An Insubstantial Blog

It's less than 48 hours until I get on my plane to London. I have my backpack packed but still have to get out a piece of luggage. I just don't understand how people can only bring ONE piece of luggage for 6 months. I don't pack too much. But I am packing for most seasons/all occasions. That's quite a few pairs of shoes ie. hiking, sandals, work shoes, vans slip ons, dressy brown and dressy black shoes. OK, so I don't really need the vans but I honestly can't live without those shoes. And I may not bring the dressy black.

Many things will be tossed on the way back. My philosophy is to overpack to an extent and then, throw away. Since I am also packing for my 2 weeks in Italy in May, I have to bring sheets for hostels. These sheets are old and will simply be pitched at the end. Same goes for socks and underwear. When planning a short trip, I take enough underwear and socks for every day but I pick the crappiest ones I have. That way, you don't have to wash stuff in the sink and your pack gets roomier as you go!

Things like my slip-on vans or my towel will also be tossed at the end of the trip. However, I do think I may be overpacking on clothes. The reality is I'll be working a lot which means I need normal clothes less. Maybe I'll get everything out and then choose to cut back from there.

Also, since I'm very picky about certain things I have shampoo and conditioner for 6 months as well as toothpaste as I need a specific kind. The plus side is that none of this will come back with me either. Books will be left in England and exchanged for new books as well. My biggest real bulk is from all those electronics I can't live without. ipod, computer, digital camera, and a dvd case. I did not bring Dvds to Denmark with me and totally regretted it! I really hope I can smoosh this all into a not-too-gigantic suitcase and still have a bit of room leftover.

For now, I have to try and finish this cross-stitch. Tomorrow, I need to frame 5 of the cross-stitches and get money out of my mom for them. Pack another bag. Try to finish my London book. Get all my documents together. And call 3 different credit card companies to tell them not to shut off my card if London charges appear.

Monday I have to return library books. Deposit all my Christmas money in the bank. And, oh yeah, catch a flight!

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.

As for me, my parents still go through heavy empty nest syndrome despite me not having lived at home until recently for the past 4 years. My mother has been horrified at the prospect of not being around for Christmas. That caused Christmas to be moved until Thanksgiving day. And in blogging tradition, this calls for a list of the booty.

-hiking backpack! This was really all I asked for. Check it out.
For anyone thinking of backpacking around Europe, I really want to recommend this backpack. You can find it for around $140. Obviously, that's not cheap but it's a sturdy well-made pack. It is also made out of recycled plastic bottles. It's designed specifically for women. It also has a detachable mini backpack. You can leave the huge pack at the hostel but still carry everything you need for the day. Annnnd it has a front open zipper. That means you don't have to repack as you can access everything! It expands to 48 liters which should be enough room unless you plan on bringing your whole closet.

-DVDs such as Juno, Kung Fu Panda, Wall-E and season 1 of Flight of the Conchords. Score! I have now made my family watch Wall-E and they approve.

-Merril hiking boots. Anyone who knows me knows I need some good shoes. I just didn't own any. Now I have one good solid pair to supplement my Birkenstocks.

-Books! The Whisperers: Private Life in Stalinist Russia because I'm still on my communist history kick. And 2001 Cross Stitch Designs which is awesome! It's 2000 small stock patterns that you can mix and match into any designs. The patterns are really great and some are even pretty! And that's hard to do as 95% of cross-stitch patterns are tacky as hell.

- Travel sized everything. My mother does not understand the concept of London not being in a 3rd world country. Therefore, I am stocked up on travel-size toothpaste, kleenex, and dryer sheets. My mom never ever lets me leave the country without kleenex. Yes, seriously.

-A tripod for my camera! I've always wanted a tripod to take cool photos but did not want one due to perceived dorkiness and general pain in the assness of carrying one around. Then, I found this thing. This tripod is even smaller than it looks and completely bendable. It's genius! I can even take it backpacking and now will be able to do fancy slow shutter time shots. Oooo.

-$55 in itunes, $25 for amazon.com, and $500 from an overly generous aunt. As my grandparents seem to think I will also be in a third world country without access to communication or mail service, I received small gifts for Christmas AND my birthday...in January. As for the $500, I'm envisioning a week in Scotland. I could put it towards student loans but that would be so boring.

-Although not technically a present, my mom also paid for 3 months of all that damn medication I take and am no longer covered for. And that's something I am ridiculously grateful for.

-And duh, I almost forgot! I got the cutest purse EVER. However, after deciding the color scheme was ridiculously cute but ridiculously impractical, I traded it in for the SECOND cutest purse EVER. Same purse, different color. Now it's gray. More matchable, more Londonish. Perfect! I may not always be into fashion but I will always be into purses. It's hereditary.

In other news, I will be finished up one more cross-stitch as well as posting some others I've fallen behind on. I also have to finish 3 mostly finished books before I leave! Oh...and that packing thing...

