The Calling!

8/4/10

2158 (local time)

Well, this is all too familiar! This time last year, I think I was trying to figure out what travelling is all about and it seems as if I still havn’t figured it out. At least this time I am a ‘little’ bit more prepared than I was last year.

I know, I know that I didn’t finished off my ‘blog’ for the last trip, but I don’t really feel as if it were finished, instead I’m continuing where I left off… anyway!

So the plan of attack this time round…

Work out in Egypt, Dahab for around about 8months this all depending on my funds, after I have had enough windsurfing, ill be shooting back to the UK for either a few months or a few days and then ill be travelling around Eastern Europe! Very loose plan! But no one likes a strict travel plan.

To be honest the start of this trip has been a bit of a nightmare, we can start if off at the arrival to the airport, when I go to check in my bags, oh yeah that’s right, I’m now carrying around a MASSIVE 32KG bag that is about 260cm long and 80cm wide, full of Windsurfing Gear! So this will make all my travels far more interesting if they weren’t enough already! Anyway, so the issues start when I go to check in my bags! The lady at the desk informs me that I need a Visa so I can stay in Transit when I go to America for a stop over. What makes matters worse, is that I need to collect all my bags in Los Angeles Airport and re-check them in onto another flight! Hey, do you guys want an interesting fact, Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is one of the biggest airports in the world with (I think) 9 terminals! That should be fun navigating my way through LAX airport with 2 massive bags! HAPPY DAYS!

Anyway, so after Dad and I rushed through a stupid visa whilst Mum minded all my bags! I went to say my good bye’s at the double doors of death! I realized that I lost my boarding pass and my Australian Departure form! What an issue! So I ran off to fill out another form, and get another boarding pass! Then I had to do another episode of the double doors!

So far, this flight has been rubbish! Turbulence for about 2 hours straight, and its not even fun turbulence where it feels like a roller coaster, its just painful, its so annoying that you can’t even sit a beer on your tray without if spilling everywhere! It makes even writing this message painful!

If you haven’t caught my drift yet, im fairly pissed off with how this is all going! I might have a bit of a nap, and maybe wake in more of a happier mood!

Righteo, so I continue this on the finishing bit of my Los Angeles to Heathrow flight, Los Angeles was fairly easy to figure out, and I only had to walk my windsurfing bag for about 15minutes, which isn’t so bad, but was all sorted.

This flight has been going well, ive had a decent 4-5 hour sleep which I was pretty impressed with but I’m pretty sure when I touch down in London ill be feeling jet lagged and de-hydrated which should be great fun!

Anyway before I finish, I would just like to thank everyone again for their support in the last 4 months, its been a bit weird trying to get organized again for going O/S when I’ve only been back a short time. I found it quite hard to relate with everyone when I got back from my last trip so when I got offered the job to teach windsurfing out in Dahab, I had to take it! When else am I going to get this opportunity again, as I don’t have any commitments back at home, no girlfriends, no Uni, no job! It is almost expected that I should go! The hardest bit by far is the goodbyes! Currently ill be thinking that this trip will be going for at least 2 years and saying good bye to people that realize that makes it a bit sad!

Enough of this gooey stuff! London here we come! A quick shout out to Lizzy and Lionel for picking me and all my gear up from the airport, you guys are absolute superstars!

Next time you hear from me guys, ill be comfy in a warm apartment in London! Happy Days!

Till then! Slip, Slop and Slap!

Steve