My first trip overseas...Africa


Advertisement
United Kingdom's flag
Europe » United Kingdom » England » Greater London
March 5th 2013
Published: March 22nd 2013
Edit Blog Post

Total Distance: 0 miles / 0 kmMouse: 0,0

Norwich CT-Boston-London-Johannesburg


So last year I decided to make plans for a trip. Where could I go? Where I can be solo? Where it does not cost an arm and a leg? One of the places on my bucket list has always been a safari. So I went onto Google and typed in "solo traveler". Up comes this UK company Imaginative Traveler. I was looking through their site...China, South Asia, India, Iceland, Southern Africa....among others. Where to go, soooo many choices....

I ended up with deciding on Africa. Different culture. It was basically camping, so the food was provided and therefore cheaper. Animals, such as the big 5. Yup Africa it is...I should go big or go home for my first overseas trip. Eh, just do it Paula-you only live once as far as we know. My initial plan was 24 days, I even made a deposit. 24 days. Solo. Isolated. Will it be hot? Will it be dry? Will my sinuses act up if it was dry? Will I get a migraine? Ugh...after going back and forth, I decided that maybe 24 days was too long for my first trip. I located another Africa trip. This was 10 days. 10 days I could do. 10 days is doable.

So when I was making plans, I thought...hmmmm....when should I do this trip? I eventually want to do travel nursing...maybe I should give my notice at work and then leave. If you take longer than 14 days at work, you have to fill out this other paperwork for a LOA...eh too much work. So I'll give my notice. When should I do that? Janurary...eh, I know travel nursing companies prefer a little more months for experience. February...eh....March. How about March? Yup March it is. I said to myself...tax return will be in the bank, give my notice and than my vacation payout will be in the bank upon my return. PERFECT timing!!! Enough money in the bank for the trip. Enough money in the bank for the move of travel nursing.



March....I left on March 5th out of Boston. Just in time to miss the snowfall :-) I took enough cash out to fulfill the trip but let my bank know of the countries I will be visiting before I left. My flight was about $1500 via Kayak.com-round trip from Boston to Johannesburg; from Victoria Falls to Boston with both trips having a long layover in London.

I landed in London on March 6th in the AM. I left the airport with intentions of seeing London during my layover. I was able to get on the London Express but while I was in London, my bank card was "not authorized". I was not a happy camper. Yes I had cash on me but I did not want to use my cash incase my bankcard did not work on my trip. I walked around a little while but boarded the London Express to head back to the airport.

At the Airport I paid probably about $7 to access the internet (I'm not good with the conversion, so I am estimating). I paid it because I wanted to get onto my bank website. At this point it was only 6:30/7am in Connecticut. I emailed them and was upset. I told the bank when I notified them, where I was going, what was the problem?!?

I am glad I did because later in the trip I had a chance to read the reply and not only did the bank not add London but did not add Botswana nor Zimbabwe. WHAT?!?

So I stayed at the airport, bored and read on my ipad.

Advertisement



Tot: 0.205s; Tpl: 0.009s; cc: 7; qc: 47; dbt: 0.1757s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1; ; mem: 1.2mb