So the Brazilian government now knows more about me than my mum, my doctor and my best friend put together. Even the scary old Chinese government did not ask me so many questions and demand so much paper work as did the Brazilians on applying for a visa. However that might have been because I forgot to apply for a chinese visa from home and therefore ended up in a dodgy back alley office in Hong Kong hoping that they might put the magic little sticker in my passport - they did and the Chinese let us in - such friendly folk...(www.bartandthebomb.blogspot.com)
funnily enough brazil is also the only south american country i'm travelling to which actually demands a visa in an Australian passport. Apparently the others are more trusting of me.
It also happens to be the only country i'm visiting where it is recommended that I have a vaccination for Yellow Fever - a particularly nasty disease that I think i'd prefer to avoid. problem is it's not just a matter of popping down to my GP for this one - unlike other vaccs that I need (only a few cause i'm still pretty dosed up from visiting SE Asia) this one requires me to go to a special travel clinic...
so far I'm not loving Brazil! i'm trying not to let these little medical and governmental hiccups affect my judgement of the country itself....think of samba and beaches...and mojitos....ahhh there we go - i love brazil again.
so with my passport somewhere between here and the Brazilian embassy and my vaccs all up to date I'm well on the way to being on that plane in a month.
My panic is over and now the excitement is setting in...soon I'll be counting the days...
Till next time
Monday, 8 November 2010
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
5 Weeks Out
It turns out that abondoning life as I know it for four months is not as easy as it sounds.
As the days and weeks wizz past I'm struggling to feel organised and ready to go - and at only 5 weeks out that's a little scary. I've packed up my entire life twice before - once when we moved to England and once when we went travelling and then moved back to Australia. This time ill be gone only four months - and i will pick up my life where I left off when i get back - but it still feels like a mammoth task!
The first issue is packing. Those of you who followed my first blog will know my well researched thoughts on 'backpacker chic' which involves being a little cluey with colours and fabrics (dark colours are best for those potentially long stints without a washing machine and i certainly don't want to be traipsing around a hostel in south america searching for an iron). i also have strong opinions on backpack worthy footwear - but that is a whole other discussion. The issue that is highest on my list of considerations at this point is temperature. The depths of winter in Europe followed by summertime in balmy brazil does not a happy backpack make! My favourite suggestion so far has been from a very wise European friend who suggested taking only what i need in terms of summer clothes for South America and hitting the cheap shops in england to rug up when i arrive. Permission to go shopping - it was the answer i was looking for!
my other main concern at this point is my beautiful flat in Toowoomba's bustling CBD. I don't want to move out. i love it here (and i love my landlord....but that is a given)....i need someone to move in and be 'me' for 4 months - enjoy my little flat, and then move out again before i get back so i can just slot back into my life as if nothing ever happened. tall order? anything is possible....
so, though all the flights are booked, my apartment in st germaine des pres is sitting above a fromagerie waiting for me, and my northern hemispherian friends are busy counting the days till i arrive, there are still lots of 'to do's' to tick off the old list.
I had a moment, the other day, when i wondered to myself (ever so briefly) - what the HELL am i doing! Then i thought - seize life. Just say 'yes'. It will all work out - it always does.
till next time xx
As the days and weeks wizz past I'm struggling to feel organised and ready to go - and at only 5 weeks out that's a little scary. I've packed up my entire life twice before - once when we moved to England and once when we went travelling and then moved back to Australia. This time ill be gone only four months - and i will pick up my life where I left off when i get back - but it still feels like a mammoth task!
The first issue is packing. Those of you who followed my first blog will know my well researched thoughts on 'backpacker chic' which involves being a little cluey with colours and fabrics (dark colours are best for those potentially long stints without a washing machine and i certainly don't want to be traipsing around a hostel in south america searching for an iron). i also have strong opinions on backpack worthy footwear - but that is a whole other discussion. The issue that is highest on my list of considerations at this point is temperature. The depths of winter in Europe followed by summertime in balmy brazil does not a happy backpack make! My favourite suggestion so far has been from a very wise European friend who suggested taking only what i need in terms of summer clothes for South America and hitting the cheap shops in england to rug up when i arrive. Permission to go shopping - it was the answer i was looking for!
my other main concern at this point is my beautiful flat in Toowoomba's bustling CBD. I don't want to move out. i love it here (and i love my landlord....but that is a given)....i need someone to move in and be 'me' for 4 months - enjoy my little flat, and then move out again before i get back so i can just slot back into my life as if nothing ever happened. tall order? anything is possible....
so, though all the flights are booked, my apartment in st germaine des pres is sitting above a fromagerie waiting for me, and my northern hemispherian friends are busy counting the days till i arrive, there are still lots of 'to do's' to tick off the old list.
I had a moment, the other day, when i wondered to myself (ever so briefly) - what the HELL am i doing! Then i thought - seize life. Just say 'yes'. It will all work out - it always does.
till next time xx
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