Posts made in March, 2010

London!!

Posted by Ben on Mar 29, 2010 | 5 comments

So first things first, after spending hours on end trying to get my suitcase to 20kg, I managed it. Donal didn’t bother and what a move that was, he checked his in at 25.6kg and the lady didn’t second glance!!

The flight from Sydney to Singapore was pretty good. I had one beer and got ‘altitude pissed’, Donal had 3 even though I distinctly heard him ask for water.

Every time I tried to sleep, Donal would poke me in the eye ball (with his finger) to wake me up. We ended up getting into a wrestling match which probably wasn’t a great idea on a plane these days, we could’ve been shot.

Meanwhile the guy next to me was fighting back vomit the entire eight hours until the landing where his stomach could no longer accommodate what his head wanted and he vomited pretty heavily into one of those shitty little aeroplane bags they give you. Pretty sure Donal and I were the first to get off cattle class even though we were at the back of the plane.

D-Day!

Posted by Ben on Mar 27, 2010 | 0 comments

Well after months of craziness – D-Day finally arrived.

Today I woke at the crack of dawn and went straight into overdrive, reading, re-reading and re-checking all the final items on my (massive) to-do list.

Packed my bags and was stunned to find I was 15kgs overweight. Spent the next 2 hours denying, rationalising, compromising, and finally deciding which of the must-haves should be converted to nice-to-haves – let me tell you when you’re going away for anything from 8 months to ??? – EVERYTHING is a must-have. Finally after much prompting, encouragement and finally bullying from Dad & Paul, I hit the target with little time to spare before it was time to leave.

So in 15 minutes I’ll be off to the airport and I won’t see this blog or Facebook for quite a few days – maybe weeks! My Dad’s been laughing at the prospect of me not having anybody to send text messages to over the coming weeks – he reckons I’ll come out in a nervous rash – he might be right.

I’ll post about my outward journey the first chance I get once I’m in London and settled – until then, a final thought before I close this entry – BRING IT ON!!

Readers Beware

Posted by Ben on Mar 16, 2010 | 5 comments

So it’s been pointed out that maybe my posts are becoming a bit too philosophical. I guess that’s just the learning process at work. Another issue has been “why have you started a travel blog before you leave?” Well obviously I won’t just land in London and suddenly know how to run a website will I? So right now I’m practicing and learning before I’m outta here and can’t get any help if I screw up – and lemme tell you there’s a lot more to it than you’d think.

Like I said I’ve copped some shit recently because I’m blogging in ‘too much depth’. Hmmm – well first off, if I really was typing in too much detail, you’d hear stories like “I just drank some vegetable juice that had an increase in vitamin C”. I suppose I’ve been writing here like I wrote my 4 unit english paper, so maybe I need to use a bit more ‘slang’ – mate. Nah, that sounds crap – can’t do it that way so if you really want shallow Hal posts…too bad. (kidding! ) But where are all the feedback comments?

Secondly, Paul, Woods, Gomes and all you other chumpoids who want to criticise my creative masterpiece – be aware that the power of blogging is immense. If you guys aren’t careful, get ready to have all 6 of the people who read this blog (Ash Tuttle, Erin, some guy called Sam (dunno who this is), my brothers and myself) find out all your dirty little secrets. I’m sure I could find something, somewhere to embarrass the hell out of you.

if you want…

Posted by Ben on Mar 12, 2010 | 3 comments

A lot of people have questioned why I have begun writing weeks out from leaving, a lot having nothing to do with my travels. Well, if you’ve noticed that then you’re reading the blog and that is exactly what I’m after.

So here is another post that doesn’t have direct information about my day to day travel – because I haven’t left yet, but an update on the relevance of the lead up. I’m sure you find it somewhat interesting otherwise you wouldn’t be reading what I am writing right now. So I will continue on.

I’m now hours out from the two week mark and I can tell you I’m feeling pretty out of it. I think I’m overwhelmed by all these new emotions; I kinda feel like I’m never entirely with it. This is tough when I have so much to do.

