Travels and Travails

In the next few weeks I’m likely to be much less regular with notes and updates here. I’ve found that there is so very much to get done and an every shrinking amount of time in which to accomplish everything. I thought the planning and preparation for S. Africa were was hectic, but this is likely to become so much worse.

If all were to go quickly and easily, by the end of October I would be moving out of the current apartment to a new location and job elsewhere in the states. However, I’m beginning to have doubts that all of that- job search, apartment search, packing and moving can be accomplished in only a month. I might yet surprise myself, but it’s more likely that I’ll manage to pack and move into a smaller place (+storage) here in the Phoenix area, while the job search continues then actually move to wherever the job takes me later this year or early in the new year.

The nearer the potential move comes the more chores and tasks that seem to pile up and gain in urgency. There are a lots of things happening with Food Geeking, and I am trying to get it back on track so that it begins to have a regular, reliable schedule. In addition, the feed for it must go live soon, and much recording must be done.

Packing of books has begun, and I hope to have the majority of them packed by the end of next week and move on to paperwork, non-seasonal clothing and SCA gear. Next week is also the week to start the local apartment search, and the job search must be kicked into high gear. It will be a very exhausting and busy month, but I hope to keep on top of the many tasks and commitments I’ve made and keep everything in motion.

Wish me luck,

I’ve promised photos from my stay here in S. Africa, but so far most everything I’ve seen is… well…. rather suburban. This past weekend I went to the local mall- Greenfields and visited a bookstore, purchased the British version of HP and the Deathly Hallows, caught Transformers and ate at an Italian restaurant for lunch/dinner. There one of the few local McDonald’s perhaps a 1/16 of a mile away. While it doesn’t look exactly like the downtown of a typical small to mid-sized American city it really is not much different either.

Worst case, I’ll be getting some pictures of the front garden once we get a warm day, and I’m likely to wander up Van Riebeeck Ave. one (warmer) day soon and take some photos of the local area. I do promise that photos will be forthcoming, I just won’t guarantee anything more fierce, ferocious or furry than some of the birds that inhabit the area.

It’s late Sunday afternoon, and I’m on layover in London, at Heathrow’s terminal 1. Nothing exciting to report beyond a comfortable flight, in an aisle seat with with no other passengers in my row.

Not much to report and otherwise all is good. I should be in S. Africa very early on Monday morning, local time and should be back online regularly starting on Tuesday, but will be at 5 hours ahead of those on the east coast.

Just yesterday and email arrived providing 3 flight options. Each offered different advantages, yet none of them were perfect. It would have wonderful if I could have pulled out the best qualities of each, but that is not the way of the world.

I will be leaving Phoenix on Saturday the 28th of July, with a stopover in London before arriving in S. Africa on July 30th. My return to the states will begin on August 28th, once again stopping in London and reaching Atlanta on the afternoon of Wednesday August 29th.

Then the fun begins- I’ll be in Atlanta most likely until Monday September 3rd- I have yet to purchase the ticket for the return flight, but hope to do that before the weekend is out. This will put me in Atlanta for Dragon*Con. The membership was purchased today, and I have a lead on a hotel room while I’m there, hopefully more details will be forthcoming.

As with all things- the devil is in the details, and I have yet to attend to so very many details.