Wednesday 8 April 2009
Glam Packer takes flight!
Ever since returning from my first OE in September, I've longed to be away again! However, haven't had the chance to, and that killed me. But... things are looking up! I'm off to Tanzania in less than a week!!!!!!...WOOOOOP!!!!!!...I'm mega excited! Sun, Sea, Sand, Smiles, Culture and a little bit of Alcohol to add to the mix! I'm going to be in heaven!!!lol! I still can't believe I'm actually going. The decision to do so was so impromptu, I mean the flights were only booked yesterday, sorting the visa's out tomorrow and then we (my older sister and I) fly on Saturday! YAY!!!
Sunday 22 March 2009
Too many words!!!
Hey,
been ages since I've posted an entry, almost a month, if not longer. I've been really busy recently with the 'DISSERTATION', I'm hating it right about now, its slowly but surely consuming my life, I can't think of anything else but it! I have just over a week to complete it and I do not see that happening. Every time I right something and am happy with it, then review it, I end up making more changes and more work for myself. Initially I planned 3 main chapter each of 2000 words, so far I have my first Chapter is over 3000 words, and I'm considering adding to it and then splitting it into two. My second chapter is 2000 words, however the feedback from my tutor is to add to the argument, which means more reading, and ultimately more words! Now the last of my planned chapters is under construction, no where near finished and word count is approximately 1500 words, so if I don't add to my first chapter, which I really want to, with all the changes I need to make the main body of my dissertation will be 9000, leaving me 1000 plus 10% of the total which is another 1000 for intro and conclusion, so there really is no space for anymore words. But there is just so much that I need to and want to write! Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!! why do I always have this problem?!?!!?
Anywho's I better crack on, got plenty of words to write!
been ages since I've posted an entry, almost a month, if not longer. I've been really busy recently with the 'DISSERTATION', I'm hating it right about now, its slowly but surely consuming my life, I can't think of anything else but it! I have just over a week to complete it and I do not see that happening. Every time I right something and am happy with it, then review it, I end up making more changes and more work for myself. Initially I planned 3 main chapter each of 2000 words, so far I have my first Chapter is over 3000 words, and I'm considering adding to it and then splitting it into two. My second chapter is 2000 words, however the feedback from my tutor is to add to the argument, which means more reading, and ultimately more words! Now the last of my planned chapters is under construction, no where near finished and word count is approximately 1500 words, so if I don't add to my first chapter, which I really want to, with all the changes I need to make the main body of my dissertation will be 9000, leaving me 1000 plus 10% of the total which is another 1000 for intro and conclusion, so there really is no space for anymore words. But there is just so much that I need to and want to write! Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!! why do I always have this problem?!?!!?
Anywho's I better crack on, got plenty of words to write!
Sunday 22 February 2009
The Glam Packer Hanging Up her Travelling Boots?!?!?!
After much deliberation I decided to enter myself onto a post-graduate course for September 2009! Whaaat?????? I hear myself asks! I thought that I was dead set on taking a proper year out to discover myself and what I really want for myself, then after that year out continue on my quest to become a successful career woman. But something in me said that I should get myself a qualification and go from there, so if all works out I shall be at Lambeth College in September studying for a pre- entry Newspaper Journalism qualification accredited by the NCTJ, and by the end of February 2010 I shall be qualified and ready to take on the journalism world. Arrrggghhh!!!- I'm growing up waaay to fast and I don't like it.
Is this really for me?
Is this really for me?
Wednesday 18 February 2009
Kings of Leon? Brits?
Haha, they wish! However I'm sure that no one here would dispute adopting them, they would be a great addition to our music industry. I know what how about we trade The Kings of Leon in for Estelle or Leona Lewis (another Brit who has sold out to the U.S.), good idea don't you think? Whether British or not there is no disputing the fact that Kings of Leon are awesome and as stated by them, if it wasn't for England there would be no Kings of Leon's "You created us". And what a wondrous creation. England proud creator of the best international band was thus rewarded with a magnificent performance of Use Somebody and a cracking impression of Chatsworth Estate's very own Frank Gallagher! quality! That performance was well worth getting out of my sick bed for (I think I'm coming down with a much unwanted stomach bug). So Kings of Leon went away with 2 awards, but our very own Coldplay surprisingly left empty handed! WTF! How is that possible? Someone on the music board has some serious issues with Coldplay, first they are rewarded a Grammy for best Rock band, huh? then there's this failure to recognise the great things they are doing for British music! I'm baffled, and quite honestly speechless.
Un-Glamorous Phone Bill!!!!!