An addiction?

Posted by Ben on Mar 9, 2010 | 3 comments

Is it possible I’m going to be spending more time on my damn blog than I will be exploring new countries? Probably. This thing has become an addiction, an obsession. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them. I’m extremely stressed at the moment. My head feels like it’s going to explode! I have written lists, with pages of content and it has done nothing. There is just so much to do. My brother is going to Africa for 3 weeks and he’s stressing. I don’t know if I’ll ever call Sydney home again, so I need to try and tie off as many ends as possible, just in case.

No, I will call Sydney home. I love this place WAY too much. But the Hills District? Probably not. I spent a lot of time yesterday in Kensington and Neutral Bay where I managed to get a sweet deal on a Samsonite suitcase from ‘Peter’s of Kensington’ (great store) for $222 reduced from $360, its 98 litres and only weights 4.6kg. Ha-ha, I just realised its now ‘out of stock’, I must have managed to nick the last one, score!

This is Irrelevant

Posted by Ben on Mar 7, 2010 | 0 comments

Friday night was fine, quiet, boring. Saturday, well f**k me – why do I do it to myself? I ruin my Sunday’s every weekend. But it’s so worth it. Just like to thank Kelly for putting on a great party, I think I will blame her entirely for the way I am feeling today. I probably should consider my health as I already have a sickness which has crippled my immune system. Whatever.

The party was at the same place as mine, it’s very nice. I may consider it as our going away party, just joking; no more sporto – ever. I danced a lot and ate a lot of the food. I then chatted up my bartender from last week – Blake, who hooked me up with small glass tequilas, as they apparently don’t do any shots. I think what they should say is that they don’t do any shot glasses. So once again from about 10pm onwards I kinda go blank. I am getting good at this, not remembering my nights. It’s probably a good thing.

Today I felt sharp enough to go to the gym and complete 4 sets of bench until I almost barfed on Simon while he almost barfed on me. It was great or pointless. I took some powerade and went and played tennis and won – somehow. I dunno what I will be doing tonight, I probably should’ve posted this blog later just so I had more to talk about but I’m bored now so there we go.

The Plan #3

Posted by Ben on Mar 5, 2010 | 4 comments

I thought it best I put in a separate post for what I THINK I’m going to be doing after my European trip. Hopefully within the first few weeks (including the week we arrive) we’ll have sorted out a place to stay and a place to work. I think we could stay with Donal’s Aunty again for a short period but I think I’d probably prefer my own place, for my sake and for his Auntie’s.

I’m hoping to get a simple job to begin with, something that involves bartending work or any job that will be quick and easy to grab and maybe even potentially have included food and living arrangements. All part of the fun right?!

So from roughly around the 22nd-23rd of April until the beginning of July, I’ll have the ability to earn some pounds so I can go travelling again with my mates. I’ve booked a tour again with top deck from the 4th of July to the 9th of July where I’ll be just running my arse off trying to get away from a bunch of angry bulls charging down narrows streets [link], not a big deal. I’m only just terrified of the thought just four months out!! Here we hop on a coach in London and travel down to Spain; we have a day stop in San Sebastian where we have a tour guide to show us around the town before we head off to Pamplona for a day tour before the opening ceremony (“The Fiesta San Fermin”) begins.

The Plan #2

Posted by Ben on Mar 5, 2010 | 5 comments

This is when the real partying begins!

Saturday April 3rd – at 7am we meet at a local hostel in central London and are introduced to our group, our guide, our driver, our chef and our tour. We’re off on our topdeck tour for 20 days around Europe! We have 19 breakfasts, 8 lunches, 13 dinners, 4 nights hotel upgrades, 6 nights in hostels, 8 nights in bungalows at European campsites, 1 night in an Austrian Gasthof (castle/tavern I believe) included in our tour. English Channel ferry crossings, the coach has air con (thank god), guides in certain cities and tours around all major cities.

