19 days, panic is starting to settle in!
I've solved the problem of what to do with the sleeping bag, poles and mat (when I eventually purchase it). I've been trying to harness them onto to the rather oversized backpack that Pete has loaned me, and it would be fine if I was just carrying it all on my back, but I had visions of poles going one way and sleeping bag t'ther, whilst being hurled onto moving carousels etc.. I'm going to get a special bag to shove it all in, which lets you padlock it (hope the nice blue pound shop padlocks hold up), so hopefully it all stays together on the aeroplane. result.
The boot sale was a bit of a washout, the rain came as soon as we had set up, my silly hat kept me dry and warm, as I had no coat, had to borrow one of the sale items! Matt very kindly let me off paying the £5 for the pitch, reckon it was the silly hat, he couldn't keep a straight face ;0)
£26 raised for Marie Curie, slow but sure catchey monkey, so they tell me, which would be fine if I needed a monkey, but I don't!
Saga has come up trumps for the insurance, being over 50 has it's advantages.
Saga, don't it just make you think sag-e or gaga? does it mean anything? damn, another of life's little mysteries to ponder! Like the deja-vu I just experienced then, did you feel it? just felt like I'd written this before! spookey!
Thought you'd like to see the silly hat ;0) you're smiling aren't you?!
Oh my days! 25 days to go, and still £1000 to raise!!
Poppie puppy has taken to eating the post!
Mr Postie left me a card to collect post, luckily there was enough left to see that I needed to sign for a package, whoopie, could that be my chinese Visa?
On opening, I had got my passport back, a receipt for £84 and a note saying if I go to China again, (emm!) it is quicker to send visa application to Edinburgh rather than London......where is the visa??
Poppie puppy is gonna eat it!!
After a couple of days of worrying, just as I was going to post, when does the Visa come through, a post appeared on our Marie Curie facebook page, its in your passport, clever that! it was too, phew, panic over. (and I saved face, as no-one knows what an idiot I was!) ;0)
I amaze myself sometimes.
Boot sales! where do I begin (breaks into song, as cracking up!) Car is not big enough, stuff is too much, what's trending at boot sales? puppies trying to trip me up, and the pasting tables in Shell's room, easy enough you'd think, but I've got to fend off a ferret, grrrr!!!!
Oh joy, just spied the pasting table! no taking on ferrets today.
into the fray I go, wish me luck..........
Finally! I've found myself ;0)
Don't ask me how I did it, coz I don't know, but I have managed to set up a new account on the way.
40 days and counting, Chi day is getting a lot closer now, managed to get in some training in Edinburgh, and had a practice flight!
Lets start with baggage allowance. Jacquie kindly lent me the correct sized case for hand luggage and scales, I duly started filling said case, weighing as I went along, inching forward to the number 10, took some bits out, as I wanted to take normal boots for sightseeing, weighed, put some bits in, weighed etc etc...
Now, why, if the allowance is 10kg would you also have lbs on there?! suffice to say I put a bit more in.
Took the car to Cowes, got the ferry, free bus, train to Southampton airport, got off the train, saw the sign for the airport, but the way didn't look right, so I queued at the ticket desk, and just as I started to ask, I caught sight of a plane taking off next to me! me: "guess thats the airport then". crossed the road and checked in.
Now, over the years I have nurtured a fear of flying, well, more the takeoff and landing, (so, no Dave, the fact it's only a short journey does not placate, just intensifies the ordeal!).
Sat in the terminal, I spied a plane with propellers and the Flybe logo and naturally assumed it was an old plane parked up on display, as we have jets now, don't we?. Guess who was sat near the wing both ways! Looking at mountains through a propeller makes you feel sick, trust me!
Can I just say thank you to the loverly man going, and the just as loverly lady on the way back, who went beyond the call of duty to take my mind off said takeoffs and landings and even congratulated me on getting through it! bless ;0).
I find asking people where I need to go next when I'm travelling to a new place works very well, even though you have travel information to check and direct you, like I asked the station man what train for the airport, and he said "this one, which is just about to go" and I said "I'd better get on it then"! and the lady I asked at the airport which bus I needed for Lothian Road, who told me it was near the famous concert hall, you know, UsherHall. (I do now).
Did you know they have talking buses in Edinburgh? I asked the driver if he could tell me when to get off, and he said the bus will tell me! BUT, when I got off, and started to head left, I heard, " head right" it pays to talk!
To be continued...........
