Not too impressed

I finally told mum today what I am planning to do regarding applying for the job at Dragoman. I don't think she was very happy about it but didn't say a heck of alot. I suppose there is very little that she can do apart from withdraw her offer of a free flight to the UK after I graduate. I will be slightly dissapointed if she and dad do not support me in this as it is my dream. It will be interesting to see what she thinks after the idea has sunk in after a week or so... stay tuned...

Last week I completed a course for my first aid certification. It is something I have wanted to do, not only because it is a requirement of the Dragoman job, but since I have been riding motorbikes I thought it would be a good idea to be first aid certified. The course was not too bad, most of the people attending had been sent rher eby there work and there was fair proportion of loud mouth know-it-alls on the course (me included :)). I received my certificate in the mail today so I am happy that is doen and one more think ticked off the list.

Also I have been going crazy selling stuf fon Trademe to raise more money. After two weeks I have made just over $2000, selling guitars and guitar amps as well as a heap of DVD's, CD's and books. I still have quite a bit to sell and hope to make another $2000 before i'm done. Basically I have already earned enough to complete my truck drivers course so I am very happy about that.

Finally, today was my last lecture in my undergraduate career. Didn't really feel much, just want to get the damn BA over and done with. I have one more major assignment to do and then 3 exams and that could be the end of my university career. I think that if I am not successful with the Dragoman thing I will probably return to university in 2008 and do my History honours. Just have to see how things work out.

Anyway, I am still waiting to hear back from Dragoman after I sent my application last week. I figure that it should be arriving in the UK from today onwards then I just have to wait and see what they say. I got a nice e-mail from the lady there I rang and spoke to regarding truck driver licences so I'm hoping that they will action things quickly and let me know whether I should be heading to the UK for an interview soon. Also, Debbie from Dragoman said they could arrange for me to have my intital interview and the two week interview scheduled at about the same time so I do not have to fly back to the UK in between. Sounds good.... I still can't wait... but I guess I have to try and concentrate on uni and motivate myself for my final exams.

Things get more confusing and a major step

I spent a fair amount today surfing the internet trying to figure out exactly what is required for the truck licences required for the overland driver job. The UK's system seems so wildly different to NZ's system that it may be better to try and do the licences there. The only problem is figuring out exactly which licences I need to take. And the cost!! Oh the cost!!! It looks upon initial inspection that it may cost around 3000 pounds which is about $10000 which seems to be a hell of a lot more than I've got. I guess I can cross that bridge if I come to it... they must be desperate for drivers if this is how much it costs!!

On a more positive note, I sent off my application form today after spending ages making sure it was as good as I can get it.... about the only thing I think that I am weak on is that I haven't done any travel over the last 5 years. Apart from that it is good. I think I will at least go to an interview in the UK if I am offered one and the two week interview if I can schedule it for the same trip and if they want me. Then I guess I will clarify exactly what licences are required, how much it costs and if they offer me a job figure out if I can afford to do it then. Phew!! This is going to be a bloody lot harder than I ever thought it would be.

Now I sent of my application I can't wait to hear back... I figure they will get it in a week or 10 days and I hope they are so impressed with me that they call me straight away to beg me to fly to England for an interview! I wish!! Fingers crossed... it's out of my control now.

What cost my dream?

Well I'm still breathing pretty heavily after signing myself up for an $800 course to sit the first stage of my truck driver license. That's a crap load of money for a poor student. I suppose that even if I don't succeed in obtaining my dream an ability to drive trucks is still relatively useful.

Best keep this expenditure to myself for a while. I don't think the family would quite understand why I'm doing this.

Think I might have a nice cold beer now.

Another small step and a concern debunked

Just a small wee step towards my dream today. I visited my doctor and he completed the medical certificate that I will need to obtain my heavy truck licenses. I also spoke to him about my plans and whether he had any concerns with the possibility that I could spend up to 9-12 months of the year in the third world. I asked because of the likelihood that I will develop the same PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) as my father and I need to monitor certain things. My doctor expressed no concerns what so ever with my plans as long as I continued to monitor blood pressure, protein absorption in urine and creatinine levels at least once a year. He also said it was an excellent idea to follow my dream now rather than waiting until much later in life when I may be unable to travel if I develop PKD and need dialysis in 20-30 years time.

