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Indonesian Travel Journal: How to Pack

by Orlando 12/29/2009 - 10:34 pm   |

Step 1: Wake up early, determined to finish packing up at least one room.

Step 2: Check email.

Step 3: Check Dagblog.

Step 4: Check Facebook.

Step 5: Read news.

Step 6: Shower.

Step 7: Head next door to see what the family is up to. (Wii!)

Step 8: Play Lego Star Wars on the Wii

Step 9: Play Just Dance on the Wii (FREAKING AWESOME!)

Step 10: Have lunch with a friend you won't see for a couple years at least.

Step 11: Get home from lunch determined to finish the room by dinner.

Step 12: Order some shoes online.

Step 13: Go to the post office.

Step 14: Get a pedicure.

Step 15: Drive a half hour to see a newly-born member of the family.

Step 16: Drive back.

Step 17: Stop by the doctor's office to get a tetanus shot.

Step 18: Get home and go next door to see what the family cooked for dinner.

Step 19: Eat with the family and then watch some television.

Step 20: Return home to go to bed, determined to wake up early and finish at least one room.

I figure if I can sustain this schedule for 13 more days, I won't actually have to pack. It's a strategy that's working for me so far.

Orlando, good for you!  Living abroad is an adventure that will stay with you always.  I'm not saying it will be easy, or even that you won't have "your days."  I look forward to your blogs, and am sure you will have insightful observations for all of us.

Go well, and enjoy!

Jan.  (CVille Dem)

 

 

by CVille Dem 1/2/2010 - 7:17 pm

Thanks, C'ville. It's my second time living overseas, so I'm prepared for the "days", as you say. Last time, there was no internet, so at least homesickness can be mitigated by not having to wait two stinking weeks for a letter! How did we even live back then?

by Orlando 1/2/2010 - 11:32 pm (re: CVille Dem)
Wow, you must be so giddy/excited/exhausted :) I won't be able to take vacation for the first 6 months at the new job, but FYI I am sooo coming to visit. Happy packing!
by dijamo 1/3/2010 - 10:42 pm
Giddy, exhausted, and, as of this morning, totally freaked out. Why do we have to have endings before we can having beginnings? Endings suck. As for your visit, I'm counting on it (and congrats on the new job!). I've heard Jakarta isn't all that great for tourism, so you pick: Bali or Borneo?
by Orlando 1/4/2010 - 8:13 pm (re: dijamo)

One more week, Orlando. Turn off the TV, put down the sudoku, and stop replying to dagblog comments; those bags won't pack themselves.

Do have a safe trip, and write when you finally catch your breath. Godspeed.

by acanuck 1/5/2010 - 6:22 pm (re: Orlando)

The bags won't pack themselves, but strangely the kitchen will. Or at least the person you hire when you finally break down and realize you're never going to pack your kitchen will.

As for the rest of it, I have one more trip to Goodwill and then my family can come fight over the rest of the furniture. As of Thursday, it's time to see what will fit in those two ginormous suitcases and how much of the rest I can stuff into my laptop bag and ginormous purse.

by Orlando 1/5/2010 - 9:52 pm (re: acanuck)
I've had it with this cold freeze in NYC. The Canadians are sending down their cold air again. Jakarta sounds nice, but Bali sounds better :) *practicing my contortionist skills to fit into ginormous suitcase*
by dijamo 1/6/2010 - 8:53 am (re: Orlando)

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