There's a saying, a bit management-speak but here goes anyway: "Perfect planning prevents p***-poor performance." Any trip requires some preparation (or should do!) so it stands to reason that a big trip probably needs quite a bit of preparation. But, not one to be constrained by conventional wisdom and the like, I went my own way. Three days before leaving the country(/continent!) I still hadn't finished moving out of my house, changed addresses with all those boring organisations (you know, banks, etc.) arranged final bills or got a backpack! However, don't be misled that this first post is starting on a negative. Far from it! The message is that success can emerge from even the most (admittedly, self-engineered) hopeless circumstances. After all, I had managed to make sure I had a passport, choose destinations where I didn't need to arrange a visa in advance, booked my ticket and even had the remarkable foresight to put some clothes to one side before moving out, which was a good thing because all the rest of my possesions then ended up in 101 anonymous looking boxes and bags.
And so here I am, congratulating myself on success in the midst of chaos, and with the first destination on my trip already behind me (New York). I'm now in LA, it's hot outside (yes, HOT) and I'm looking forward to flying to the Cook Islands tomorrow. More on NY and LA in a later post though.
For now, the summary is this. My trip has begun. It's working. It's happening. Hurrah!
Well... perfection is boring anyway!
11 comments:
Well it must be said you spent plenty of time doing nothing in preparation from what I saw, all the more reason to congratulate you on being lucky enough to sort everything in 3 days. The relationship between this and a certain brother of yours leaving things to the last minute is remarkably uncharacteristic. Glad to hear you "Escaped from New York" and have joined the LA set for a short while at least. Got your text as you were on the way to Heathrow thanks. Keep the British end up in the Cook Isles!! TTFN
Great to hear that you're on your way and as Craig said, changing the habit of a lifetime by not planning everything to the nth degree. Go to go with the flow for a real adventure!
Given the temperature in LA, I'm sure you'll be please to hear that we woke to a light covering of slush in Derby this morning. Will you be posting some pictures from your travels too?
The Bristol Crew is online and watching your every move - not on the "follow this blog" though as all the instructions seem to be in German.
Oh dear. I have just realised that this will reveal my blogging alter ego to all my coleagues :(
Aha, have now created a blog account so that I can message you on here. Save you going back and forth between this and email.
xxxx
John, greetings from sunny Singapore. Are you planning on coming to the Far East on your trip ?
Cheers
Chris Bettridge
Ahh hello John....
I assume you have been living it up on the beach today on a remote island with sun sea and sand?? Comtrast that to sitting undercover in a Skoda all night, freezing cold, snacking on pringles, as i hunt for Mansfield's most wanted burglars......... Yes Yes i know you are jealous...........
Hi John dont worry too much about the planning as that other well known saying goes about the best laid plans and all that lol...
So you are now in New Zealand hey? Don't forget, you only have 14 days to get acquainted with a Kiwi family in the hope that they will invite you to Christmas dinner! Happy hunting.
xxx
Good read John, very entertaining! Glad you are having a great time, sounds excellent!
To avoid any confusion, I should probably say Kermit is Ian Reynolds!!
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