There are now 50 days left until the trip starts. Not 8 months like it was at the assessment day, not 26 weeks like the start of the original countdown, a mere 50 days.
Surprisingly, unlike my normal efforts for pre trip preparation, this one seems to be going quite well! I am now the proud owner of some plane tickets (to the right place and everything), a travel insurance policy so comprehensive I am tempted to break a leg just to test the luxury of my recovery and the most comfortable thermarest ready for my jungle hammock. Bring it on Malaysian jungle - I'm ready for ya!
I have also managed to sort something else out to take a load off my mind - I have guaranteed to return to work on my return in September. I mentioned earlier about having told my boss - after with I had to wait an agonising two weeks to find out if I had a job or not! I made my peace with this thinking, if nothing else, the Raleigh experience would help me find another job quite easily. After 3 rounds of approval from escalating levels of management committee it was eventually agreed it would be a great opportunity, a benefit to the company and myself so they're giving me the time off to 'better myself which doing something worthwhile' - how lucky am I?!! As a result of my request, the company are examining their CSR policy and are developing a charity work leave policy around what I've asked for (and to protect the terms of my employment while I'm away) so future employees can go off on their own adventures too. So not just a win for me - the others can thank me later :)
So the remaining tasks of the final fifty mean finishing off my equipment shopping, get all my medicine, get fitter physically and go to my training weekend next weekend. That's when I FINALLY meet my team, find out more about the specific project I'm doing in Borneo and learn some very essential skills. Hopefully then the whole thing will start to sink in!
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