It's been a few weeks since the travel plans were booked and paid for, the excitement has died down somewhat, the Japanese and French phrasebooks are sitting on the shelf gathering dust already...how does one maintain that sense of excitement until you leave.

Zo's got one approach, that seems to work for her. It involves a lack of preparation (or so it seems from my perspective; and as anyone that knows her would know, Zo is someone that never goes into anything under prepared). Whereas I'm reading all the guidebooks and scouring the internet for resources and advice, Zo is getting on with the little details of her life as a teacher, and newlywed. I think she's getting a bit sick of me running up to her all excited saying "when we're in japan we can stay at an onsen" or "Helsinki will be pretty near pitch black all day". She doesn't want to get all excited, and then be disappointed when things don't live up to her expectations.

Actually I think it'll be easy to maintain the excitement. I've never been bitten by the travel bug before, the furthest from home I've been is Rottnest Island, I still have not got my passport, although I promised Libby that she could be the one to sign the back of my photo.

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In other news, I bought a car. A red Honda Civic I have christened "Jane Fonda".


I aim to get a little picture of Barbarella laminated to place on the front dashboard, or in one of the side windows.