I'm dreading the flight as I was unable to procure any sleeping pills and I'm hoping I'm just imagining a cold coming on. Luckily, I've armed myself with 3 new cds from itunes and Twilight. Yes, I'm going to read a YA novel about vampires. Shun me if you will but suppressed teenage sexuality may just keep me interested enough to occupy me for an hour or two.

Oh thank god! The Roman Catholic Church has finally decided to forgive John Lennon for saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus. Kind of like 45 years late but whatevs. It seems like the quote may have hurt the pope's feelings but now has reconciled the fact that John Lennon wasn't an atheist but just an attention whore.

Today marks one week before I leave the country. Oh shit! I have a zillion things to do. I have to pack. I have to pray that my family acts a little bit sane about this. I have to try not to stress the fuck out. Oh wait, I'm doing that already.

Anything I should not forget to pack? I've added a few essentials that I did not bring to Denmark originally. My DVD collection is one of them. Also, any extra space in my baggage will be filled with macaroni and cheese, manwich, pancake mix, and peanut butter. I know the food won't suck as much as Denmark if it will at all. However, everyone needs an American fix every once and awhile and I'd rather it not be from McDonald's.

To anyone who has traveled, an important question. Have you ever noticed that foreign Coca-Cola tastes better? I don't really like it in the states but daaaaamn is it good in Europe. Someone told me that it's a slightly different recipe. I think it has to do with having the option to buy it in glass bottles. Or maybe I was just starved for good food in Denmark.

And for those who have been to the UK (ie the ONE person who reads this blog), what is one place out of London that I HAVE to go. I definitely won't miss Bath, Oxford, or Canterbury. I'd also like to take the ferry to France at some point but I don't know if that will work out.

To come later today, more cross-stitch. I've finished all the ones that I needed to and have just been spacing out the posts.

I hate to admit it, but I may start reading the Twilight series. Don't judge!!! Regardless, they are light kids fantasy books and I think they would make just perfect airplane reading. We shall see.

Since it is already Monday morning in Australia, I have already received my pub placement! I'm really excited because it ended up not being what I asked for but exactly what I wanted. We had eventually agreed on living on the outskirts of London. I'm not only in London, but I'm a 5 minute walk from the British Museum and close to St. Paul's.

On December 2nd, I will start work at the Cittie of Yorke pub. Many sites as well as the guy who helped place me call it one of the great pubs of London. There has been a pub on the same spot since 1430, though this one was rebuilt in the 1920s. The website I've linked to has lots of pictures. It has incredible architecture with high vaulted ceilings. It also has private booth cubicles which are probably older than the restoration and are very rare in England now.

The job offer is pretty good. I make minimum wage. From that is deducted 26 pounds a week for room and board. Board consists of all meals except for on Sunday. Room will be in double or triple rooms with other workers who are mainly Australian and New Zealand-ers (?). Each room has cable tv and internet access. Also has laundry on site. I think that's a pretty good deal in all. I'll be working 5.5 days a week which is quite a bit. I guess it adds up to 40 hours and I'll make about 180 pounds. Hopefully they'll be lenient with a couple long weekends and such or I can get someone to cover my shift as I want to make it up to Scotland at some point as well as take many short trips to Canterbury, Brighton, Bath and maybe even the rest of Europe.

I'll have Sundays off and half of Saturday off. Since I'll be in Camden, I won't lose time in a long commute into London for sightseeing either! It should also make my first two days of running around a little less hectic.

On December 2nd, I plan to get to the pub using local transport from Gatwick airport. I'll have to take a train and transfer to tube with all my baggage! I'll go straight to the pub. Meet the managers. Then head out and get a cell phone. Also, try to get an appointment for a SS number. Then, to keep myself awake AND get oriented, I want to take the newLondon tour.

For anyone into travel, New tours are really awesome. They operate out of many cities. I've been on the ones in Berlin and Amsterdam. Their basic tour leaves on the same spot everyday. You just show up. The tour is free!!! They work for tips. The tours are often run by graduate students or English and Spanish speaking people who really know the city. Each tour lasts 3-4 hours with a food and bathroom break in the middle. It really is great for the budget traveller as it gives you city orientation, a huge and interesting history lesson, some neat hidden features of the city and even the food break is usually at an affordable but yummy spot. They'll also try to sell you other tours that cost money and pub crawls. In Amsterdam, we went on the Red Light District tour for about 8 euro and were really glad we did as we saw a lot of the area we would've missed otherwise. Anyways, in London, they offer 2 different free tours and I plan on taking advantage of them!

The next day will be hectic. I have to go to a meeting for BUNAC, the company that issues my student/work visa. They will give us info on insurance, bank accounts and how to find a job. It'll be boring since I already have a job but maybe I'll meet some people. It's mandatory. After that, I have to go get a bank account which I am told is no easy feat in England. At least I'll be a few tube stops away from all of these places!