Getting Ready to Depart for my adventure

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So this is what this travel blogging thing is all about, storing all your fab travel stories on line for the world and your friends and family to see, no more writing 1,000 emails this is the place where everyone who subscribes will be able to see what I am up to when I start my adventure.....so thanks Yvette for introducing me to Travel Blogging.....

So the reason Im setting up a travel blog is because in six weeks time my big adventure starts that I have been procrastinating and thinking about doing for the last five or so years. For some reason when I got back from Austria, all the stars seemed to align in a way that meant the timing was right now, a series of things, people changing lifestyles etc made me realise apart from work(gosh that will be there for the next 20 years) there was not a whole heap keeping me in Sydney.

So last week was a big week for me, when everything became pretty final for my decision to end 9 years in the corporate world (for one year at least), resign from my job(scary but now it is done it is a very liberating feeling), pack up all of my life possessions, put them on a truck home to mum and dad's and get my head around that I will be unemployed for an indefinate period (what salary!!!!)....

So just ask the people who helped me make this decision how all of a sudden it was time to go Bella Zanesco, I appreciate your kind and inspiring words!!!, thanks (My mum especially(telling me ill never stop being restless so should go straight away), Dexy(well you know why, you are going thru the same stuff moving to LA), Suse E(hmm your life is going thru some change), Cara Lithgo(gosh you are such a fab chick...we are going to have so much fun together this summer), The Nat Effect(ditto for you natty per Cara's comments), The Bridget Effect(you know why), Seb(for all of those work coffees! and big support for a long time) and all my unnamed Mentors in Business etc(you know who you all are)...hmm who else, Greg "Hollywood" Homan, Annie Nelson (you know why too), Tacker for making my last six weeks in Sydney fab with a place to stay etc, and everyone else who has put up with me being indecisive for the longest time.

The rough plan so far is as follows(everyone knows that Im pretty changeable so dont be suprised if there is some major change!!!lol) commencing on the 24th July when I land in Frankfurt!

1. Sailing (I know I said I was going to retire for a while but hey, after Austria im loving sailing more than ever), a couple of events in Europe this summer....those that Im not sailing im going to learn how to use my camera, volunteer, trolley dolly etc etc. July - August

2. Welcome to life as being a student, someone was silly enough to give me a half scholarship to an italian school in Italy, so for one month Ill be based in Salerno (Southern Italy) and then Ill head up North to be closer to the lakes (for sailing) and also my family(italian white christmas) and friends in Italy and the South of France to get as much italian in as possible. September - December

3. When I have decided after a few months(not sure how many) im either an expert at italian, fallen crazily in love with someone (dont worry mum)...or am completely broke etc or over being a waitress in the evenings the plan is Im off to the USA....January 07

4. So USA, spending some valuable time with my bestie Dexy who has landed a fab job in LA. This is before I head down to see the boys & girls in Peurto Rico (who are going to teach me how to dance....as you all know I need help in this arena)...and also perhaps drink some of that fab Peurto Rican Rum......the girls in Mexico (Pam and Andrea look out).....January 07

5. Then ill be welcomed to the world of living in a tent for three months. Costa Rica here I come, going to work there as a volunteer for the charity Raleigh International. Ill be working with youths (18-25y.o) as Adventure Staff whereby we facilitate their community and adventure projects in Costa Rica. It will be an incredibly rewarding activity, something of which will allow me to give something back and also build some fabulous leadership skills, and get to know myself better....Feb - April 07

6. Well by about this time ill have been on the run for over nine months, time to hit south america hopefully with some of my other fellow staff from the Raleigh mission and then decide from there what I want to do, come home go back to the UK to work or whatever!!. April 07-July 07

All exciting stuff, so if you have not worked it out yet the five key things I want to experience learn etc is to learn how to take fab photos, learn my native language, learn how to dance, give something back to the youths, learn more about myself and hopfully work out at the end of it whether a 20 year career in the corporate world is what I want or whether something else is up my alley!

So my to do list before I am to leave is as follows, growing ever by the day as I realise there are more things that need doing;

1. Massive asset sale (boat, car blah blah), boat check(done! thanks Kerli), car WIP.
2. Pick up my fab new laptop so that I will be completely mobile and online (go the Mac's) and my new Cannon Digital Camera which is going to be the vehicle to help me get better at one of the five key things I want to do when I am away (more on that later).
3. Get an international drivers licence
4. Set up Power of Attorney
5. Set up this travel blog ok so thats kinda done now
6. Change all of my addresses back to mum and dad's.
7. Make sure all contacts are up to date (so guys pls let me know if you have changed email addresses).
8. Sort out financial affairs etc etc
9. Visas (man I need a few, UK, Italy, France etc), expensive but well worth it
10. Organise my farewell/30th!!

Anyways pls subscribe to this blog if you are keen to keep hearing from my whilst am on my adventurers!

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