After a week of cacking my pants, and recurring dreams of not being able to find clean water and eating multiple bags of maltesers without washing my hands, I have woken up this morning totally wired and ready to go. I’ve been waiting all week for my passport, not really fully ready to let myself believe it is happening, so when it finally arrived last night it was the final piece falling into place.
Today then is about packing, preparing everything at home for the week, and dashing out to Tesco at the last minute for all the essentials I’ve inevitably forgotten about. I’ll be getting the train from Bristol at 3pm to Heathrow and by 8pm this evening I’ll be on the plane, ready to take off on my adventure.
Packing then.
I’ve made a list, which I think it a Very Good Start:
I’ve also started gathering together essentials. This is basically everything I need surely?
I’ve also started writing in my head. I can tell when I’m properly excited about something as my head fills with ideas for things to say about it, and whole blog posts start composing themselves. Unfortunately this tends to happen late at night or in a dream, so by the time I get to actually write it down it sounds somewhat less eloquent. Never mind, you’ll just have to make do with this.
Ever since I found out about the trip, I’ve been anxious about really silly things – will I feel sick on the day long car journey out to the Antsokia Valley? Will it be too hot for me? What will I do if I get hungry? This morning though, all of those fears have disappeared. All I can think about is that moment of stepping off the plane into a country, a continent even, that I’ve never been to before. When I think about meeting Ethiopian mums who have started their own businesses, are battling HIV and are raising families against the odds, I get butterflies in my chest and can almost feel my eyes widen and twinkle a little bit.
I can’t even begin to imagine how I am going to feel, but I’m ridiculously excited to tell you all about it.
I think I’d take a bottle of water too. Who is looking after the home fort while you’re away? Good luck, and be thinking of you.
Thanks Jax! My boyfriend and Bee are managing things between them – Bee has already been doing some menu planning :-)
It sounds like a great adventure. I’m still waiting for my Angolan work visa so I know the pain of waiting for that passport.
Good luck, good fun, write lots, take pics.
Have a fantastic trip Jo I can’t wait to hear all about it!
I’m glad your passport made it! I hope you have a great trip. Look forward to reading about your experience.
How mind blowingly exciting! We loved Africa- it’s just so different.
Go well and tell us all about it. X
I probably would have lugged a ton of food with me plus toilet paper, you know, the super nice kind. And water.
Wow, I am following you all the way – wish I was there seems like a lifetime adventure. Take car
Thank you! We’re so lucky to be here with World Vision to look after us, although to be honest I have felt really safe the whole time I have been here so far. Everyone is so friendly and curious, all they want to do is say hello and smile and shake hands. Today when we were visiting a famiy, one of the little boys just came over, held my hand and smiled up at me. It was adorable :-)