The babies are good. The improvements are.... going. I love my new curtains. They're actually silky shower curtains with a bed canopy/scarf as sheers. It looks really cool.

You're going to take pictures, right?

They're actually silky shower curtains with a bed canopy/scarf as sheers. It looks really cool.

That's very clever! I want pictures, too.

DC to New Zealand (Auckland, and possibly Christchurch), to Sydney, Australia, to Vietnam, to Cairo, to Frankfurt (just overnight), and home.

OMG jealous! Dayum. That sounds like such a fantastic trip. How long will you be gone, all told? Are you going to see John H in Sydney? Actually, if you want advice on Vietnam, John is a really good person to ask (and, by proxy, Thuy). Also, they are fun and lovely people and will show you a good time. And I hope you'll get to meet up with Fay in Cairo, too! I'm telling you, travel-by-Buffistas is the way to go.

I'm starting to freak out about all the things I need to do between now and then--get two visas (Egypt and Vietnam), buy a backpack, buy things to put in the backpack, make a doctor's appointment and get some vaccinations and an ambien scrip...bunch of other stuff...

Can you get either of the visas at the border? I mean, it's better to get them ahead of time if you can, but sometimes it takes a long time to get visas. Although... since you live in DC, all the embassies are right there in town, so you won't have to send your passport off through the mail, so you'll probably be able to get them quickly. For clothing, Rio is right, you can get by with just a couple of outfits, since you'll be in a different place every few days. Things you'll want to make sure you have: prescriptions for any medications you're on, a camera and extra battery (and extra film or an extra memory stick), a journal, addresses for anyone you'll want to send postcards to (*ahem*), backup glasses or contact lenses. A small bottle of hand sanitizer would not be a bad idea. Do you think you'll need a water filter for Egypt or Vietnam?

My strategy for long plane flights is basically to sleep through them

Yeah, I'm not good at that at ALL, even if I've been up all night packing (no good at sleeping sitting up). Thus the hope that an ambien scrip will help.

Also, I find it helps to get drunk before boarding. (Okay, not stinking drunk, but pleasantly boozy. Then again, it depends on your reaction to alcohol; mine seems to be: one drink = fun!, two drinks = zzzzzzzzzzzzz.)

Aimee, do you know that circus animal cookies have pink camels right now? For Spring? I ate one and thought "This is such an Empress thing."

Although... since you live in DC, all the embassies are right there in town, so you won't have to send your passport off through the mail, so you'll probably be able to get them quickly.

You'd think, but the obscene amount of red tape in DC tends to even things out. (And some countries keep their main consulates in NYC, not DC, for some reason.)

OMG that Annabel picture is adorable. You just want to pick her up and kiss her.

Okay, pictures of the new curtains. [link]

SO PRETTY, Deena!

Ok. I'm screwed. I was supposed to meet with one of my professor's yesterday (the one that teaches the class that watched Deliverance this week) after class to turn in a project and get a packet of reading on Deliverance so that I would be prepared for the discussion on Monday. I just e-mailed her to see if I could pick up the packet tomorrow (I had left her a voice mail yesterday to let her know that I was on my way to the doctor and would be unable to make our appointment...I told her I would get in touch with her after the appointment). Except, she's not on campus on Fridays. So, I have no way to get the packet from her. I really should have tried a little harder to get in touch with her yesterday, but I was so stunned and exhausted after my doctor's appointment that I decided to leave it till today. That was a bad decision. And now I have no idea if I'll be prepared for the class discussion on Monday.

Sometimes I suck.

Wow, Deena, that looks great! I love the tie-backs.

Also, I don't think I have actually typed, though I have thought it bunches, that sounds like a wonderful trip, meara! I'm very jealous.