Words of wisdom

Today I ventured the cold during my lunch hour to pick up my passport from the post office. It's finally here! I now have a visa for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

I get a mixed reaction when I tell people I'm going to Vietnam. I think its mainly because when you say Vietnam people think of the war and pick pockets. Cue all the warnings about watching my belongings, keep to the well travelled routes and not going anywhere on my own. I smile and nod, taking heed as if it's the first time I've ever thought about that.

Last night though, my Grandad offered a sound piece of advice. He said something like this: "When you go to Vietnam, you've got to be very careful," - I braced myself for the suggestion of a money belt - "because if any one plants drugs on you, you'll be locked up for life! It happens all the time."

Thanks Grandad but I don't intend on becoming a drugs mule any time soon.

T minus 39 days.

Oh no! The dreaded first post. Well, according to my countdown I have just 39 days until I jet off on my adventure. I decided a while back that I would start a blog because that's what people who jet off round the world do, right? And of course all you lovely people want to read about my escapades. In all honestly, I do realise it will probably only be my parents and a few lurkers reading this blog but I can just pretend.

I am still struggling to devise a name for my blog. I'm trying to come up with a clever/witty/catchy title. What I forget is that I'm neither clever or witty or... catchy? The layout will also be changing once I can be bothered to do it. And when I have a couple of spare hours to crack out the html skills I taught myself when I was 15, when a pimped out myspace page was at the peak of it's coolness. What I'm trying to say is; 'This blog is under construction. Suggestions welcome.'

So, yes, as I said, only 39 days until I leave. And I have a list as long as my arm of things to do. I still have a million things to buy and a reluctant attitude of forking out for them. It's a bit over whelming thinking about all the things I need to do. Those who have had the privilege of living/working with me will know that I'm a bit to laid back when it comes to important stuff (namely uni work and backpacking). I don't really have any sense of urgency until the pressure is on. And, well, the pressure is now on. There a some pretty major things to get done.

1. Get a visa for China. Pretty major as that is our first destination... Don;t think we'll make it to Vietnam without that one.
2. Pack up my belongings that I won't be taking with me. This will minimise the theft and breakages of my things courtesy of my siblings. I say siblings but really I just mean Becky.
3. Give my notice in at work. I have a sneaky suspicion that the bosswoman may already know. She stood by desk today, said 'Have you got any gossip for me?' and looked at me expectantly like I knew some big secret. She probably only wanted the lowdown of the latest office shenanigans but my paranoia told me she wanted to know about me leaving. I think they call it guilt. Or fear. I'm not sure which.

I think it's finally dawned on me how soon I am leaving. This week I said goodbye to my Dad as he will be heading back to Qatar on Saturday and gets back to the UK just after I leave. I keep changing the word 'goodbye' in that sentence. Goodbye sounds a bit weird so it was more of a 'see you later'. Anyway, I got a bit sad thinking that I'm not going to see him for a very long time. And then I started thinking about how I'm going to miss so much of Erik growing up. I know I'm only going for up to a year but babies grow pretty fast! He will probably be walking when I get back. Then I remembered when I went to America for 5 weeks on my own one summer and how I cried at the airport when I left my Mum. Pathetic, I know. But it's the simple things you miss.