In a mere 20 hours or so I will be in the air – OMG. It still feels so unreal. Okay, the cold hard facts are I am at least 2kg over my weight limit – eek! Will my winning smile work? If not I know exactly what needs to come out of my luggage and the stupid thing is I can buy it airside for about £6.50, carry it through, no questions asked – argh! There are times when security stupidity leaves me seething. I don’t know who suggested it (but someone in a newspaper did and I can’t be bothered to look), but if there was a “I’m slightly less worried about being blown up so I’m happy not to have such bloody daft security” lane, I’d go for it.
Had a nice evening but the fact that my boy and my parents can’t be mixed still saddens me. I would love to have spent my last night in the company of ALL the people I love – but there you go.
I am still not scared which is strangely worrying. I am very excited which is good. I am also a little bit sad.
Sleeping patterns will be shot over the next few days – the dreaded west to east shift. But I really should try to enjoy the last night in my bed of choice (not something that occurred to me until about an hour and a half ago – thanks Mum!) and get some snooze.
I am displaying frenzied behaviour in the packing department. I really have no time to blog. Dare say I’ll be back later but at the moment I really must stop displacement activity!
Well not exactly a frenzy as I may have had just a teeny weeny tiny touch too much wine last night – so it’s more of a slightly painful jog.
For some reason I have decided it is entirely necessary to clean the house and not just normal flick around with a featherduster, oh no that would be too easy! I want to wash the net curtains and polish the toaster – this is obvious madness. Stocking up the freezer also seems something of a priority!
I may have a sit down and hope this lunacy passes.
Got good news last night that my work permit has been approved (nothing like a last minute dash then – can you imagine if I’d been refused?!) Hopefully it’ll arrive by email today or tomorrow – hurrah!
I am aware that I will be living on a mostly veggie diet for the next couple of months so – for some reason – I am finding it necessary to eat every previously living creature known to mankind. Plus drink most alcoholic beverages known to the Western world (believe me I am intending to make a study of indigenous Tanzanian drinks once I’m there – apart from banana beer).
Saw my gorgeously, lovely and glam PR friends tonight (there was a lot of talk of breastfeeding but my thought is: if I was doing it I couldn’t go to Africa). It was decidedly lovely and the view of the sun setting (read ominous clouds settling) over the Houses of Parliament whilst St Pauls was being illuminated to the rear (oo er Mrs), made me think that no matter where I go, nowhere will ever be as lovely as London – thank you to my favourite social organiser.
I will miss my friends whilst I’m away.
Apologies for over use of the word “lovely”, I have had several glasses of wine and my adjectival memory banks have deserted me!
All my jabs are done. I start the malaria tablets tomorrow (hello nausea). I have bought everything I need (despite my addiction to travel shops – I keep finding myself in Blacks, Snow & Rock etc), I just need to squeeze it in the suitcase.
I have a week of nice dinners planned – I really am going to need my long walk to work next week to remain able to fit in my age 13 trousers!
Am planning to get to Heathrow ridiculously early on Friday given the recent reports on queues and the fact I may have to prove I’m not an environmental protestor. I do have some sympathy with them, but do they really have to be planning to protest the very week I’m going away?! I would rather fly from any other airport but that would have made my journey even more complicated which I don’t want to do.
Anyway, my flight will produce 1.6tonnes of CO2 (that’s 14510km), I won’t be planting the trees myself but I will be offsetting I promise.
So with less than two weeks to go, it’s really getting exciting.
Received the contact details of my fellow volunteers at the weekend so we’ve started to get to know each other by email which is a good thing because it makes you feel less anxious and alone. There are 14 of us starting on 18th (some for two weeks, some for longer - I think I’m the longest starting on that date), twelve girls and two boys (I could say something about girls being generally better natured and more volunteer minded than lads but I won’t).
I’ve got one girl doing the same project as me so we are aiming to make it up as we go along – two heads are better than one and all that – methinks we may need to do some lesson planning in a bar! I’ve also found two other people are staying in the Kitolie Lodge which will be handy for sharing cabs and generally just hanging out if we’re knackered at the end of the day. So far, being girly we have established that we all like a drink, most people like chocolate (yes just me being a weirdo as usual) and everyone has a healthy (or unhealthy depending on your point of view) interest in shoes. It’s all very exciting.
