All Packed and Ready to Go... Somewhere

36 hours away from heading out on my life's grand adventure, I received the phone call that no person ever wants to receive, especially someone who has decided to make her life so far away from 'home' and family.  As I sat across the table from my soon to be ex-husband having a very civilized drink at a pub to say goodbye, my mobile rang with a Canadian number and my life changed in the length of time it took to answer the call and walk outside the pub looking for some reception.  It was my sister.  My father had died.

Here's where the being all packed and ready to go comes in.  I had no loose ends to tie up or bags to pack.  The next day, instead of saying my final goodbyes to London and the life I had lived there for nine years, I was on a flight to Calgary in a complete daze.  Before I really had the chance to comprehend what had happened, I was in the arms of my mother, who already had my four older sisters and their children with her.  My Dad always had a really good sense of timing.  Apparently he had told my mom that he hadn't wanted me to go on my trip around the world as he was convinced they would never see me again.  Clearly he was right, but not that I shouldn't take the Long Way Round, but that he wouldn't see me again.  

And so, 5 weeks after my original departure date, I will attempt to head out on the road again.  This time I'll be leaving from Calgary.  And this time, I'm only going to go for two months before returning to Canada to be with my family once again.  I don't know what life has in store for me come October, and at this point, I'm far too scared to attempt to plan anything, so for now a small length of time on the road will have to do.  I'm hoping that somewhere along that road I may discover where I'm meant to be and what I'm meant to be doing. 


The Long Way Round, abbreviated:


August 6 - fly Calgary to London
7 - arrive London
8 - fly London to St Petersburg.  Pick up my Intrepid Tour of St Petersburg, Moscow, Trans-Siberian Railway to Lake Baikal, Mongolia, and Beijing
28 - Beijing on my own
31 - fly Beijing to Xi'an to see the Terra Cotta Warriers
September 2 - fly Xi'an to Hong Kong, on my own
6 - fly Hong Kong to Perth, Australia
7 - arrive Perth
10 - Michelle and Shane's Wedding!!
11 - Perth 
22 - fly Perth to Singapore
25 - Singapore Grand Prix
27 - I'll head back to Calgary at this point


Now, we just need to see if this shortened itinerary comes to fruition.  Once again, wish me luck!