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!