Ground rush

T- 1 hour

Sitting in Heathrow departures quietly dripping overly expensive mascara into not-so-fresh apple juice. Slowly realising that the people around me are playing "guess the circumstance" and the odds are going towards potential convict escaping the country to begin new life as one of those fitness instructors you look at and think 'really...?'. 

It's ok. I'm prepared. Chocolate orange smashed and ready dans le sac. Nailing it.

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T- 12 months 

Errrrrmagherd mega trip after my degree I'm going to go EVERYWHAAAAR and do EVERYTHAAAAANG. Totes going to book everything today.

T- 9 months 

Omg huge trip can't wait. Definitely going to book things today. 

T- 8 months 

Yeeeeesssss trip is going to be ace, absolutely booking flights right now!

T- 7 months 

Holla, graduation complete, let's start working and get the dolla. Trip is HAPPENING. 

T- 6 months

Ok, today is the day (the day that mum told me to man up and get things booked). SUCCESS, COMPETENCY, I AM SO INDEPENDENT AND GROWN UP AND PREPARED, I WENT TO STA. 

Ok so I sat in a chair and said I liked things and the glorious Owen of STA put it together as I nodded along. Flights in the bag, leaving late January 2016 and coasting through South East Asia, Australasia, and popping into South America and Canada. BOOM.

T- 5.5 months

Owen: "Hey Kirstie, just to let you know, your first flight is actually the same price on New Year's Day and then you could get 3 weeks more out of your trip?"

Kirstie: "YEHUH LET'S DO IT SURE THING WHY NOT WAHOO!"

T- 5.5 months - T- 1 month

Totes sorted, all good, bossed it. 9 countries in 6 months no problemo. Going solo so I can do everything I want exactly how I want. All over it. Going hand luggage and all - who has time to waste at luggage carousels?! Thailand, Cambodia, Borneo, Bali, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Peru, Canada YESSSSS. Elephants, Macchu Picchu, scuba diving, the lot. Sank £80 on all the lonely planet books, totally sorted. Bought jazzy leggings. Look at me all competent and fancy.

Should probably get a new bikini. Top priority. 

T- 3 weeks 

I'm definitely going checked luggage. Turns out crossing 5 extreme climates with 1 rucksack was not the best planning in the world. Doesn't matter, still got 2 months to plan and get sorted.

T- 2 weeks

WAHEY CHRISTMAS!! Super excited for my trip. I've even put flip flops and t shirts in a pile and everything. I'm so prepared. I've got 6 weeks and I'm already packing. So on this. 

T- 10 days 

I changed the flight. I changed the goddamn flight. I HAVE 10 DAYS. I should start prep tomorrow. It'll be fine. It's meant to be spontaneous and all.

T- 1 week

According to lonely planet, women can't touch or walk on the same path as monks in Thailand. I didn't know that. What if I'm looking at things and accidentally wander onto the path of a rogue monk? What if other countries have similar customs? OH MY GOD I KNOW NOTHING AND I AM SNOWED UNDER WITH OUTSTANDING PREPARATIONS AND I AM SCARED AND I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I AM DOING AAAAAAH.

It's fine, it'll be fine. I've travelled before, I'm good. It's all fine.

T- 4 days

Bugger. Checked STA itinerary and all my flights within Asia aren't there. What?! Owen must have cocked up. That's ridiculous. What?! Going to ring him and sort it out. Boo. 

Kirstie: "Hi Owen, slightly panicking, it looks like my itinerary is wrong? There are no flights in Asia showing... I'm definitely sure we booked them together in store???" 

Owen: "Oh, really? Let me check your file... Oh, it says you were going to book the, yourself through Air Asia? More flexibility and lower rates? Yeah it was noted on your account yeah"

... Bollocks. 

OH MY GOD I LEAVE IN 4 DAYS AND I HAVE NO FLIGHTS OH MY GOD WHAT AM I DOI THIS IS TERRIFYING AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I AM DOING THERE ARE SO MANY FLIGHTS AND SO MANY TIMESCALES AH THIS IS SO CONFUSING I AM GOING TO COMBUST.

3 hours later

All flights booked. Hostels for first nights booked. Baggage allowance checked. Timeline sorted. Brain frazzled. Mum frazzled. Trying to maintain that I definitely completed this task and definitely did not growl at Mum as she compensated my incompetency with skill and fixed my self-made mess again. 

Ah well, nailed that. Sorted. It'll all be fine. Doesn't feel like I'm going this weekend.

T- 2 days 

OH MY GOD I HAVE NOT PACKED WHAT AM I GOING TO DO I CANNOT COPE.

HOW CAN I PACK FOR FIVE EXTREME CLIMATES IN ONE BAG???

WHO'S STUPID IDEA WAS THAT???

7 hours later

Ok. It's ok. Have packed all the things Santa and Mum kindly gave me for Christmas. Have left out flip flops and t shirt I set aside months ago. Am incompetent and frazzled. Bodes well for trip. 

T- 1 day

Ho hum. All sorted. Except cash. Will get at airport. And phone. Will sort in country. And life. Hmm. 

Between Major Panic and General Stress I've got the entire goddamn military covered. 

T- 3 hours

In Heathrow about to go through security. Teary goodbye to family and boyfriend. After 12 months of talking the talk, it's time to walk the walk. Geronimo!