I am in serious countdown mode and have actually get most of the things that need to go into my suitcase. It looks fairly manageable. My sister told me that if my stuff doesn’t fit in my case I should buy a new one! This is rather typical of my sister who has never been known to travel light and regularly has to use her considerable charms to avoid paying excess baggage (sometimes this is not successful and very expensive). At least I know that I really won’t have very much to bring back (smuggling bush babies from the Serengeti is apparently frowned upon).
It’s all hotting up with details and information whizzing about the internet about my trip.
It looks as though my permit won’t turn up before I go so I have to do some interesting manoeuvres at Kilimanjaro airport which doesn’t strike me as the most joyous start after my over night flight. However, I have discovered that there are two other volunteers arriving on my flight (although they’re starting their journey in Dublin) so that is good news and means that I won’t be have to fend off taxi touts or other ‘helpful’ people on my own.
I have to say the excitement is really kicking in and I am in danger of getting seriously giddy.
Went on a bit of a stationery buying spree yesterday. I love stationery, I love buying notebooks and lovely pens that write really nicely, preferably with a nice squishy bit so I don’t get “writer’s bump” and if it’s an interesting colour ink then so much the better. I always thought I was a bit weird for being like this, but it turns out Suw has similar stationery foibles - thank goodness it’s not just me!
Anyway, the stationery yesterday was a bit more utilitarian and I had to resist all temptation with the fact that lovely notebooks were half price as were a gorgeous set of coloured gel pens. Apparently Tanzanian pencils are crap so it’s been recommended that I take some over. Woolworths were selling 36 for just 63p – what a bargain! I’m hoping they’re going to be better quality than Tanzanian pencils but at that price I’m not sure. I also bought some felt tips for my lessons and some A3 paper in case there isn’t a blackboard, that way I can stick the paper on the wall and hey presto something for me to write on. Not that I actually know what I’m going to be teaching yet. I have some thoughts for lessons but can’t really write up my lesson plans until I get there. It’s a bit annoying because I’ve got a bit of time on my hands at the moment and I could really do some decent planning. Oh well.
I am thoroughly excited. In less than four short weeks I will be in Tanzania!
Well I hope to be although the visa situation is still proving impossible to understand/get any straight answers on! I have just sent another email in the hope that someone will be able to stop me worrying.
I’ve had most of my jabs – just the second Hep B to go. Typhoid was the worst, always makes me feel a bit flu-ey and generally yuk.
I have all my clothes sorted, most of my toiletries (which are going to take up most of my suitcase). Rather annoyingly the two things you can’t get in Moshi are sunscreen and DEET spray – I spy a retail opportunity – so I’m having to take a fair amount of those. I seem to remember that I blogged that I had all my clothes a couple of weeks ago – I was fibbing but now I really must stop buying things! Also got my mosquito net so I’m set for some adventures with the Maasai. I’ve also obeen bought a silk snuggly liner for a sleeping bag which will do for a sleeping bag in the warm weather and can also be used on my bed to make me feel cosy and happy (when I am suffering from the inevitable home-sickness).
I should get all my project and accommodation details next Saturday by which point I will be beside myself with even more excitement.
I know it’s been a long time but been having all sorts of laptop problems.
Preparation is going really well: I finished my TEFL (hurrah!), I’ve started having my jabs (less hurrah but at least I’m up to date on tetanus, hep A and polio so slightly less pincushiony). I also got my malaria prescription today. This was a bit of a pleasant surprise because I had been expecting to potentially have a battle on my hands as I wanted to get Malarone and some drs are funny about prescribing it for more than 28 days. Anyway, no battle. Also was expecting to have to pay a fortune for it as it is usually only given as a private prescription but (without me asking or saying a word), I got it on an NHS prescription. Someone is looking after me and – for that – I am very grateful.
I have also been shopping like a demon and now have all my clothes and toiletries sorted. Need to get my mosquito net and a couple of other travel type bits but it’s all looking good. Have also bought some London memorabilia as – apparently – people will be interested in this.
Only 5 weeks to go and very excited.
