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There are only 27 days to go. I must not panic...I must remain calm.
I am back at work today after a long weekend away with Clare to visit my family, it was great to get away as it's been a very long week with far too much stress!
Firstly, my second income has been stopped as the management, in their infinite wisdom, decided that I must be stealing from them as I'm leaving and there has been some dodgy goings-on with the tills. I have not been so angry in a really long time. I am angry that I have been accused of something would never even think about doing, angry that my plan has been jeopardised and angry that Clare and all my friends have to listen to me prattle on about it for hours on end about 'the injustice' of it all.
I have mostly sorted it out though through the disciplinary hearing I had last wednesday where they showed me the 'evidence' they had gathered which to me looked suspiciously like hard work. I handed in my resignation letter before the hearingas a ahow of protest too and they said they'd pay me for the shift I missed and all the holiday pay I'm owed. They also asked me to reconsider my resignation by the end of it as I'm 'one of their best staff'....I was most confused by the whole experience and have vowed not to work for them again as my little stressed head can't put itself through working in a place where I'm accused of such things. So I'm a bit worried about money now... I was relying on those wages to live on for the next few weeks and now I'm eating into my spending money... I'll have to work something out!
Going home was really great though, entirely more relaxed than Christmas at home and it was nice to present Clare to my family so they know she's not devoid of her sensibilities... But it was also really sad leaving them behind at the airport, knowing they're going to worry so much about me, even though I'm an adult who has managed to look after herself (mostly) for a few years now...
We're getting travel insurance htis week, I've finally made Clare start looking for the best deal as I'm sick of the sight of the small print. Plus we're getting the Oz Working Holiday Visas...I hope!
Money money money! I must check that lottery ticket I bought on Saturday...

Part two of my blog and one week on from booking tickets. Things have progressed, I am now vaccinated for Hepititis A & B and Dyptheria. In four weeks time I will have my Hep A & B boosters plus my Tetanus & Polio shots... Malaria tablets are also on my mind as the nurse kindly informed me that they are a private prescription and that I had best shop around for the best price... Asda is apparently quite cheap however, I may need to remortgage my imaginary house to be able to afford a 3 month supply as they are £2.50 a tablet and you have to take them daily! I think I'm more appreciative of living in a non-malaria zone now....

Travel Insurance - not quite got this one sorted, possibly due to still being in recovering mode from the price of the tablets, however Global Village who we have bought our tickets through seem to have a fairly reasonable price. Then again, I'm not sure of all the small print and if it's better to go for slightly more expensive cover just in case! AND no insurer will pay for drunken accidents which I find obviously outrageous and a matter for concern....

Still massively looking forward to going home in a couple of weeks to see my family with Clare. It will be an interesting experience I'm sure because Clare is terrified that she will laugh at everyone's accent (Northern Irish) and we all know she can't handle more than two double vodkas....

The fund saving has not really gone to plan mostly because I spent all my money on the ticket and I'm now praying for Friday and my wages from working in the pub (even though it'll only be £100) just so I can have a little bit of independence instead of asking to borrow cash from Clare...I'm also hoping that I continue to get lots of shifts, even if working 50-60 hours a week in almost killing me and is making me more grumpy than usual!

This week is also, the kick-start of the health regime that I've decided is needed to get me as fit as possible before attempting to lug around a huge backpack flled with unneccassaries which will be discarded as soon as I realise how ridiculous it is having to carry around pointless clothing/shoes/books/the kitchen sink. I have given myself 5 weeks of fat-burning in the gym to ensure than donning a bikini will not be an entirely shameful experience (I think my idea of bulking up before I go away to avoid wasting away to nothing was possibly the worst idea I've ever had!).

Jobs for the remaining time:
Seriously get round to sorting out Insurance, possibly with the help of an 'adult' who knows about such things...
Work my socks off
Try not to have any accidents between now and the end of March
Organise some sort of leaving party!

So far this week I have spent £1500 on a ticket, packed up Clare's belongings into many heavy boxes (I blame the shoes!), carried said heavy boxes, resigned from work....and freaked out a little bit!
Now comes the hard part...the intricate details of planning the trip! We have the flights booked and an estimate of how long we're staying each country but as for how we're doing things and where's good to go, we're a bit clueless...I like to think of it as being a blank canvas, in that we will have a clearer idea once we are....wherever we are at that point in time.
Also, a determined effort in fund management has been implemented! No more going out randomly after work....no more takeaways...no more taxis! I will have money, I will have money I will have money! Although I would LOVE some secret benefactor to come along and help me out....or to win the lottery! Not too much, I'm not greedy. Just enough to make life a little simpler and less stressful. Maybe I'll add a little paypal button so any donations can be lodged easily??! Maybe that's just wishful thinking!
So.....the next steps:
Wednesday 4pm - a visit to the nurse who will pump me full of vaccines and over charge me for malaria tablets!
Sometime this week - arrange travel insurance
1st March - fly to Belfast and see my family with Clare and try not to let them get too scared.
Sometime in between - have a leaving party!
21st/25th March - leave work for good! Clare leaves Newcastle to go home to London
25th/26th March - leave Newcasle to go and stay in London until departure
PACK!
31st March - Go to Heathrow and fly to Singapore!