Counting Down the Days

Sunday, June 27, 2010 Emma
I have a lot of countdowns going on at the moment:

21: The number of days 'til I run my first half marathon
23: The number of work days remaining
33: The number of days 'til I leave Melbourne
43: The number of days 'til I leave Australia
97: The number of days 'til the Commonwealth Games commence
140: The number of days 'til I start work at Whistler

These past two weeks I have been focussing on finalising my attendance at the Commonwealth Games. It was at Christmas time that I realised the Commonwealth Games were being held in October and were a possibility for me to attend during my trip. However, the fact that they were being held in India was a turn-off - ever since watching season 1 of the Amazing Race, I have been completely put off of the thought of travelling in India, and filed it in my 'list of countries I never want to go to' list. Additionally, there have been lots of news stories about the Games - terrorist threats; stadiums not being completed in time; athletes not attending. But then I thought to myself - how many times do you get to attend an international sporting event like this?

My fate was sealed when I scored a 'free' flight from Delhi to KL with Air Asia post-Games, and also scored tickets from Cambodia - Delhi (via KL) at a low price. My ticket request is also finalised (all netball games, including the gold medal match; and tennis, athletics, and gymnastics tickets - at ridiculously low prices). My Indian colleagues have told me how I will be the 'only one there' as Indians don't care for anything but cricket (news headlines show that almost no tickets have been sold except to the opening and closing ceremonies).

I also finalised my accommodation. Delhi seems to be such an extreme, like many other Asian cities - absolute luxury in some parts, next to absolute squalor and bargain basement prices. Given I'm slightly terrified about my two weeks in India, I decided to pay for slightly nicer Western style accommodation that includes a TV, fridge, and air con (I've found it amusing that a lot of Indian hotels proudly state they offer '24 hour power' as one of their services!) I have a few days spare at the conclusion of the games before I fly out, in which I will travel to Agra for the majestic Taj Mahal and hopefully to Jaipur as well.

Apart from my flight to Vancouver, I've now finalised all of the flights and accommodation that had to be pre-booked - so now I can focus on the trip! (Oh - and the packing and other fun things like that!)
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These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things

Monday, June 14, 2010 Emma
Over the past few months, I have been purchasing items to take with me on my trip. I had the perfect ‘pack-list’ and ‘buy-list’, and would set out each week-end to find the perfect . However, during my recent work trip to Malaysia I realized I was being too pedantic. I’ve been overseas plenty of times before – why do I now insist I need a long sleeve, quick dry, cotton shirt, when I know that I have never worn one in my life and I live in dresses and singlets when I’m in Asia? Also – there is PLENTY of shopping in Asia. Way more than Australia. It’s also a lot cheaper, and it adds to the cultural experience when you run out of moisturizer and have to buy a new one in the middle of Laos!

This got me thinking about another thing – my favourite possessions. Why is it that our favourite possessions are those items that would be of little or no value to others? Here are a few of my favourite things:

1. Jelly shoes
I purchased my first pair of jelly shoes (in bright pink) for $5, and from there a life-long obsession commenced. My next pair cost even less - $3.84 to be exact (although my Dad says I overpaid by about $3.83!) I’m constantly on the lookout for new pairs, with E-Bay being my new savior. At the moment, I’m salivating over the pairs at Salvatore Ferragamo (although at $220 and with this trip to save for, it will continue to be only a dream). They’ve been with me on every trip overseas (they’re often conversation starters – I remember a shopkeeper in Cappadocia , Turkey trying them on and squealing with delight!) and will be the first item I pack on this trip (actually, I’ll probably wear them on the plane ….)

2. Red jacket
About eight years ago, I spotted a red rain jacket in General Pants. I didn’t need a jacket (I lived on the Gold Coast, it was never cold!) but I wanted it, and so I bought it. Since that day, the jacket has been my favourite article of clothing. It goes with everything, is the perfect warmth (not too hot, not too cold) and fit, and suits every occasion. Need a jacket to wear whilst running on a cold day? Tick. For inclement weather? Tick. To throw on over a summer dress? Tick. Light jacket for the plane? Tick, tick, tick.
Like my jelly shoes, the jacket has been on every trip overseas with me (and it shows – i.e. grease marks from cycling in Himeji, Japan!)

3. Cross-stitch made by my Mum
Hidden amongst the football memorabilia that adorns my walls there is one item that hangs proudly in my bedroom, and is the last thing I see at night before I fall asleep (well, at least before I take out my contacts, after that I’m more or less blind). It is a cross-stitch done by my Mum that says, “A daughter is someone special”. It’s a nice reminder of family, especially when we’re all thousands of kilometers apart.

4. Newspaper clipping of my brother and I
When I was four, my brother and I appeared in our local paper in Wagga. The caption read (I know this off by heart), “When you’re just two years old, and perhaps you’ve taken a tumble, there’s nothing better than a hug from your sister and that’s exactly what Emma Sargent, 4, was on hand to do for Mark Sargent, of Lake Albert”. I have a blown-up copy of the article on my bedroom dressing table – it’s proof that I was at one point bigger than my brother …..

5. Signed Adelaide Crows Guernsey
I love football. That’s why I moved to Melbourne. That’s why I have Foxtel. I live it, breathe it, dream it. Last year I drove to Adelaide after work on a Thursday night (arriving at 1:30am!) in order to see my footy team, the Crows, at training on Friday morning. On the Friday morning as the players left the training track, I asked them all to sign one of my guernseys. I love it so much I can’t bear to frame it, and instead wear it on every game day, whether I’m at the match or not. I’m trying to work out if I can possibly squeeze it into my backpack ….


6. Backpack
My parents bought me my backpack for my 20th birthday. I’d been catching the train up to Brisbane to look in all the adventure stores, and one day whilst I was up in Brisbane Dad came into one of the stores to buy one for me. It’s a green Mont bag, about 55/60L with a matching zip-off day bag and is now covered in flags from the countries I have visited. I could walk with this bag on all day … nothing beats being a backpacker!

7. Lipgloss
I’m addicted. Pure and simple. I sleep with Vaseline under my pillow and apply lip gloss every five minutes.
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