38 sleeps to go: Let the games begin.

Ok now this is going by too fast and I have way way too much left to organize ( read about half of it) before jumping on that plane without a second look back.

All the important things like :

When to do the final waxing? What in fact needs waxing?

When to have my hair ‘done’ so it is in its most radiant glorified state?

When to pick up the camera from my friends place and start working out how the hell to use it, download photos and generally not break it.

To pack togs or not pack togs? ( read – how much is too scary? – that is for me – not the other passengers)

How the hell to narrow down the shoe requirements? And do I really need hiking boots?

The jury is still out on the ‘thermals’ issue…. Still think its just too Bridget Jones and will opt for the vanity choice of shiver in lacy underwear but be comfortable with the knowledge I’m prepared for any eventuality :) - like getting hit by a bus people – mind out of the gutter please.

And not to mention this minor detail…. Who is going to look after my kids while I disappear over the other side of the world for 3 weeks?

I suppose its still far enough out that I am not hitting panic mode yet, but while the suitcase is out of storage and there are even a few ‘must haves’ ( yep… lingerie :) everyone that knows me will know that’s what I’d pack first ) packed, I really haven’t given it much thought.

I do believe that I will have purchased at least 4 times the volume of clothing (to date that is – I’m still shopping) that I could ever possibly take in two suitcases so its just going to be a matter of culling mercilessly in the vain hope that I can co ordinate the entire couture to within some semblance of style and don’t miss the mark and end up looking tragically mismatched – or worse, inappropriately attired for the HAL crowd. That I couldn’t abide. I’m vain remember?

I suppose I should be thinking more about what excursions where, and accommodation in Seattle ( nope – still haven’t done that) and what I am actually going to fill my time with onboard. Not to mention, travel insurance, appropriately accessible spending money, anti virus software for my laptop and the plugs required so as not to blow the damn thing up the first time I plug it in onboard. My laptop only speaks Aussie at this point. :)

But they all take money I’m still waiting on so they are going to have to wait a little longer.

Then I have to decide when to actually tell my family I’m going. With the exception of one family member and three close friends ( and of course my boss) no one else knows. Nope, not even my kids.

At this point… the last second is sounding good. Oh.. and that post-it note on the picture of Alaska is still a possibility – cos I’m sure in some cases, the telling is not going to end well.

One milestone taken care of though… renewed Passport arrived today :)

Does anyone out there actually have a photo in theirs that they are happy with? I was sure that this time, with careful preparation and skilled ‘smiling without smiling’ I would at least pull off a half decent mug shot … but alas I was mistaken… I am destined to always have a ‘hide it at all costs’ shot in my passport – at least for the next 10 years anyway. And the next time I’ll be in my 50’s and I’m not sure I’ll improve that significantly to allow a better shot than in my 40’s. I guess there’s always plastic surgery