A good day... I feel a lot happier now. I think I will book the first stage of my truck license this week after U have written an annoying essay for my politics class on war crimes.

My Whole Life Has Been on Hold Until Now

Another inspirational comment by a likeminded person on the Travelpod network - this one sums up my feelings exactly regarding how people see travelling as "Putting your life on hold";

"Putting life on hold"...

It depends on your perspective really. By life do you mean your job, car, mortgage, day to day routine you are used to? Surely life should be more than that. When you find yourself travelling and experiencing things you only dreamed about back home; that's when you realise that your life has been on hold until now.

It is so very comforting to know others out there feel the same way, however I think we are very well spread out. Travel forums on the Internet seem to be the best way to find people who think like this. I certainly haven't met many in everyday life and I know most people that surround me on a daily basis (especially friends and family) would think the complete opposite to this person. I think that's sad really but to each their own I guess.

I'm not so different..

It's nice to see that there are plenty of other people that think the same way as me.

This was posted by Piecar on the BootsnAll Forums;

There are people who...

Don't want a condominium.Don't care about the new IKEA catalogue. Don't want a fancy car. Don't need stability. Don't want to have familiar things around them. Can't stand monotony. Hate the question "How Are You?" Hate the idea of seeing the same thing every day. Know that they are not meant to stay in one place. Do not desire a secure job. Never toe the company line. Realize that there is more world out there than they can ever see. Want to see every bit of that unattainable world. Chafe under any bit of harness that their lifestyle puts upon them. Knows that they can be more. Knows that they can be more TODAY!!! Feels squashed by the people around them who say that there is no other way. Know that there is another way, but can't seem to find it. Can see the other way, but can't seem to get there. Strive to get to another world, but cannot let go of the old one. Say what they mean. Like to listen to a confusing story. Never back down. Know there is ALWAYS ANOTHER ROAD. Think money is a means and not the end. Hate the idea of uninformed affluence. Can decide that they need a big change. Can accept that they were wrong. Can be right and STILL be wrong. Can realize that they are going the WRONG way. Throw everything to the wind, not afraid of how things will shake out. Have had things shake out bad, and STILL think that this is the right thing to do. Have taken a retarded risk. Have embraced a retarded risk without backpedaling. Welcomed a thrown punch as a Rite Of Passage. Entered into a situation, smelling a con, but trying to work it. Can go the RIGHT way, and then decide to go another way. Stood up, when every fibre of your being said "Sit Down". Said "NO!! when they wanted you to say "Yes." Looked down a rough looking street and saw experience and not a knife in your kidneys. Love their backpack. passed up on the fucking museum. Were not wishy washy to the tout. took a guy up on a possibly shifty proposition. Had a backup plan if things went south. Hung their ass out there, and got ready to fight. spent too much money on a local kid, and never got the thing they wanted because of it. Knew they got worked.....and took every bit of it in stride. Never thought that settling down was the right thing to do. Decided that they were a traveller, and that was all there was to it. Shouted "I am A Traveller" to their friends. and then shouldered their pack and took off.

Every Great Journey Begins with a Single Small Step

Well today I did the first thing towards achieving my dream. I booked my First Aid Course which is one of the requirements to becoming an overland driver. It feels good to actually do something substantial, rather than just thinking and talking about it. Pretty exciting eh? I also feel slightly nervous.... like I just started on something huge and I have no idea how it will turn out.

Next big step will be to book the first stage of my Heavy Truck license... now that's a REALLY big step, cause it will cost me around $800! Wow..... my only real concern about not being able to achieve my dream is health worries. I am sure I will be fine but I do have a nagging doubt that the blood pressure medication I am on may be seen as an issue by any potential employer. My blood pressure can be high but generally the only reason I have to manage my blood pressure is that it will help delay the onset of the PKD that my father has, hopefully to around 20-30 years from now. Maybe more. We will see. I guess all I can do is my best and not worry about the things that are beyond my immediate control.

First steps.... cool... i'm thinking this will be one hell of a journey.