Last week in the UK

All the talking is almost over with and the bright lights of Rome are now less than 1 week away! I am now back in Ipswich spending some time with my family and sorting out last minute bits and pieces before I head down to Gatwick travelodge on Sunday. Yes thats this Sunday, not this time next year, next month or even next week it is finally almost time for Rome to Rio to begin. And yet last week I cam so close to cancelling the whole damn thing. Leaving Hartington is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life. I can't say I'm too bothered about the job finishing, I was at the end of my patience with it and if I ever do return there it would have to be in a different role but that is another story for another time. I knew leaving the friends I had made there was going to be difficult but thought my excitement over travelling would overide it. It did not. After my leaving party last Tuesday I have been through about a week of euphoria whenever I think about the next two years of my life quickly followed by misery when I think of those people who won't be in it. I am not over this by any means and miss the place and people terribly, I have pretty much lived, worked and socialised with these poeple for the last 3 and a half years of my life and not seeing them every day is going to take some getting used to. At the same time I am now 4 days away from starting my dream trip and that is massivly exciting, I really cannot wait to get to Rome and get going now, I've booked my flight from India to Thailand now, this will be in Februray next year when my India visa expires. Nepal is now not happening due to complications with transit visas and the cost of a flight out of the country. It is a shame but it does give me longer in India and South East Asia which is hardly a bad thing. I'm looking forward to putting some actual travel photos on this blog, after 2 years of counting down I am so close now

I fly like paper get high like planes

My Indian Visa came through yesterday, this represented the last major task prior to departure so now I can pretty much relax and look forward to the start of my epic adventure which is just over 2 weeks from beginning. Having India confirmed makes Nepal more than likely to happen now, to be that close to Everest and not actually see it would be a great shame so that is next on the list but it can wait for a bit. I'm down to 3 days left at work so that is almost over and done with. It has been a good four years and I'll reiterate that I'll miss the people greatly but to quote someone here the work is 'not for me' anymore. After I finish here I have a leaving party and then a meal with friends before heading back to Ipswich for a few days with family and then it is go time, I'm struggling to believe it's almost here but it is :-)

Last month in England

We're now into August and seeing as I'm only in England for the first 2 days of September I think it's fair to count this as my last month in the UK. In terms of the trip I'm almost there, the Indian visa has all been filled in and just needs to be posted off. All else that really remains is around 2 and a half weeks of work and then the inevitable goodbyes which are not going to be easy but I don't think leaving those you care about ever is. Pisa has now replaced Siena in the Italy route, it's cheaper and sounds more interesting anyway, other than that it's pretty much the same. It is getting to that stage where I need to be packing my backpack and seeing what's what. To be honest I can't believe how close it all is now, I don't think I can do any more preparing, I just want to be on that plane to Rome.