Sunday 13 May, 2012.

Just gone 1.30 p.m. …Neil has gone to do some shopping and thereafter to chip a few balls at the golf course which suits me well as I prepare rather haphazardly to pack and be organised for leaving for destination unknown tomorrow morning. Still some bills to pay electronically and a few other things to check and tick off –

I pack light – I have the tiniest pouch for a handbag that will contain my credit card, some local currency to change at the airport either here or there, a lipstick or two, a small dainty mirror from Paris which my son Mike brought back for me recently on his European travels, my cell phone, my ID book, a tiny moleskin notebook & pen, a few toothpicks. I will also carry a small and neat backpack which will carry my Kindle, a book, and my travel documents and room enough I hope to stuff my sleeveless jacket into if it is too hot on arrival in Bangkok where last I heard 2 weeks ago that the temperature was at 37 degrees celsius. I am still to check my itinerary but perhaps I can do that on the plane. Actually I am still to double check my departure time …

My luggage is small enough for me to carry on the plane as hand luggage. It is an extra light bag which weighs only 2.3kg. It has wheels and handles …

It all still seems rather unreal to me … Susan and I will be skyping at 4 my time here in Johannesburg, South Africa this afternoon; her time in Phoenix Az will be 7.00 a.m. One more sleep for each of us and then we each set off to meet up in Bangkok on Tuesday …

I am not sure how I feel – in a sense I am on auto-pilot. I think I am organised. It was not nice however waking up in the early hours this morning with a toothache and realising that I have a slightly wobbly crown which is what is causing the toothache. Will I have the courage to phone my dentist this evening and ask him if he would see me very early tomorrow morning? I don’t even know if he is in town .. Once before when I was visiting my sister in Cape Town I had an excruciating tooth ache which required antibiotics. I do NOT want to go through that again in ‘other countries’ – I do have an antibiotic on hand if I need it but I have nearly choked to death before on those bombs … which makes me think that if I need to see a dentist in Thailand, or Vietnam, Laos or Cambodia then so be it ..

Can anything go wrong at this stage? Besides my tooth? I will be re-assured when Davey my younger son lets me know that he has returned safely to Cape Town, from playing a gig in Plettenberg Bay on Friday night. He is on the road as I write. The trip is about 550 kms.

I was watering my garden yesterday afternoon and wondering how it would look on my return. Is there is enough compost, acid compost and potting soil bought by me a few days ago to keep the gardeners busy? I wondered whether this would be the last time I would ever see my garden … morbid silly thoughts but those are the thoughts that I sometimes have – I do not dwell on them but they do enter my mind.

Will I manage without my laptop? Should I take my cell phone and buy a chip for it in those foreign countries so that I can sms the family and let them know that I am alright?  How will it be in a foreign country? What if .. what if .. what if … but there comes a time when I say to myself amongst my usual angst, to take it as it comes, take it as it comes and hope that Providence will be on my side and the future awaits!  May the future be bright for you!

 

37 Comments on eve of departure

  2. I was exploring the internet for some info since yesterday night and I at last found what i was looking for! This is a wonderful site by the way, but it seems to be a slight difficult to see from my i phone.

  15. Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice even though you amend your site, how could i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a acceptable deal. I had been a bit bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept

    • Thank you Edelina! Am back from travels now and have been posting. I will check yr website as soon as I can. All best, Susan

    • Thank you Christiana! Yes time is always a something! I will look into yr website when time permits. Am just back from my travels and have been posting. All best, Susan

  18. Good luck ma, and safe travels! Will be thinking of you, hope the tande gets sorted. Cool beans & have an awesome time.

  20. Thank you fir taking the time and sharing a bit of yourself with the reading world,,it was interesting to read and always a comfort to read how others suffer a lot of the same as i do, or did, when i was traveling a lot. Resign yourself to this fact, you will forget something.
    Try not to worry but do be diligent, watchful and BeSafe please,,aside from all f that try to enjoy some of your time..looking forward to reading all about it..

    • Hello Ted thought I’d drop you a line from Cambodia. Will be home this weekend. Took yr words to heart about being diligent and careful! The trip has been great .. Thank you for yr kind words. All best, Susan

Comments are closed.