I have left from home quite a few times by now, but this time it seems a lot scarier. I have moved to another country to study when I was 19. I have gone travelling solo before. Maybe I'm getting old?
It has been a lovely morning with my parents; a long cup of tea with a cryptic crossword. It couldn't be safer than this! I've found myself regretting that I'm leaving behind a couple of knitting projects that I didn't even have time to start, and that I'm missing the next episode of Inspector Lewis. Maybe I really am getting old!
In less than an hour I'm off. I packed already yesterday and I'm convinced that there is not enough stuff in my 15 kg rucksack, but I still would like to make it a lot lighter. I'm planning to chuck away a pair of shoes and some papers after the conferences, but I don't think it will make it that much lighter. There's always the option of building up more muscle to make carrying it easier.
Right, off I go!
Saturday, 14 August 2010
Thursday, 12 August 2010
Travel preparations
Two days left before I leave from home, and I am N-E-R-V-O-U-S! I know I feel comfortable in the big European cities, but the idea of a big Chinese city makes me scared. And somehow the conferences with lots of westeners and people I know don't make me feel any better about going to China. Mainly because I haven't yet prepared my talk properly.
The to-do list has been getting shorter and shorter.
Deciding which clothes to take with me - tick.
Permithrin treating said clothes - tick.
Noticing that there isn't enough permitrhin to treat even half of them - tick.
Deciding I'm taking too much clothes and that I can trow some away after the conference - tick.
Deciding that if I'm not feeling happy travelling alone in China I can always fly back to west - tick.
Sufficient amounts of Chinese yuans and USDs - tick.
Learning that one cannot buy travellers cheques anymore -tick.
Getting more Chinese yuans and USDs - tick.
Travel insurance - tick.
Printing out maps and names of hotels and conference venues in Chinese - tick.
Copying passport and other papers - tick.
Checking the most recent disasters in China and marking them to my map - tick.
Realising that I cannot get to facebook from China - tick.
Realising that I might not be able to update this blog from China - tick.
Realising that I might not get to my email from China - tick.
Finishing off work stuffs that have been on my to do list for months - tick.
Baking my mum a birthday cake - tick.
Knitting a pair of socks - tick.
Updating this blog - tick.
Postponing the realisation that I'm going to go to China on my own soon - tick.
Postponing presentation practise - tick.
What I've got left is:
Preparing my talk for Shanghai
Finding a job for the time after travels (eek!)
Packing my rucksack
Actually leaving the house!
The to-do list has been getting shorter and shorter.
Deciding which clothes to take with me - tick.
Permithrin treating said clothes - tick.
Noticing that there isn't enough permitrhin to treat even half of them - tick.
Deciding I'm taking too much clothes and that I can trow some away after the conference - tick.
Deciding that if I'm not feeling happy travelling alone in China I can always fly back to west - tick.
Sufficient amounts of Chinese yuans and USDs - tick.
Learning that one cannot buy travellers cheques anymore -tick.
Getting more Chinese yuans and USDs - tick.
Travel insurance - tick.
Printing out maps and names of hotels and conference venues in Chinese - tick.
Copying passport and other papers - tick.
Checking the most recent disasters in China and marking them to my map - tick.
Realising that I cannot get to facebook from China - tick.
Realising that I might not be able to update this blog from China - tick.
Realising that I might not get to my email from China - tick.
Finishing off work stuffs that have been on my to do list for months - tick.
Baking my mum a birthday cake - tick.
Knitting a pair of socks - tick.
Updating this blog - tick.
Postponing the realisation that I'm going to go to China on my own soon - tick.
Postponing presentation practise - tick.
What I've got left is:
Preparing my talk for Shanghai
Finding a job for the time after travels (eek!)
Packing my rucksack
Actually leaving the house!
Saturday, 7 August 2010
China, the promised land of scientific conferences
A gap year in Asia has been a dream for a long time, but now that it's around the corner (take off is in a week!), I'm getting scared. What if I can't cope with the different cultures? 
And what if I don't like it? I guess it is worth finding out!
