Yes, I really am awake at 5.30 in the morning. And yes, I haven’t been to sleep. It’s all part of my crazy plan to get some sleep on the plane. Fingers crossed it works otherwise I’m going to be seriously trashed when I arrive in L.A.
Northcote is remarkably noisy at 5.30 on a Monday. I can hear a garbage truck making its rounds and a couple of trams have already rumbled past.
It doesn’t feel real. In a few hours I’ll be on a plane. My suitcase is packed (the only thing missing are my toiletries), my passport is in my backpack already along with my camera and a novel. I’m just killing time until I can get up and have a shower.
I think part of the reason it still feels so surreal is that it’s come up so quickly. Last time it was 15 months in the planning. This time it’s been six months. Not nearly enough time to get my head around the fact that I’m going overseas again. I can feel the excitement building as time ticks down. I’m going overseas again. I’m going to get to experience another country and see things I’ll never see here, be in places I’ve heard and read about. I’m going to be there. I’m going to get to spend time with people I enjoy being around and who I feel I can be myself with.
It’s going to be awesome. I can’t wait to see everyone.