What a day

Chock full o'Nuts
Originally uploaded by eye2eye

Woke up this morning to find a project suddenly and unexpectedly running massively over-budget.

So my day

Panic. Pace. Deep breaths. Calm. Panic. Tightening chest. Deep breaths. Cope. Call. Cajole. Threaten. Explain. Apologize. Negotiate. Settle. Breathe. Call. Arrange. Deep breath. Calm. E-mail. Lunch. Done.

Back on budget. World still turning. Babies unblue. Nobody dead. Marvellous.

What a day

A bright spot

P1010132
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

After lots and lots of attempts to bill my card Air Namibia finally managed to get it through. I am ticketed and ready to go. Bank of America Cards were crap throughout and should be shot. Will spend the afternoon googling reasonably priced hitmen (I'm sure it wouldn't clear on my card)

Feeling quite heady here

Choc Ice and Chips?

2ice
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

So with Jude now safely in Namibia I'm now home alone and looking for ways to stay healthy.

I have the spreadsheet ready (weight, waist, food and exercise all listed) and have started religiously filling in every calorie inhaled and burned. So alas no 'choc ice and chips' for us here in BillyBurg.

Not too bad being alone actually - though I miss the decompression. Work is ramping up to a mad week or two at the end of June and when I woke up at 5am this morning thinking about all that I had to do (work e-mail was down over the weekend) there was nobody to stop me getting out of bed to start on it all. Nor is there anybody to join me for breakfast and act as a distraction for a half hour or so. Weird what you miss, isn't it?

Anyway I'm determined to stay fit and healthy, to lose weight, regain perspective and generally have a good time in the 33 days before I land in namibia myself. Now if only I could find my watch....

A day with K

kaiser_yum
Originally uploaded by stevenjude

Knowing that I'd be 'home alone' today my good friend K came around and dragged me to brunch. We went to Parish - a new diner made to look as though it's a converted church (though it's not)... a tad pricey for the location but the company was grewat, the sun beamed down and all felt right with the world.

We then headed off to see 'Knocked Up' - lots of zingy dialogue and Jackass generation observation. A modern 'When Harry Met Sally'? Time will tell.

The rest of the day was spent on IM with Jude. Her flight left 3 hrs late last night meaning that her carefully laid plans for a day with friends in Madrid were laid to waste and she ended up spending 11hrs in the airport. Luckily she had her laptop with her, enough Euros to buy a 24 hr wireless pass and we were able to chat through a couple of hours.

I have a 12 hr layover in Gatwick that I'm dreading. Think that I will head into London for an hour or two before heading back to the airport for my second night flight.

That's all in the future though. Have Air Namibia hand-writing my tickets on Monday and until I have them in hand I'm counting no chickens.

Ciao

Another two on the road
Originally uploaded by Sibi

Jude leaves for Namibia today. She's gone until the end of July, which isn't THAT long actually. Of course I'm trying to book a flight out there in early July and (naturally) it's proving a nightmare

1. I find the flights I want with Air Namibia

2. I try to book online - NO ONLINE BOOKING

3. I call them

"Hello Air Namiba"

"I'd like to book these flights"

"Great. Let me have all of your details"

Details are exchanged

"Can I book that then?"

"No sir. We make too many mistakes by phone, wait for the itinerary by e-mail. Then call back"

4. No e-mail arrives

5. Lots of calls

6. E-mail arrives, hurrah!

7. I call back

"Hello air namibia"

"I'd like to book these flights, this is the code"

"I'm sorry you can't book until you've been invoiced. That will happen soon. We can't say when. Bit when it does we will call you."

"Can't I pay now."

"No Sir. You must learn to be patient"

8. 48 hrs pass, no invoice, I await a call

Still waiting - gnnnrrrfffff