My thoughts on everything….

My thought on everything at the moment. I have not been writing to this blog as much as intended, not from lack of ideas, just lack of time – so I will try to cram in as many of my thoughts into this post as I can (could be here a while – read at your own risk)

Obviously, if you have seen my last few posts – you can imagine that booking another expedition for next year has been on my mind alot in the last few days… I cannot wait for July to come around, and I am sure it will come faster than I expect, I hope so anyway. I think this expedition will be quite a bit cheaper than the last one, as I can still get some use out of my boots, my rucksack was only used for the three months in Borneo(needs a wash I think – it got so damp their I found an 8 inch centipede living in it at the end of the trek, it was a truly disgusting find..). And I have already been vaccinated against everything I need, I may need a Hep B boos I think and possibly a rabies jab too – the only real medical cost will be the antimalarial, which will cost me around £100 I think.

So with the money I save, I can afford to indulge in a few bits and pieces for the camera. First of I will need a Pelican case or similar to make sure the camera and lenses stay 100% dry, theres no way I could take the camera without it, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to it, mostly because I plan on taking many photographs – a few more batteries will be needed (maybe not the £55 canon ones however), possibly a battery grip will suffice so I can run the camera on disposable AA’s. A 50mm canon f/1.8 is also high on the list for portrait work, after that I should be covered for all eventualities……I should maybe slow it down after that, well after the half a dozen memory cards, my current 250MB wont suffice for 7 weeks +, and there will definitely not be an opportunity to upload to a CD or computer out there…. its all getting a bit exciting I must admit, and I really want to document it as best I can with photographs.

It was funny telling a few of my mates that I had booked the trip, reactions were varied. My parents had quite amusing reactions – I phoned my mum to tell her I had booked it and she was like “Oh thank god, I wont have to put up with you over the summer again…” , and when I phoned my dad “Papua New Guinea? Cannibals eh, you’ll get eaten…”, probably not politically correct I might add, but nevertheless amusing. I think my brother is pleased, when I was in Borneo he used my room quite a bit – so I expect he will maybe ‘borrow’ my nice new 32″ lcd TV…I might have to do something about that lol.

On a completely different topic – I think I should maybe cut down on the smoking. My throat has been quite painful recently, and there aren’t any health benefits from the demon reds. I would also save quite a bit of cash thinking about it – £5.50 x 2.5 x 52 = £715 – Its hard to imagine that’s a yearly expenditure…I am shocked actually, that that is what I spend on cigarettes. Its a bad habit, and over two years of it is worrying me. Its not that I want to live to 90 or something, in fact I would be happy to snuff it at 75, but (pardon my french) smoking fucks up your health, – will definitely make a note to work on this.

On a similar topic – I don’t know whats wrong with me! I am starting to get tired of going into town, by that I mean going to Glasgow’s clubs…..Its not that the clubs are not good, Glasgow has the best venues in Scotland – but I seem to prefer a few pints at my local pub, 55BC at Bearsden cross, about 15 minutes walk from my house. I never thought I would be saying this lol. But 55 has become like an extension of my home – the manager has an excellent taste in music and they serve decent lagers on tap (and kopparberg too). Spending money going to clubs in Glasgow just seems like a waste now – you don’t remember much of it, and the same haunts are getting very tiring.

I think on the 30Th Adam from Babyshambles will be doing his ‘Babyshambles DJ set’. Ive seen him DJ’ing at Live at Loch lomond a month or so ago – and he is quality – its like seeing a decent dance DJ that plays good music. I define good music as something that can be performed live, dance/trance or whatever isn’t really music in my opinion – maybe this opinion isn’t shared by everyone, but how can someone like ‘Judge Jules’ be classed as a musician when all he does is play other people music.

What else…I have been learning to drive, finally. It was forced upon me by my mum who couldn’t stand that I have been putting it off for nearly two years now. My driving instructor is alright to be honest, he’s given me a lot responsibility early on in comparison to other instructors my friends have had…still got a long way to go yet I think, I will really have to exemplary to pass the test, it seems that the invigilators dont hand out licenses readily to young male drivers anymore..

Back to Uni on the 25th which should be good – I will really have to pull the finger out this year I think – I dont want to even have to worry about having resits next summer – because if I do get them I will be in Papua New Guinea and I dont think it would be possible to take them. In saying that I passed everything last year – so I am not too worried yet, but I will really make an effort to be completely on top of course work and study this year – just as long its not talks lol I am no good at public speaking, its a totaly irrational fear I know, but something I have always dreaded….Its wierd though, because I am not the most shy or quiet in dail life (granted I am not a total extrovert), just public speaking about building and valuations ect worry me sometimes.

I had better finish this now, if youve made it this far thanks and well done