The days are just packed.
For Helen and anyone else bored, I'll serialise this in several parts. I started by keeping a brief diary, then got more verbose as time went on. It was written mostly for two of my colleagues who will do similar trips and havn't travelled a great deal, but I hope you like it!
Monday
Monday morning I had a lie-in and was late for work, which is fair enough, I was dropping the bike off for a service and my Mum gave me a lift after I packed, arriving at about 11.30ish and starting the adventure.
Spent the afternoon clearing up loose ends and disregarded Zhe’s [a colleague] sound advice to pack more company profiles while putting together the samples kit. Note: can we find a cardboard box to pack the ballot box in? Customs killed the bubble wrap.
Got very excited towards the end of the afternoon and probably failed at feigning the confident nonchalance I thought appropriate for some reason but won’t bother with in future. Completely failing to think straight I forgot tamper proof envelopes, pouches and other items such as rubber stamps, which may have been useful in demonstrating kitting and general supplies. I also forgot to check the old files and see if there was anyone we’d had contact with before that I could phone while in Malawi on the off chance of finding out something interesting, and might not have remembered to say goodbye to everyone.
Lift to Heathrow courtesy of Yaz [a colleague], thanks, saw world’s stupidest police car (Mercedes smartcar), and so stopped to giggle about it with Italian tourists for 5 minutes. Still flirting with Italians I failed to notice that Virgin was happily booking my checked luggage (including samples) off to Blantyre without me yet having a ticket to get there.
Drinks in departures to help sleep on the flight (£4 a bottle? you’re having a laugh!) Sunglasses hut was very disappointing, forgot to get an SD card for the camera. I’m hoping to need it.
Monday
Monday morning I had a lie-in and was late for work, which is fair enough, I was dropping the bike off for a service and my Mum gave me a lift after I packed, arriving at about 11.30ish and starting the adventure.
Spent the afternoon clearing up loose ends and disregarded Zhe’s [a colleague] sound advice to pack more company profiles while putting together the samples kit. Note: can we find a cardboard box to pack the ballot box in? Customs killed the bubble wrap.
Got very excited towards the end of the afternoon and probably failed at feigning the confident nonchalance I thought appropriate for some reason but won’t bother with in future. Completely failing to think straight I forgot tamper proof envelopes, pouches and other items such as rubber stamps, which may have been useful in demonstrating kitting and general supplies. I also forgot to check the old files and see if there was anyone we’d had contact with before that I could phone while in Malawi on the off chance of finding out something interesting, and might not have remembered to say goodbye to everyone.
Lift to Heathrow courtesy of Yaz [a colleague], thanks, saw world’s stupidest police car (Mercedes smartcar), and so stopped to giggle about it with Italian tourists for 5 minutes. Still flirting with Italians I failed to notice that Virgin was happily booking my checked luggage (including samples) off to Blantyre without me yet having a ticket to get there.
Drinks in departures to help sleep on the flight (£4 a bottle? you’re having a laugh!) Sunglasses hut was very disappointing, forgot to get an SD card for the camera. I’m hoping to need it.