Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Counting Down the Hours
I make it 256 hours, as I write this, before my first flight takes off. That's a nice binary number!
So what have I not done so far?
Obtained travel insurance - I will be doing this tomorrow lunchtime.
Found the lost spare spare key (or more precisely, nagged my mum to find, since she lost it in her house!) to give to whichever of Lint and Tom/Helen I deem less reliable - the others get the normal spare key.
Sent any Christmas cards - I rarely do anyway, but the last few weeks have been way too pressured to even consider it. Thanks to everyone who's sent me one (Bertie particularly - I think I've thanked everyone else in person), but don't be expecting one in return to drop through your letterboxes! Which brings me on to ...
Collecting people's addresses for postcard deliverance. I hereby make a promise. If you send me your address via e-mail (link in the top-right corner of the page) I guarantee I will send you a postcard - this goes for random surfers as well as regular visitors. In light of my usual ability to send postcards, this guarantee is quite a valuable one! Special postcard requests will be accommodated where possible (GeeDee and Dave, I've got yours already!)
Changed any money. Another thing to do this week.
Managed to find anywhere that will sell me any summer clothing. Obviously I could have no need for summer clothing, for it is winter, and slippery outside.
Got anywhere near handing over all the myriad things I do at work to the people who're going to have to do them while I'm not there.
Lots of other things I haven't thought of - well, if I had, I might have considered doing them by now, mightn't I!?
And what have I done?
Booked all the hotels, skiing bits, etc.
Booked the flights (eventually...)
Let everyone who I'm visiting/staying with know when I'll be there.
Located my passport - it's in a very safe place, I know exactly where it is...
Ditto the flight tickets and details, Aussie Open tickets, hotel details, etc.
Got visas and vaccinations as required.
Ruled out taking driving licence - not going to need to drive anywhere.
Written up a very basic will (I need this witnessed at some point too) - approaching thirty-ness is showing its signs with this one!
Written up lists of all the little bits and pieces you don't take on holiday normally because you wouldn't normally need them - e.g. nail clippers, running gear (my Melbourne hotel is right on the edge of the Botanical Gardens, supposed to be one of the most beautiful inner-city running tracks in the world)
Camera, iPod, mobile, respective chargers, travel adapters
I now ask the Internet - what might I have forgotten?
So what have I not done so far?
And what have I done?
I now ask the Internet - what might I have forgotten?
posted by Chip : 23:24
3 comments
Comments:
Writing a will is a bit over the top.
- remember to turn your heating down to above freezing point and put lamps on timer switches.
- If you have an alarm remember to tell those with the spare key of the number
- make sure credit card bills etc are all paid off as when overseas you wont get the notice and will get a fine for missing payment, or cut off.
- I find a world band radio good cos can get world service and all the local stations. good for travelling
- books, travel guides?
- remember to turn your heating down to above freezing point and put lamps on timer switches.
- If you have an alarm remember to tell those with the spare key of the number
- make sure credit card bills etc are all paid off as when overseas you wont get the notice and will get a fine for missing payment, or cut off.
- I find a world band radio good cos can get world service and all the local stations. good for travelling
- books, travel guides?
Heating and alarm - thanks. Both good ideas.
Books (for me, at least!) go without saying - forgetting to take a book would be like Lint forgetting to take his iPod somewhere!
Bills - everything I can think of is sorted, and all the annual-type things (all the insurances, car tax, TV licence, etc.) seem to congregate around July, so they're all done.
Radio - hadn't considered that one. Might see if I itch for one while I'm out there, but I don't tend to think about news, etc. when I'm away - was in California for the start of the foot and mouth disease stuff in 2001, and I was horribly confused by all the fuss over shoes at the airport when I got back!
Books (for me, at least!) go without saying - forgetting to take a book would be like Lint forgetting to take his iPod somewhere!
Bills - everything I can think of is sorted, and all the annual-type things (all the insurances, car tax, TV licence, etc.) seem to congregate around July, so they're all done.
Radio - hadn't considered that one. Might see if I itch for one while I'm out there, but I don't tend to think about news, etc. when I'm away - was in California for the start of the foot and mouth disease stuff in 2001, and I was horribly confused by all the fuss over shoes at the airport when I got back!
I've actually had to claim on my travel insurance twice before (skiing tends to up your risk of ending uo in a hospital, as does eating anything while you're in Pakistan!), and it certainly does make things easier if you've got the docs with you. Unfortunately, since I only sorted it out last Thursday, I'm not sure I'll have the papers in time to take away!
You can stay at mine on Thursday if you like. You'll get kicked out early though - I'm planning on leaving by about midday, and I might be doing my packing around your comatose body!
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You can stay at mine on Thursday if you like. You'll get kicked out early though - I'm planning on leaving by about midday, and I might be doing my packing around your comatose body!
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