Making up for lost time.....

Once upon a time, there was a woman who did everything she was expected to do: got an education, got a qualification, got married, ( maybe not in that exact order) had a family, worked hard and raised that family and then.....

what happened to her?.......  ( ...insert thoughts here)

 I think I need to go there!

Well, it's not going to be me!








NO!

Because I've made a decision to take a GRAY GAP YEAR ( although I'm not gray, but if I said a blonde gap year what would people make of that? You'd all think I'd gone all Paris Hilton etc, etc....)
and spend some time, doing nothing much, .... ( insert pregnant pause here)


and then something I've always wanted to do and never thought I could/would do *

(* you have to read to the end to find out).

My significant other found out about my decision on Facebook (as we do these days), when I decided to quit my very well paying corporate job and swan around at home.

To his credit he did not question my decision and fully supported it  (might be due to the fact that he gets to partake in my gap year as well)



I seem to have missed out  on a of a lot of things, that are now considered a right of passage.



like schoolies, (wasn't invented when I left school)

The swanning around  university doing nothing much or being involved in student politics, (I went as  mature student with 4 children)  so,  I was not doing much swanning around or drinking free beer with the student association. Plus I hate the smell of beer.

Free tertiary education, (I got an education and a  HECS debt too!)  paid now!

Baby bonus.
I thought that was the baby you got to take home from hospital!  Not the money for a flat screen TV, so you watch TV and don't have the time or inclination to make more babies!

Family tax credits, (I credit my family with staying together and providing 4 new taxpayers for the economy)

Child Care Subsidy, when the aforementioned flat screen TV fails to work and you have another child, just old enough to mind the younger one!


so you can get my drift...
so

now the big news... ( insert drum roll...)

Glenquarry Goddess is going global!

I'm off the Europe in 6 weeks time for some sister time  (my sister had moved to Amsterdam for work, she is the  BIG TIME corporate gal!)  and to spend some time with my sister in law whose daughter is going to have a baby in mid/late September and then do some free time travel to check out my gap year haunt*

For those who do not know, (and there is only a handful of you left)  I'm going to live in Paris for 4 months next year and study at  Le Cordon Bleu,

if you're not aware of it,   you might have seen the film "Julie and Julia"  well I am studying at the same place Julia Child did!

So I will be a post modern version of Julia Child with an Australian accent!

so, my new blog is going to be all about

Minding the Gap! (Year)

So please mind the gap, and stay tuned.....

Jet Setting, part 1

My sister is going to Amsterdam on Saturday for work and going Emirates Business Class and it got me to thinking about packing for an overseas trip. I have been to Amsterdam about 4 times and I love the city, it is really lovely and the people very friendly and welcoming and they speak absolutely perfect English which certainly lessens the angst of travelling.

I cannot confirm or deny if I have had any "special" cafe treats while there, but I think I might have inhaled some passive smoke (if you get my drift!)  I actually have a funny story about a space cake but you'll have to come back for that one!

I like to think that over the years I have got packing for a trip down to a fine art. I can do a 3 week trip to the US with just carry on luggage! One year for work I did 7 international trips and earned my stripes for packing!


So I thought I would share with you some of my packing essentials.

Do you remember the old American Express traveller cheques TV ad?  Mr Wong said never leave home without it? Well I never leave home with my....

 

My Qantas Club Card! If you fly enough you can get complimentary membership, and I have in the past, however I still pay for my own membership it makes international flying a great deal more pleasant. Lounge access and champers before flying, showers and refreshments during stopovers and extra luggage, dedicated check in and seat preferences. After all I am worth it! :-)

 A good travel wallet, to keep all your documents, itineraries, hotel and airline cards etc (always have your tickets and bookings in a printed copy as well as e copy)

 A small travelling umbrella so you are ready for whatever the weather throws at you. I love this one as it has the kangaroos on it and it does draw people to ask you if you are from Australia, a good conversation starter.

Shoe and lingerie bags,  (a BIG thank you to Ms Karen "Pats" Brown for these gorgeous gifts) I have a collection of them, not all quite as swish as these.

 Something comfortable to  relax/sleep in . I have a collection of these Morrissey Qantas PJ's from my days of international business class jet setting, but tracky dacks and a warm T shirt will do, as I find that planes can get quite cold during a long flight. Also your clothes won't get crushed and you will look a lot fresher when you get off.

 A good eye mask, ear plugs and lip balm. The eye masks you get in economy are crap, so I have a collection of classy comfortable business class ones, but if you don't have them, go out and invest in some. Ear plugs at a minimum, noise cancelling headphones are great if you have them,  or if you are in the pointy end you'll get them anyway.  As we all know air planes are a very drying  environment so I always use a liberal amount of moisturisers, lip creams and eye drops to reduce the red dry eyes.

  Do not get on an international flight without this! I have used it for years. It does a number of things, keeps you nose moist so you don't dry out,  it also has eucalyptus added so it has a natural protective effect on all those bugs on the plane, and I am pleased to say have never had an "plane cold" since using it.

Compression stockings, I am not sure if they help much with Deep Vein Thrombosis  (but hey they can't do any harm) but they do stop your feet from swelling so much so that you can wear your shoes at the other end!

A Pashmina for a number of reasons. Extra warmth and you can wrap it around yourself as you exit the aircraft and look a million dollars. Have you noticed all the superstar jet setters always have one on them when photographed in airports?














A power-board and electrical plugs for your destination. Given that we have so many electrical  appliances these days this makes it easy, plenty of slots to keep everything charged and you only need 1 adapter!

Happy Packing Travellers, I'll do another post in the next few days on packing for your trip!