OMG! I think this months phone bill is going to be officially the worst one I've had in 14 months of having my mobile phone contract! So's less than half way through the month I run out of my texts than like, two days later me minutes are gone! I cannae understand how! Anywhoo's me being me has still been using the phone, totally oblivious to the major bill which has been building up. I checked my phone usage since my last bill online just now and the unbilled usage balance is already over £30 and... I've still got some time to go before my minutes are renewed!!! Whyyyy?!?!?!?!? How the fuck do I intend to pay this bill, I have zero cash and no source of income besides my student loan which isn't due til the end of April. What on earth was I thinking?!?! By the time the bill is generated it's gonna be at well over £60! WTF! My bill is suppose to be £25, max I will pay is £40, what the hell is going on. And on top of this I still have that £50 fine from London Transport pending! Arrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!! Why the fuck is everyone against me? My bank won't give me an overdraft, London Transport are demanding £50 from me for their ill-advice, Orange charge a bomb for calls made outside of their price plan (£1 for 4 minutes!), I'm indebted to the government all because I felt the need to do a degree which I now consider superfluous. It's all too deep! I need a holidayyyy!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday 17 February 2009
The Glam Packer in Vanuatu?!?!?
After completing a 5 month stint alone in the Southern hemisphere, spending 4 and a half months working and travelling around New Zealand and a further 2 weeks visiting Melbourne, Australia, The Yasawa Islands in Fiji (the place where she picked up her name), Western Samoa and Hong Kong, The Glam packer is making plans for her next big adventure, hence the constant use of Gap year message board www.gapyear.com.
After falling in love with Fiji and the Melanesian people, I've decided that my next big trip will take me around the many Islands of the South Pacific concentrating on those which inhabit the Melanesian people, these include: Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Paupa New Guinea. After much deliberation I have decided that Vanuatu is the place that I would most like to visit (partly due to the amount of enthusiasm that other who have been there have talked about it, especially the Peace Corps guy I met in Taupo, New Zealand), therefore I embarked on some preliminary research for my future trip. After numerous days searching on the web for travel options in Vanuatu I came across a 6 month volunteer programme in Vanuatu with charity Lattitude. After many researching the company and having many conversations with staff and past volunteers I went ahead and completed the application.
Then (dum dum dum, and there's a then) came the deterrents, first there was the need for a reference from a referee that I don't really have, then... the need for a deposit to secure my place on the programme that I'm yet to poses due to my voluntary unemployment, then came the biggest deterrents, a website designed by a volunteer for people contemplating volunteering in Vanuatu and a Facebook group I stumbled upon for those embarking on the volunteer programme that I wish to. What is important to remember is that I am Glam packer, not your average backpacker hence the name. Unfortunately I am yet to lose that streak of shallowness I poses and whilst travelling my appearance and self hygiene does not take a back seat. On my previous travels I did manage to balance the task of sustaining my image whilst totally embracing care-free travelling. However although I enjoy the care-free attitude and reduced desire to wear make-up and 'dress up' that backpacking evokes in me, I can't ignore the discomfort that Vanuatu village life might pose to be.
The few facts that have caused a rift in my decision to volunteer in Vanuatu:
*The colony of head lice which will inevitably infest my hair, I hear that are lice in abundance in the villages and there is no way of avoiding those itchy buggers!
*The cockroaches who will become my unwanted house mates.
*Not to mention the rats and the geckos
*The feral dogs and cats that roam aimlessly around the villages (I'm a beg wimp when it comes to cats and dogs, and the ones that I have come into contact with have always been domesticated, imagine me around feral ones).
*The lack of hot water, (I can take washing her body with cold water, especially If the weather is hot, but the hair just won't be able to take it!)
*Then there's the hair in general, what to do with it?!?!?!
*The potential of becoming a victim of sexual harassment, I've been told that women volunteers are risk, just because at times the local males interpret 'friendliness' in a different way. Apparently men and women to not interact with each other unless in a relationship and to be 'friends' means to have a relationship. Being a Black western traveller amongst many white westerners in the South Pacific, I attracted a lot of unwanted attention especially from locals who had rarely seen or met a black westerner visiting their Islands before. Many of them were intrigued by me and a Fijian man told me that if I were Fijian I would be the 'most be beautiful Fijian woman' haha (the cheese), so anyway you catch my drift. And in Samoa, I attracted just as much attention if not more and a nephew of the owner of the fales I was staying at propositioned me .