The travel preparations are almost done: I got my visa for China, some local currency, flights booked and rucksack mentally packed. What I'm still missing is travel insurance and set of slides to present my work at conferences in Shanghai and Beijing. Obviously all good gap years start off with a couple of work-engagements, preferably ones where you need to dress up smart and present yourself nicely in the hopes of finding a future employer... So the packing list includes a fresh pile of CVs and some nicer clothes too!
In a week, I'll be boarding a plane to Moscow, where I'll change into an Aeroflot plane to Shanghai. The flights were about £200 cheaper that way, but now I'm starting to worry about them cancelling or re-routing my flights due to the forest fires in Moscow area. Hopefully I will make it to Shanghai in relatively good time, as the conference starts two days after my planned arrival date. Also, I'm hoping to get those two days for sight-seeing Shanghai and visiting the Expo as kind sponsors have already donated me tickets! The Shanghai conference is a satellite meeting for the big Beijing conference, but it is the specific field I worked with for my PhD and I'm really pleased to give an oral presentation in a meeting where mainly group leaders are presenting. After a week in Shanghai, I'm taking a 12-hour sleeper train to Beijing for more science fun. The Beijing conference is probably the biggest one in the field, so it will be lots of interesting talks and lots of people to meet!
After Beijing, I'm not too certain where I will be heading. My visa allows me to stay 2x 30 days, so maybe I will spend the first 30 days in the Beijing area and then do a trip to Mongolia. I'm expecting my travel companion to catch up with me at the beginning of October, so I maybe I'm aiming to start my second stay in China then, and we could travel southwards together from Beijing (or wherever it is the cheapest for him to fly to). The general travel plan is to go with the wind. I think we'll end up spending a fair amount of time in the South Eastern Asia after China, but nothing's certain yet!
And what if I don't like it? I guess it is worth finding out!The travel preparations are almost done: I got my visa for China, some local currency, flights booked and rucksack mentally packed. What I'm still missing is travel insurance and set of slides to present my work at conferences in Shanghai and Beijing. Obviously all good gap years start off with a couple of work-engagements, preferably ones where you need to dress up smart and present yourself nicely in the hopes of finding a future employer... So the packing list includes a fresh pile of CVs and some nicer clothes too!
In a week, I'll be boarding a plane to Moscow, where I'll change into an Aeroflot plane to Shanghai. The flights were about £200 cheaper that way, but now I'm starting to worry about them cancelling or re-routing my flights due to the forest fires in Moscow area. Hopefully I will make it to Shanghai in relatively good time, as the conference starts two days after my planned arrival date. Also, I'm hoping to get those two days for sight-seeing Shanghai and visiting the Expo as kind sponsors have already donated me tickets! The Shanghai conference is a satellite meeting for the big Beijing conference, but it is the specific field I worked with for my PhD and I'm really pleased to give an oral presentation in a meeting where mainly group leaders are presenting. After a week in Shanghai, I'm taking a 12-hour sleeper train to Beijing for more science fun. The Beijing conference is probably the biggest one in the field, so it will be lots of interesting talks and lots of people to meet!
After Beijing, I'm not too certain where I will be heading. My visa allows me to stay 2x 30 days, so maybe I will spend the first 30 days in the Beijing area and then do a trip to Mongolia. I'm expecting my travel companion to catch up with me at the beginning of October, so I maybe I'm aiming to start my second stay in China then, and we could travel southwards together from Beijing (or wherever it is the cheapest for him to fly to). The general travel plan is to go with the wind. I think we'll end up spending a fair amount of time in the South Eastern Asia after China, but nothing's certain yet!
Wherever I May Roam
And the road becomes my bride
I have stripped of all but pride
So in her I do confide
And she keeps me satisfied
Gives me all I need
And with dust in throat I crave
Only knowledge will I save
To the game you stay a slave
Roamer, wanderer
Nomad, vagabond
Call me what you will
Metallica - Wherever I May Roam
I have stripped of all but pride
So in her I do confide
And she keeps me satisfied
Gives me all I need
And with dust in throat I crave
Only knowledge will I save
To the game you stay a slave
Roamer, wanderer
Nomad, vagabond
Call me what you will
Metallica - Wherever I May Roam
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