It is now less than 3 weeks until our big adventure. So last night we finally made time to go through the plans we have, to make some kind of sense of the itinerary, work out any additional likely costs, things we need to think about and to make sure we haven't forgotten anything. This trip has been booked since last summer, and we should have looked at it a number of times, however, life got in the way. We often get pulled in all directions and seem to spend most of our lives taking on too much, flying by the seat of our pants and winging it. This is certainly no exception. A lot has happened since last summer too.
Anyway, we sat in bed last night with a notepad & pen, pouring over various emails, books and bits of paper. We now know that our trip consists of 11 flights, with 5 different airlines, taking in 8 different countries - although 3 of them purely for connecting flights. We should be able to manage on just 3 different currencies, but will need to carry cash. Some of the places we visit are very limited in terms of access to ATM's and are subject to high conversion fees being added if you use credit or debit cards. We also have an extremely tight turnaround on route to Cuba, with only half an hour between flights and we can't pre-book our luggage with the airline. The chances of getting stuck in Panama are looking pretty high at the moment. But hey- I'm sure there's worse places to get stranded.
We also realised that due to a number of flight time changes and a teeny oversight on my behalf, we have 3 nights without any accommodation. All separate times and locations. A couple of emails to existing hotels should solve 2 quite easily, but we will need advice for one of them. We need to travel from Quito to the Ecuadorian cloud forest, by public bus too- so figured our best plan will be to find a night near the bus station. Of course, we have no idea where that is and we don't speak the language. Graeme will organise a video call with the ecology project we are going to volunteer with to ask advice. This is definitely one of those times where I wish I'd concentrated on languages at school. I am less worried about arriving without accommodation than Graeme is. He prefers to have everything sorted well in advance. I can't work out why he feels like that, yet continues to let me organise things. I have spent a lifetime flying by the seat of my pants and just winging it!
I am currently sat on a train from Newcastle to Liverpool. I'll be there for almost a week, spending time with granddaughter Penny, so her Mammy & Daddy can have a much needed break in Paris. They both work really hard and 100% deserve some time away. Plus, I can't wait to spend some quality grandma time. Unfortunately for Graeme, he can't come with me as needs to work to replenish our bank balance. It's already taken a hammering and is about to take another for spending money & extra hotels.
I won't be shirking my big trip duties though- I still have a lot to do, including getting the thousands of photo's off my phone and onto a memory stick, working out how to use the underwater camera we've bought, ordering the various travel money we need and getting everything condensed into an easy to follow, step by step list for when we are away. I suffer from the worst brain fog, so our travel instructions need to be idiot proofed for me, without giving me information overload. I am toying with the idea of colour coding it for different locations too. I have been known to completely forget where I am and I still get lost on the estate where I live. My struggle is real. The information is all I my brain somewhere, but I can't always find it or make the connections between different bits. Only last week I got off the metro at the wrong stop. It took me 10 minutes of utter confusion before I realised and had to go back and get on another metro to correct my mistake. At times I think I shouldn't be allowed out on my own. It's a good job that getting lost is the norm for me. It stops me from panicking. If I had a pound for every time I've been lost, I would have enough cash to travel around the world twice, never mind South America!
It's snowing again, but I'm getting closer to today's destination now & my excitement is rising. I can't wait to see the family. Having a daughter that lives away is tough. I miss being able to meet her on her way home from work for a coffee or cheeky cocktail. I would love to live close enough to pick Penny up from nursery or just pop in and take her to the park for an hour or call in to help at Bath time or read her bedtime stories. I will get to do all of those things for the next few days and it will be fabulous. Precious quality time and memory making. They are little for such a short time. The regular video calls are a god send. I wonder how families living apart managed before? I think I've got it bad', but for those living on opposite sides of the world it must be so painful sometimes. I can't imagine how it must feel to say goodbye to loved ones knowing you won't get to hug them again. Again, I feel grateful that mine are only 4 hours away. My daughter Laura and partner Tom went away travelling for 18 months a few years ago. Looking back now, it was the perfect time to do it. Before they settled into the grown up routine of work, mortgage and bills to pay. And then of course Penny being born and all of the things that come with parenthood. I missed them terribly whilst they were away, but was so happy that they had the chance to travel to so many amazing places and experience so much together. I felt so proud of them for grabbing it with both hands. They had the most amazing adventure, done on a budget and are better people for it. They even spent 6 months working in Australia as part of the trip. Those memories will last a lifetime.
Australia is expensive. It was also getting close to the end of their trip, so funds must have been getting low. That Christmas, I had looked on the Internet for a supermarket near to where they were staying and sent them a big shop delivery. Laura had rang me and was thrilled that in amongst the groceries and treats, I had sent "nice shampoo & conditioner ". It is funny the things that become important when the materialistic world gets stripped bare.
The older I get, the more this is apparent. I'd swap all the designer labels, fancy gadgets & jewelry in the world for a bonfire on the beach with people I care about.
A sudden train announcement has jolted me back. There's sadly been a fatality on the lines outside of Liverpool. My train journey now ends at Manchester Victoria. This is now another little adventure, but I am not irritated or annoyed by this. A poor soul has lost their life. Potentially through choice and that is so sad. So sad that in the 21st century in the 7th wealthiest country in the world that there is a severe lack of hope. Lack of services. Lack of mental health support. My heart goes out to whoever it was and who they leave behind.
Speak soon
Caroline
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