less than a week...

less than a week.

A fucking week!

Holy shit it's come about very fast.

3 weeks

This time, in 3 weeks, I'll be coming to the end of my first flight, and be touching down in Chicago ready for the next flight to Winnipeg.

Nothing more needs to be done.

It's all a waiting game now.

Get ready Winnipeg...

1 month

And I think I have everything together! I bought some noise-cancelling headphones for the rather long flights I've got to take, train tickets all booked and ready to go. equipment tested and trial-packed in my suitcase. My sister also lent me this amazing hat (see reference picture) and she's promised to take me shopping for some more ski pants.

I hear in Winnipeg that it's snowed around 40cm already - the most snow fall in fourteen years - but I'm not scared! Nothing could scare me, even the ghastly plane changes and waiting around in airports by myself.

In all honesty, it's the travelling that'll be the scary part, once I get there I have someone very special to meet me to take me where I need to go.

I can't wait. I'm coming for you, Winnipeg, like it or not...

5 weeks...

About 5 weeks left.

And it's still as exciting as it was when I booked my tickets back in August.

I've been waiting for nearly 11 weeks, and now I've only got 5 weeks left to wait. Better yet, that means only 25 days at work, which makes me a very happy bunny.

Not much really to report as far as organising stuff goes - because it's all pretty much organised! I think the only thing left is to renew my railcard, which will take 2 minutes at the rail station.

It's hard not to bounce off the walls. I pray to whoever controls that weather up there to keep it nice and still on my travel days. I cannot wait to see everybody at the other side. Especially my dear friend Scott.

xXx

6 weeks to go...am I ready?

I think I've done everything. Everything I can do before the big day. I've thoroughly enjoyed packing and re-packing my suitcase, making sure everything fits, buying a new cosmetic bag, collecting all my travel documents together, even down to buying a travelcard for when I travel down to London the day before.

My coat however, has changed. I decided it would be wiser to buy a snow coat rather than just a thick one, so I found an absolute steal on Amazon and love it. I wear it everywhere.

My sisters have been amazingly helpful too, my elder sister has bought me gloves to wear under your proper gloves, which will be very helpful in minus 20 degrees Centigrade. *weep*.

I also have very furry boots that are good down to minus 40, so equipment-wise: I'm ready.
Travel documents: I'm ready.
Emotionally: I'm ready.

Just got to wait for that damn clock to hurry the hell up...

You'd think I was going to the arctic....

My sisters do like to worry, and although I understand how cold it will be when I get there, my sister seems to think I'm climbing mount Everest, and so she's let me borrow scarves, ear warmers, thermal fleeces et al... I'll be going to Canada looking like the Michelin man I'll have so many layers on!

next post I'll stick a photo up of me in all my new gear.

Plan into action

With my plane tickets out of the way, I've been concentrating on what I need to buy for this epic trip. So I've been hanging out in various outdoors-y shops looking for ideal clothing for the coldest city in the world (literally!). My mother has been most helpful, and has bought me a very warm walking fleece, a bodywarmer and a coat. My sisters are helping too, with the promise of snow boots and ski jackets. I've very fortunate to have such a supportive family behind me, and so I've saved loads of money just on borrowed and given items; so thanks everyone. :)

I've also got a suitcase which should do me nicely, and some nice thermal socks and vests all ready for that cold weather.

This month will be tight money-wise, but with all the babysitting and housesitting I did last month, I think I should be ok. :)

The picture is of me in all my new winter gear - waterproof jacket, a windproof fleece and a bodywarmer.

News

Well I did the one thing I've been planning to do for months...

I BOUGHT MY TICKETS!!!

The flight is earlier than I originally thought too, meaning I get to Winnipeg a lot sooner in the day.

Nobody knows how unbelievable I've been feeling all day. It's like a calm but thrilling sensation that's only going to get bigger and bigger.

Sixteen weeks and counting...

There's an end in sight...

I've hardly any time for anything anymore - the babysitting hours have been upped at the weekend, so I've spent this weekend doing not much else, and I have a feeling they'll continue next week aswell.

However, I don't care.

It's payday in a few hours.

Which means I'll be buying my tickets in literally a few hours (gotta wait for payday or I'll go overdrawn, and that's not good.)

Holy God, I'm actually going to buy them! This is incredible!!!

Working into the ground.

Well I realised that I worked sixty four hours last week if you include all the paid babysitting hours. And what with insomnia starting to bite me in the bum (we're talking going to bed at 12, waking up at 3), I don't feel so well. My body's starting to react, and so I'm always suffering from an upset stomach or throbbing headache, which can't be healthy.

It's somewhat fanatical to be this concentrated on one thing, and a little obsessed; but I feel all-consumed to do this by December, even if it means working myself into the ground.

