Tomorrow I have to give back my computer to work, so this will be my last post stateside, as they used to say (or maybe they just said that on TV).
If all goes right, I have a 10.5 hour flight from LAX to Amsterdam, a 2.5 hour layover, and then an 8.5 hour flight to Mt. Kilimanjaro. All I can say is, thank god for Ambien.
Final to do list:
Become officially unemployed - check
Attend several going away parties - check
Pack up way too much stuff and haul it into storage - check
Deliver Sammy to his new home, get depressed (apply to both of us) - check
Coddle bruised (probably not broken after all) toe at expense of getting in best-possible backpacking shape - check
Decide on appropriate (one hopes) level of $USD, traveler’s checks, and plastic, and thoroughly spread them out and hide them on various parts of my person - check
Feel like an idiot at the bank having them “cycle through” automated cash distributions until I only had bills from series >2000 - check
Start malaria meds - check
Buy tickets to a midnight showing of Harry Potter so I can see it before I leave - check
Reduce pack weight - FAIL MISERABLY
My goal was for my pack to be fewer than 28 lbs (13 kilos) but I was not successful and I’m a little nervous about carrying around that large a percentage of my body weight. I suspect I’ll shed a fair amount as I go, but I was just too uncertain about too many things that I decided to bring now, and chuck out later.
Well, that’s all for now kiddies.
Off to live life or die trying (don’t worry, my mother isn’t actually reading this blog)
See you on the other side!
Tags:
Africa,
backpack,
harry potter,
weight
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on Monday, July 9th, 2007 at 11:46 pm and is filed under Getting Ready.
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July 10th, 2007 at 8:42 am
You’re going to do great!!! Give ‘em hell, and we’ll see you soon!
XOXOXO
July 10th, 2007 at 11:40 am
Don’t forget to make a point of getting up and walking around. While I am always jealous of people who can sleep on planes in some ways I am lucky because I am kind of forced to stretch my legs.
Good luck.
July 10th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
This blog rocks! Have a great time Snarky and keep us informed. Good luck with the food in Africa!
Remember - we are all African! And as Peter Tosh said “The Whole world is AFRICA!”
July 10th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
BonVoyage! We’ll miss you! Can’t wait for the first update from Africa!
July 11th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
Hooray! Here we all go with you! Don’t worry about the food in Africa. It’s the suffering that will stop you dead in your tracks, and it’s the joy in the face of all that suffering that will change your life forever. Or so it was for me. I will be following the blog, every step of the way, cheering for you!
July 12th, 2007 at 2:06 pm
WOOOO have a great trip!!