here we go…
As per usual a mad rush to get out the country somewhat intensified by the fact the event I work for only wound up 3 days before I left. Which meant a pretty intense 3 days spent mostly staring at my room full of stuff wondering how after 3 big trips in as many years could result in me still having so much crap.
This trip being slightly different as I am heading off to study and don’t see myself coming back for a good few years…although all my friends (with good reason given my returning every other time) claim I’ll be back in a few months. So this time I was trying to pack for good. Gone is the ruthlessly light packing I normally stick by and welcome to stuffing my pack to the brim and lugging round a laptop and other various unnecessary things. Which in itself isn’t so bad if I was heading straight to Holland for study, but I am travelling for 3 ½ weeks then to the UK for my tent job, which requires a sleeping bag, something to sleep on and a bunch of work clothes. So I have way too much stuff for my pre travels but is somewhat unavoidable (I already have a box of things being sent to Holland in September) this is what it must be like for those backpackers who insist on taking a years worth of clothes and toiletries for a trip around western Europe, just in case, you know those foreign countries don’t actually sell things. The ironic thing is given Iran’s strict dress code I can’t even wear 99% of what’s in my bag
Anyway I finally shoved everything in and went to bed setting my alarm to wake me in 3 hours when I was due to be picked up and taken to the airport by my very supportive mother…7am international flights *dislike*
So here I am at the beginning of “adventure number something far too high”.
Because of my tendency to value money over time, it’s a 48 journey to get to where I will finally have a bed, a whole day waiting around Melbourne, overnight flight to Abu Dhabi, bus to Dubai, a days wait there then a flight to Shiraz, Iran, where hopefully they will let me in (border control being slightly erratic I hear) and I’ll make it to my pre-booked hotel. Luckily I have made a few worldwide connections and hanging out with a friend in Melbourne and a friend in Dubai but I am anticipating to be reasonably shattered by the time I get to Shiraz, particularly as I had a whole 3 hours sleep last night and don’t sleep on planes.
But anyway. Here I go, again. I think the feeling of unpreparedness and worries about not being ready never go away when you head off on trips like this, the only thing is now I know I will feel like that and from past experience find that once you get going things work out and you can start to enjoy it. Bring it on.
Tags: 2010 travels, Back home in NZ
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I’m very excited to see that you’re underway! Also glad to hear you got a friend to join in with your crazy schemes and Iranian journey. Try not to die/ do your best to make it to Holland battered, bruised but undaunted