The Plan #1

Posted by Ben on Mar 4, 2010 | 5 comments

I figured I needed to provide all my loyal followers (no one ) with some info on how my plans are going to be unfolding while I’m overseas. I’ll give you a rough itinerary or outline of what the big man (Donal) and I are going to be doing almost day-by-day for the first few weeks of our trip. Please, feel free to comment on my posts and search the site. Any feedback would be fantastic. I think my Dad has done a great job creating this website for me which allows people who care about my progress to follow my every move, well almost (if you get my drift).

OK, so here we go. We fly out from Kingsford-Smith (Sydney – I don’t even know why the airport is called this) on Saturday 27th March 2010 at 4pm with Singapore airlines, where we spend a few hours in Singapore (four hours I believe). We need to be at the international terminal at least three hours beforehand to check luggage in, calm the nerves and have a beer. We arrive in Heathrow (quote me if I’m wrong Donal) on the 28th of March 2010 at 5am where either Donal’s Aunty will be picking us up, or we’ll catch a bus to our known location.

Car for Sale!

Posted by Ben on Mar 3, 2010 | 1 comment

The time draws nearer until my departure, and the excitement and intensity is building. However, I’m so busy right now I don’t have a lot of time to think about it. I have been furthering my plans, the cancellations have begun, I have already said my goodbye’s to the people I know I won’t see again before I leave, but one of my biggest challenges is the selling of car!

It is a white 1997 Hyundai Sonata GLE and it is in pretty good nick. There is a bit of a scratch on the rear left hand door, a couple of the electric windows only go half way down but that is about the only faults the car has. It’s done 179,000 kms; engine works well – however, rego expires on the 19th of March. Not to worry though, because I am selling the car very cheap – $3000, because I need to get rid of it before I leave overseas. It is insured for $6300, maybe I should just go burn it in a field in Mount Druitt…Just kidding!

On your marks…

Posted by Ben on Mar 2, 2010 | 0 comments

It’s finally beginning to sink in. For months and months the only emotions I have felt are excitement, happiness and joy. Now, 3 and a half weeks out from my long awaited trip comes other, new emotions such as apprehension, nervousness and worry. I suppose these emotions are still all positive because they epitomise the complexity and vastness of what I’m about to embark on. I have never lived a day where I haven’t called my parents house ‘home’ and now all of a sudden, I’m not only just moving out, I’m moving out and going across to the other side of the world! I won’t have the daily support, the daily security or anyone to fall back on and ask to help solve the problems that I’m going to face over the next few months or even years.

As scared and nervous as I am, I’m also excited not only to be travelling and seeing new and fantastic places, I’m looking forward to messing up, making wrong decisions and getting myself into situations that will baffle and confuse me, just so I can get myself out of them and learn to deal with these problems alone. I really think this journey that I’m about to take will help me to become a better person. I won’t be shielded by the comforts of the bubble that I live in right now; I’ll be living a very open and scary life that could and will bring about so many opportunities and stories, all which I cannot wait to share with you guys who follow my journey!

A night to remember (wasn’t it?!)

Posted by Ben on Mar 1, 2010 | 0 comments

Seeing as this is my first blog post ever I thought it best I begin by trying to reminisce about my 21st birthday party on Friday 26th February. For the week leading up to the party I couldn’t walk, not because of excitement, not because I had gone too hard at the gym but because I had been back slammed by a stomach virus which had me best friends with my mattress followed closely by the toilet. I probably should’ve invited them to my party in hindsight; it would have made the place look a bit more packed.

It was in fact really worrying, here I am two days out from my party stressing about the fact I couldn’t even stand without feeling dizzy, let alone being able to drink or dance. I contemplated taking a pillow that I could have used to have a nap every once in a while. I took lots of vitamins, lots of pain killers and decided to grit it out because I mean, how often do you get to have a 21st birthday? Once I got all dressed and showered and got my mind on something else the sickness seemed to ease up A LOT and I was relieved, the stress went and I just wanted to have a good night.