44 and not out.

The tickets have been picked up, the relevant lovely ladies have been notified and the YWAM school in question has a vague idea that I might pop by sometime in September. Maybe.

With 44 days to go, it’s getting that much closer that I’m even referring to it as being ‘in a month’. Ok, it’s really not but with it being the end of April now and me leaving early June, well, you can see how I make that jump.

Things that are still on my mind include travel insurance (blah) and finding a sleeping bag that will fight my cold battles for me. I don’t know how I’ll manage with the cold, I’ve set aside some dough to buy warm clothes when I’m over there. The warm clothes I have for Perth’s mild summer just won’t cut it. Three layers now and I’m still cold.

Hershey Formitza, my competent personal assistant, has reminded me that days seem to disappear leading up to the date of departure. Those words I’ll have to heed, because 44 is not that old.

Kerryn.

 

Money, Money Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink.

It would seem, contrary to my earlier wisdom, that travelling internationally for a year actually saves you money. Of course, once you’ve shelled out for the visas and air tickets and backpacks and sleeping bags and mosquito nets and vaccinations and miscellaneous other undiscovered costs, the click in your head that points you to the ‘almost there’ mindset causes a shift in your thinking about spending as well. Well, in my head at least.

I was down south with very weekend and had ample opportunity to spend up big on chocolate and knicknacks and shirts and general souveniers and sleeping bags and moquito nets and then it occured to me. I can buy a thing for my room, but I won’t see it for a year. I can buy clothes that are weather-inappropriate for Canada, but I won’t see them for a year. I can buy chocolate and… well, the chocolate I bought. But unless it was specifically Canada-orientated, I really had no need for it. And like they say, where there’s no need, there’s no way.

I did buy a little cow for my would-be nephew – when he decides to be born - almost a ‘congratulations on making the journey’ type gift, but after a bit of looking I concluded that he’s little and won’t be able to focus for many months and that I would get much more pleasure from it. So, it’s coming to Canada. I even gave it a name. Cow.

Now I can play HEYCOW with it.

There are 51 days left in Australia and it’s creeping up in a hurry. April is halfway over already and then it’s a matter of counting off the weeks until there are none left. Those weeks are already quickly filled which means no more Kerryn taking on anything new. That’s when you know you are leaving – the point of ‘almost there’.

My computer is doing a dance with the screen so I’ll log off and let it fix itself. Because computers are so good at doing that…

Kerryn the cow-lover.

P.S. Hershey is doing well, I’ll keep him busy over the next few weeks.

 

signed, sealed, delirious

Oh, there is no getting out of it now.

Today was ‘pay or forget it’ day. With the increase in fuel costs and taxes and BLAH BLAH BLAH, it’s really a matter of getting onto it and booking that ticket.

Which I have done.

It’s done. I’m leaving at 5:45AM on the 8th of June. What day is that even??

Ah, a Sunday. Looks like I’ll be missing church that day.

5:45AM to Sydney to Los Angeles to Chicago and I arrive at 8:15PM… on the same day.

The longest day of my life, I swear.

There is only ONE YEAR LEFT on my ticket, so I might just make it back for State Youth Games ‘09.

I imagine the whole trip being business class and myself not being so crabby and tired when I arrive, but alas, that’s not likely to happen (‘why kerryn, you’re entire schedule has been bumped up to business class due to unforeseen circumstances’).

That’s 21.5 hours of actual flying, plus alot more of transit… I would work it out but time differences of that magnitude scare me. It’s like a whole day has arrived unannounced, like the second-cousin you never invited but came anyway. ‘What is he doing here?’

So, it’s on. I picked up my passport today complete with my US Visa valid for 5 years. So to my beloved americans: Nicole, Ashley and Monica, I hope you like me, I might be back!

Until the next big story,

kezza the peace lover.

 

Uncle Sam Needs You! *points*

It seems that my life these days revolves around visas and medicals. It’s the former tomorrow, trying to get myself into the US. I have to be careful not to mention and terrorism-related words, no specific Iraqi males who happen to be on a most wanted list, else they might google my name for a security check and see that we are all connected. Yes, we are all connected, I’m sure implied-Iraqi-male has a Facebook account. Do I want to be his friend? IGNORE! IGNORE! For the love of Pete, don’t press ACCEPT!!

I’ve struggled in vain (nods to the Darcy fans) to get a US passport sized photo, yes, they seem to like their own system of eveything. Why not lets NOT conform to world standards in order to create individualism amongst the dreary nations and thus, endear these said nations to us.

Don’t they know that being unique never made anyone friends.

Not in politics at least.

If it wasn’t for Nicole, I might just leave the place alone. It would appear that some people are worth it.