I’ve decided not to go to the Streetparade tomorrow. It’s strange – I haven’t missed one since I started going seven years ago, and I even booked my flight accordingly. This would have been my eigth time. But my head and heart are simply elsewhere at the moment, and more and more the Streetparade seemed more like a chore than one of the ‘funnest’ days of the year.

Now I have one day more to get ready and say goodbye to my home, and it feels like the right decision. It was a selfish thing to do, especially on such a short notice, but sometimes being selfish is the only way one can keep on functioning…

I’ve done my laundry this morning and before going to work this afternoon I’ll buy what’s still needed, so I can pack my things tomorrow leisurely. And weigh them, and repack. Several times over probably, until everything is stowed away and doesn’t weigh more than what’s allowed.

(Almost) unrelated to New Zealand: I got my LOTR fanclub membership card and a pretty picture of the Fellowship today. Lovely! 🙂

This summer has broken one record after the other – it’s been unbelievably hot for the last two months. Slowly I’m beginning to seriously look forward to lower temperatures in New Zealand… 🙂

I finished my paper on Sunday – it’s now in Chicago, with my friend Cindy, who’s proofreading the thing for me during her vacation.
Since then I’ve been domestic – my parents are gone, on a two weeks vacation in Cornwall, so my brother and I are on our own and doing household stuff in between complaining about the heat.

I won’t see my parents again until I get back from down under on October 8, which feels kind of weird. Not because of the time, but because they’re not here to see me off and to get on my nerves while I’m preparing.
I think I’ll start packing tomorrow, making a list of things and getting a feel if they can possibly fit into my backpack and handluggage-suitcase. Looking at the enormous mountain of gifts on my floor, chances are slim… *g*

Yesterday I suddenly realized that it’s only a bit more than two weeks until I’m leaving. Gave me quite a fright, that, because I don’t feel anything close to ready — there’s the paper, and the fact that I’ll work almost every evening/afternoon and that there’s still quite a bit left to be done.

So yesterday, instead of writing, I read some of my texts about the Maori, went to the bank to order my foreign currency, emailed Denise, called my insurance company about travel insurance, and started to seriously think about what will happen once I’ve landed in Auckland. And today I’ve made an appointment at my hair dresser’s, booked a hostel in Auckland, inquired about bus connections and fares, and looked up some of the websites recommended in my Lonely Planet (links here, on the right). I’ve decided to stay in Auckland for two nights, because it’s a six-hour bus ride to New Plymouth, so I’d have to stay one night anyway. That way I can at least spend one day there and have a quick look around.

I’m trying very hard not to think of the 15 pages I still have to write and the fact that the teacher in question won’t just accept anything, because she knows exactly what she wants. All this stuff in my schedule is stressing me quite a bit — I’m one of those persons who need empty spaces in their planners, even if the things filling them are exciting and interesting. I need time for myself, else I get all tense and stressed out…

Will take my Salome stuff to work this afternoon and hopefully be able to write a bit there, so I don’t feel so bad about it anymore.

Cindy is leaving for the US tomorrow, the lucky girl!

I for my part am getting the stuff together that I’ll take to the three-day-open-air. Will take the bare minimum and slum it for that time (or, you know, not, if I know me *g*).

Things to pack:
– sleeping bag
– tent
– 2 panties
– 1 pair of socks
– 1 t-shirt and bermudas to sleep in
– 1 rain jacket
– 1 tank top
– essential toiletries (tooth brush, soap, contact lense stuff, sun protection, pain killers, insect-repellant – I feel so decadent listing all of this… *g*)
– 1 small towel
– 1 sun hat
– sun glasses
– ear plugs
– 1 book (because I don’t go anywhere without one)
– food and drink (to be bought tomorrow morning)

Will wear:
– khaki pants
– t-shirt
– woollen jacket
– walking sandals

Won’t take:
– my camera (because I really don’t feel like carrying it with me everywhere for fear of it being stolen)

I think that covers the basics. Tell me if there’s something essential missing!

Oh, almost forgot:
– 1 lock for the tent, so people won’t use it as a toilet

Since summer break has started I’ve been exercising the art of procrastination with zeal.

I just can’t help it, as I have no clue how to fill the 20 pages required in my paper (to which I always refer to as “that darn paper”, short “tdp”). I’ve never been so clueless and helpless and generally unwilling to even give it a try. Only, of course, I don’t really have a choice. Therefore I have resolved to “bite into the sour apple” (=German proverb) and at least try to get something on paper this afternoon.

Hopefully I can turn this into some kind of routine – mornings spend online or doing whatever, afternoons either writing the paper or reading for New Zealand. Admittedly, the latter seems much more tempting, since I’m actually interested in the subject… 🙂

Enough whining.

What did I do instead of writing on tdp? I finished the layout overhaul here, fitting the archives into the theme, for one thing. I also integrated the travel log into the site, and created a new layout for my LiveJournal. Oh, and there’s now a cute Weatherpixie on the woman page, as well as a picture of my best friend Sibylle.

All in all I’ve been playing around with html – I’m getting better and better at adapting the code to my needs.

In not web-related news, I’ve been looking for things to take to NZ as a way of thanks. Not always easy to find things that aren’t horribly cheesy or totally useless… And then there’s the question of how I’ll manage to fit all the gifts plue everything I need for two months into one backpack and one handluggage suitcase. If only I didn’t have to take winter shoes…

But see, I’m whining again. Bad habit, should stop it immediately. 🙂

Much better to look forward to this weekend – a three day open-air near Bern, starring people like Alanis Morissette, Skin, The Cardigans, and many more. My first big open-air concert, with Sibylle – and a tent. As much as I complain about the heat, I still hope that it holds until next Monday.

Because, camping in rain and mud? Not my idea of fun, at all!