm. Just saw that John Birmingham wrote on Twitter that he has written 5,000 words today! Smug #$%@&* (sorry John, it’s just the jealousy talking). Feeling guilty now. Better go and tap out a few words before dinner.
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