On a plus note, I'll be buying my plane tickets in six days!!!! Holy hell I'm so excited!!!

Holidays

are now officially official! I can take the first week in January off, so my time is booked off, I just need to save up enough to buy the tickets now. I'm babysitting my ass off and I've been so tired and ratty, but hey; it'll all be worth it in the long run.

I hope hope hope I can afford it come next payday. It'll be a scrimpy month to say the least though.

Holy hell it's seems so close but so far away!!!

Dead tired...

...but still going strong! turns out this babysitting job is turning out to be quite the money-maker, as I may be working over bank holiday for the whole afternoon instead of a couple of hours. My eyes lit up when I heard that.

In other bad news, my graduate bank account (which had £1,000-free overdraft limit) has now been replaced by a crappy "go-over-and-get-shot" kind of overdraft. Which has put a dampener on my plans a little. If I can't afford them next payday, there's always the day after next. I've also asked for nothing but money for Christmas and birthday, which will be a huge help.

I've got months yet, but I'm so incredibly excited and nervous at the same time!

Next payday...

...I plan to buy my plane ticket. I'm a little nervous over buying them online, but I should be flying with Delta, whom I've heard of and Lonely Planet mention; which puts my mind at ease somewhat.

I also got paid for the first week of babysitting, which was a nice bonus in my backpocket; and all goes into the Canada fund. Fingers crossed I should be able to afford it in 2 weeks, which will make September a very scrimpy month indeed. I just want that confirmation that I'm actually going: I can't believe how excited I am to be travelling to a frozen tundra over the christmas period. I hate the cold so much - but hey, we all have our reasons, however crazy they might be. I'd better keep my fingers crossed for good flying conditions on the way there.

Also, I decided what coats to bring, which officially makes me sad, considering I got another 4 months to decide that.

new 'do.

Had a look at plane tickets again, but didn't get round to talking to work about taking time off at the start of next year for my trip. Looks like it's going to be a long wait in Minnesota airport coming back from Winnipeg, as the best prices involve waiting for around eight hours.

In other news, I'm currently babysitting everyday for three hours a throw, so little by little the money's starting to add up, and it pleases me; even if I'm totally knackered by the end of it and sometimes it's hard work.

However, I'm getting my hair all done nice today, so I'll bet you I'll walk out of the salon a dead ringer of Ellen Page.

It's soo early days, but already I'm deciding what coat to take, since it will be freezing cold. I'm thinking my army coat that's lined, or my bright blue duffel coat...

Exhaustion

...and it's only the first proper day! The little kid I'm sitting is great though, and very easy going. Our mother's tongue is different to each other, but we communicate through gesture and pidgin english. He's great :)

It'll only be for a few weeks at most, and I'm loving the fact that every hour I spend with her lovely son, it puts a little more money into the Canada fund.

I've started asking around for donations in the form of christmas and birthday presents. If I make it to Canada on December the 28th, I'll be one of the happiest people in the world.

Paying my way

OK so I took on a new temporary job babysitting for a month or so to help me pay for my ticket, and whilst he's a great kid, I realise that three hours babysitting after work is probably going to kill me physically; not to mention a few hours at the weekend too.

I have to keep pushing though, and reminding myself that I'm doing this to buy my ticket earlier (December rather than April is the new target).

The thing that makes me worried now is the weather in Winnipeg. I heard it gets as low as minus 40, without wind on top of that... Holy hell that's gonna be so cold!

When a plan becomes something that could actually work.

OK, so I've been planning this trip for a few weeks now, but it was only today that it really became something more than a plan; and more of a reality. I believe the major issues stopping me is time, money and my nerves to travel solo halfway across the world, most likely changing planes in American airspace, which I hate.


Let me take you back to the beginning:

I have a very dear friend in Canada whom I would very much like to see, and only recently did I start to think "why don't I just hop on a plane?". This plan turned to browsing for cheap flights, to bagging a babysitting job on top of my day job that pays very well. So suddenly it was looking like I'd be able to afford a flight sometime in the new year; maybe even at Christmas - if I can withstand the crazy-cold temperature of Winnipeg in December...

This will be a whole new chapter in my life. Until this epiphany I never travelled further than Norwich by train on my own. So to sort the entire trip out by myself, including plane tickets; visa; travel insurance; accomodation... the list is endless.

But I thought to myself. I've only got one chance at this life. Why the hell should I stay in Sheffield and stagnate into forgotten realms? I feel I should try and put some effort into making my life as happy as possible, and only I can put steps into action to make that happen.

I won't say that I haven't thought of moving to Canada permanently: it's a beautiful country with so many opportunities waiting for me. I can't wait to finally see it.