Farewell
party and final preparations
Posted on: 19 December 2009
Latest news from Africa - they've
changed the term dates! Not only
that, but they've brought them forward,
and by a whole month
to 7th December - fancy starting term two weeks before Christmas. So
having put my departure on hold in order to be there for a whole term,
I will now miss several weeks after all. I did try to move my departure
date forward, but, although I could have been ready to go on the 14th
Nov, in the end it turned out there weren't any available fights, so
it's back to Plan A - flight out on 01/01/10, weather and Unite allowing!.
Farewell
party
Three
cheers for the Altrincham Garrick, though, who let me use their bar for
a farewell party and fund raiser on 27th November. Huge thanks to
everyone who came and donated money and raffle prizes, and special
thanks to Sylvia who manned the bar and arranged the buffet. £142.79
was raised for Ripple Africa, and a good time was had by all.
(Donations to Ripple Africa can still be made at http://www.justgiving.com/DavesAfricanGapYear)
And
now the little terraced cottage where I have lived for 25 years
stands empty, awaiting its new tenant. Although a lot of stuff has gone
in the attic and the cellar, much more has been sold, given away or
scrapped, including things dating as far back as my student days. I'm sure
it's a good thing to have a clear out, but I expect I will be saying
"whatever happened to so-n-so?" for many years to come. Most of the
furniture has gone on the tip. I feel as if I am being pulled up by the
roots. It's a scary moment - I feel almost
homeless, knowing that whatever happens I can't live in my house for a
year, and that when I do move back in I will be starting from scratch
again with an empty house - having spent 25 years getting it the way I
want it! I'm even going to lose my telephone number - BT bless 'em,
can't offer me any way to reserve it - I can't even transfer the
account to the tenant. So much for modern technology. It may seem
a small thing, but you get attached to a phone number after that length
of time. Still, this is one of the reasons for doing this gap year, to
give my life a damn good shake up - no pain no gain, as they say.
Christmas will be spent with my parents (who think I am mad but are
nevertheless being very supportive), and then on 1st Jan I will be off,
with everything I need for twelve months in Africa reduced to 23Kg and stuffed into a single rucksack.
The next page in this travelogue will be written in Malawi.
