Getting Ready: some random stuff

Clothing: I haven't done anything about my clothes. My building doesn't have a laundry room, and despite what I was told my the leasing agent, there is not a laundromat just down the street. As a result, I have not washed and packed/given away all of the clothes that I'm not taking on my trip. Or any of them. When I get there, I will have four piles: one for clothes I'm bringing, one for clothes I'm keeping, one for clothes I'm giving away, and one for clothes which are currently too tight, but might look really good on me by May, if I keep up with my exercise. I am completely overwhelmed by clothing at the moment; I feel like I'm drowning in it.

Exercise: I don't exercise anywhere as much as I should. I was blessed with the type of body that's relatively easy to get into and keep in shape, then cursed with insomnia, hypoglycemia, a bad heart and (the most detrimental to my getting-in-shape plans) extreme laziness. Nonetheless, since there is no way I will survive this trip if I'm out of shape, I've been DDRing for an hour straight every day for the past couple of weeks. It seems to be working nicely, but not as nicely as I'd like, which means that soon, I'm going to have to include morning pilates and planking... and possibly drinking cider vinigar every morning, which is about the most disgusting way to start one's day.

Plane Tickets: Plane tickets are expensive, but doable. The trick, I suppose, is finding the right combination of locations to make the whole thing a) as cheap as possible and b) as fun. Since the second leg of my trip includes a trip to Europe (possibly the UK, possibly the rest of Europe, probably both), and because of where I am and the fact that I don't have a definite idea of where I'm going, I can fly out of anywhere from Rochester to Montreal, and into anywhere from Cardiff to Zurich. Basically, I'm looking at somewhere between $900 and $2000, which, if I want to be realistic, means I'd better find something for $1500 or less. That is just flying. Then I have to find somewhere to stay.

Money: I'm honestly starting to freak out a bit about money. In some ways, I'm not as worried about that as I am about other things, because, frankly, I'm not going to let myself die, which is the worst thing that a lack of money can do to me. I'm young and relatively healthy, and I think I can handle a few nights out in the cold, or without food, if I absolutely have to. It'll just be one more story to tell, right? My main concerns money-wise are my cell phone and my Internet (and, of course, my plane tickets, but that all has to be worked out before I leave, or Europe is out), because I think keeping in contact with the people back home is important. The pre-trip money is kind of worrisome, though, 'cause I have so much stuff I need to buy ahead of time.

Stuff: I need a lot of stuff. Most importantly, travel underwear, and travel socks. Oh, and a tiny laptop. I nearly forgot that part, which is scary, because that's important. My Internet won't help me if I don't have anything to hook it up to. Then there are all the little things, collapsible water bottles, rain-proof shoulder bags, things like that.

Gnome: I might just take Leonard with me - but I'm so afraid I'll lose him. I suppose that's one thing I can leave for a little later. It's the other stuff that I need to be focusing on now anyway.

In Conclusion: I know this seems like a whah, I'm so overwhelmed, save me from myself kind of post, but it's not meant to be. Actually, I'm unusually optimistic about the whole thing right now. I guess we'll just have to see where it goes.

Looking for Gnomes in all the Wrong Places

As unoriginal as it is, I've decided to get a gnome to bring with me. Only, I can't seem to find one. Actually, it took me the better part of an hour to come up with a useful picture of a gnome (over all, I'm happy with it; I like the bunny and the little mouse).

I've looked at those little travel gnomes, the kind you get for $10 at bookstores, but I can't find a cute one. I've been obsessed with gnomes since I was very small, and my traveling companion must be adorable, or at least very weird.

I would be taking my Doctor McCoy doll, actually, but I'm afraid of losing him. For the same reason, I'm in agony over whether or not to bring Dot, my stuffed chimp. She's come everywhere with me since I was four or five, but I'm afraid she'll get lost or ruined while I'm camped out on some random trail somewhere. Oh, the humanity! (has anyone else ever wondered what on earth that means?)

I think that's it, for the gnome post. Now I just need to figure out how else I'm going to fill up this blog for the next four months... FOUR MONTHS! That seems a lot sooner when you say it out loud.

Huh.