The Writer is Out There.

Can anyone tell me whether it’s possible to upload word documents somehow? Or else, the writings page is going to be pretty useless!

I seem to have acquired a network of amazingly generous people in Syria and Jordan, offering to show me around, lend me a bed, and entertain me!

It all started when my grandparents said ‘We know a family in Jordan…’ and it’s spiralled from there. Looks like it could be a less solitary trip than I had thought.

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It is slightly bugging me that, here in much of the UK, you’d be hard-pushed to find such hospitality. Really. People are much less inclined to help strangers (or friends-of-friends); many wouldn’t even stop to give directions or advice. I just think it’s sad.

(5 days!)

Or, a journey with words.

My father gave me an old copy of The Great Railway Bazaar to read, minus the final pages. It’s brilliant, even without conclusion. No doubt I will be quoting it for quite a while.

Enormous thanks must go out to knights in shining-literary-armour Heather and Kim, for not only suggesting an incredible book, but for filling my rucksack with books to inspire and aid the trip. Once again, I find myself baffled by the amazing collection of people around me. 

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Quote: Paul Theroux. Inspiration for any would-be traveller who doesn’t know where to start.

I got my syrian visa today! It turns out, however, that I need to apply for an extension in Damascus, which will no doubt steal a couple of days from me, which could be spent doing much more exciting things.

I went to my penultimate creative writing group last night. Things are progressing there too, with talk of more meetings, and a fairly stable group of regulars once more. Some of the people there have offered valuable support and advice for almost 6 years; they’ve known my writing since its adolescent phase, and never held it against me. They, unknowingly, have helped me work through the most difficult of times. Other, newer members of the group, are not discounted from this appreciative post. I feel beyond lucky to have met this strange gaggle of wonderfully talented artists.

I’ll be sorry to leave them behind, if only for a while.

(14 days to go, and a hundred things to do.)

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* I’m searching for a book to take along, which doesn’t take up half my bag, but I won’t have finished by the time I land on foreign ground. It has to be inoffensive, just in case it is discovered, and perhaps, ultimately swappable. I mean, it’s not going to last the whole trip now, is it?! Any suggestions, anyone?

Or, nothing’s ever easy.

I had planned to leave this site festering until I actually go, however, since planning is such an important part of the process, that, should you all decide to follow suit, it would be rather shady of me to ignore the trauma that it can cause and leave you feeling that it’s fun all the way.

It’s not. In fact, had I not already purchased the air-tickets, I might very well give up.

The stay-at-home folks will always worry, that’s a given, but for this trip they have ammunition. This. And Kidnappings, and Maoist activity (if I make it to Nepal in one piece, that is!). I’ve been repeatedly told by friends and strangers alike, that it is far too big a risk to travel, and I should just stay home. Nobody seems to understand that it is worth the risk. Not everybody out there is like that, at all. And, well, look at London; nowhere’s really safe anymore. I’m not saying that I’m not wary, of course I am, I’m not so stupid as to think I am untouchable, I’m merely saying that I can’t let fear rule my life. Think of all the fun I’d miss.

On top of this barrage of concern, I’m struggling with visas, something I somewhat overlooked on the stress-scale, prior to filling out the forms a little later than perhaps I should. I don’t have a fixed itinerary within each country, or a fixed address. I don’t have proof of return to a job in the UK – although I do have onward tickets from each destination – and now it turns out that I need a headed letter from my employer, too… good job I’m not self/unemployed, but it still has to go through head office, and will no doubt take a week or two!

:-S I’m much better at actual travel writing. It’s much more inspiring.

(21 days to go!)