The pencil lines become darker

So big news.  The dates for Contiki have been released.  Which means that I have to make decisions, pay money and commit to something that has been an idea but never entirely real.  This feels like growing up and I am a bit of a fan of not determining my future in advance.  Since leaving University, my life plan has been more a series of ideas that get shaped by people and events around me rather than set in stone decisions that I control.  This requires a mental shift that is not easy.

So since deciding that the end of March would be convenient, STA Travel have got me penciled in on a trip on the 28th of March.  This matches what I told them and is good to know that my place is secure.  But it is not quite what I want anymore.  I do not feel like it leaves me with enough time and I do not want to be rushed saying my goodbyes.  It would also have me at Gallipoli on the 26th of April.  As this is one of the key places that I want to see on the Turkey leg of the trip, the day after ANZAC day does not seem like the best time.  After having 20,000 people through the day before I do not think that I would be seeing it in the best light.  Possibly more true to what it would have looked like during the war, but not as a place of remembrance.  So the 28th trip is now a no go.

After enquiring about the dates for April (expecting that there would be a new trip each week) I was surprised to hear that they only have trips starting on the 13th and the 27th of April.  After all of the planning based on the end of March, the 27th seems a bit late and I feel that things will be dragging on too much.  Ideas that had firmed up in my mind about what to do prior to leaving could become more difficult and tiring if dragged out for the better part of a month.  Delaying finishing work that long also makes life more difficult to balance.  So while possible, not probable.

This leaves the 13th of April as a day that I could leave London to head off through places that I have only heard of in stories or seen images captured by other people.  It is two weeks later than the March date allowing me enough time while only extending a week longer than I would have hoped.  No doubt closer to leaving, the quicker that time will fill up and I will be glad of it.

So with a date it turns out that I have about a week to book when I can get 13% off, and only about a week to try to sort flights at their current price of just under $1000 one-way Wellington - London.  It is going to be a decision heavy and expensive week.