T-Minus 2 Weeks
I can't believe this trip is only two weeks away now.I'm not nervous or frantically trying to get things done in preparation but I do feel like it snuck up on me.
All essential items are done. I have my plane tickets ready to go. I have my passport back from the Afghan Embassy in DC, as of yesterday, and now have both my Pakistan multiple-entry visa and my Afghanistan visa. I'm up to date on all relevant shots, as of last week. I needed "#3" (of the primary series, since I'd never had shots prior to Ecuador) of polio and tetanus/diptheria and won't need boosters there for the next ten years. I have money, a debit card, and a credit card. There's nothing else I need for this trip. I could leave tonight and buy what I wanted/needed as I went.
As for non-essential stuff, things are coming along nicely. I ran four miles at the gym last night and then "rucked" (power-walked at 4 mph, up and down steep incline "hills") for half an hour more. I don't foresee myself having a chance to tan naturally, so I might just hit a tanning booth for a few evenings. I'd like to get less-white before leaving so I don't roast on day 1 and end up bright red and peeling for the first week. Last night, I got an "Afghan haircut" -- 1/4" all around.
Today, I'm finishing off document sets. Copies of plane tickets, my passport, my visas, a list of relevant phone numbers, etc. One set with me, as a backup, one here at the office, and one with my mom.
- learn more Farsi/Dari
- get a tan
- print up Dari phrase cheat cards
- buy a backpack of some sort (or buy a local style pack over there?)
- buy the Sony mp3 player
- buy quality (high mA) batteries for camera and mp3 player
- buy an LED fob for reading at night?
- find a bottle of Aerobic 07?
- figure out the press pass thing?
- make list of people to email this blog link to, come trip-time
- continue going to gym
- refine packing list
- pick novels to take: Umberto Eco's new book and some Henry Miller?
- get beard trimmed and another haircut the day before leaving
Remaining task list:
Photo: Two weeks out and with an Afghan-style haircut.
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