With all this said I am still adamant to travel to Vanuatu, but I'm unsure whether I am ready to spend 6 months out of her comfort zone in a place so alien to what I know. It's not the case of being in Vanuatu for 6 months, but village life, where ever it may be. Despite this apprehension I know deep down that travelling to Vanuatu as a volunteer will be one of the most rewarding and best things that I will ever do, just as long as I overcome the fears that are holding my back.
After falling in love with Fiji and the Melanesian people, I've decided that my next big trip will take me around the many Islands of the South Pacific concentrating on those which inhabit the Melanesian people, these include: Fiji, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and Paupa New Guinea. After much deliberation I have decided that Vanuatu is the place that I would most like to visit (partly due to the amount of enthusiasm that other who have been there have talked about it, especially the Peace Corps guy I met in Taupo, New Zealand), therefore I embarked on some preliminary research for my future trip. After numerous days searching on the web for travel options in Vanuatu I came across a 6 month volunteer programme in Vanuatu with charity Lattitude. After many researching the company and having many conversations with staff and past volunteers I went ahead and completed the application.
Then (dum dum dum, and there's a then) came the deterrents, first there was the need for a reference from a referee that I don't really have, then... the need for a deposit to secure my place on the programme that I'm yet to poses due to my voluntary unemployment, then came the biggest deterrents, a website designed by a volunteer for people contemplating volunteering in Vanuatu and a Facebook group I stumbled upon for those embarking on the volunteer programme that I wish to. What is important to remember is that I am Glam packer, not your average backpacker hence the name. Unfortunately I am yet to lose that streak of shallowness I poses and whilst travelling my appearance and self hygiene does not take a back seat. On my previous travels I did manage to balance the task of sustaining my image whilst totally embracing care-free travelling. However although I enjoy the care-free attitude and reduced desire to wear make-up and 'dress up' that backpacking evokes in me, I can't ignore the discomfort that Vanuatu village life might pose to be.
The few facts that have caused a rift in my decision to volunteer in Vanuatu:
*The colony of head lice which will inevitably infest my hair, I hear that are lice in abundance in the villages and there is no way of avoiding those itchy buggers!
*The cockroaches who will become my unwanted house mates.
*Not to mention the rats and the geckos
*The feral dogs and cats that roam aimlessly around the villages (I'm a beg wimp when it comes to cats and dogs, and the ones that I have come into contact with have always been domesticated, imagine me around feral ones).
*The lack of hot water, (I can take washing her body with cold water, especially If the weather is hot, but the hair just won't be able to take it!)
*Then there's the hair in general, what to do with it?!?!?!
*The potential of becoming a victim of sexual harassment, I've been told that women volunteers are risk, just because at times the local males interpret 'friendliness' in a different way. Apparently men and women to not interact with each other unless in a relationship and to be 'friends' means to have a relationship. Being a Black western traveller amongst many white westerners in the South Pacific, I attracted a lot of unwanted attention especially from locals who had rarely seen or met a black westerner visiting their Islands before. Many of them were intrigued by me and a Fijian man told me that if I were Fijian I would be the 'most be beautiful Fijian woman' haha (the cheese), so anyway you catch my drift. And in Samoa, I attracted just as much attention if not more and a nephew of the owner of the fales I was staying at propositioned me .
With all this said I am still adamant to travel to Vanuatu, but I'm unsure whether I am ready to spend 6 months out of her comfort zone in a place so alien to what I know. It's not the case of being in Vanuatu for 6 months, but village life, where ever it may be. Despite this apprehension I know deep down that travelling to Vanuatu as a volunteer will be one of the most rewarding and best things that I will ever do, just as long as I overcome the fears that are holding my back.
The Story Begins.
First of all I'd like to welcome you to my blog, and me the Glam Packer. Glam Packer is actually an alias of mine, it was a name I acquired on a trip to Fiji. I was in the hostel room making small talk with a fellow traveller when she turned to me an said, (in response to my comment about me not being your average traveller) "OMG I know... you're so glamorous...you're not a backpacker, you're a Glam Packer, Yea a Glam Packer", and there's me thinking, hmm?!?!? what is she on about?!?! I look a mess I have no make-up on my hair is a mess, I look a state, but hey each to their own.
And even before I met this unnamed traveller many others had made references to my clothing and the way that I carried my self whilst travelling, apparently I was well dressed, which I will agree with but only in comparison to my fellow travellers, who for some reason unbeknown to me feel the need to all shop in Kathmandu! Why?! I do not know?!?! The clothes there are nondescript and unflattering to say the least. I know, I know they're practical, but there is a way to do practical with out disregarding the basic rules of fashion and style. So anywhoo's that is how I got the name Glam Packer, which I liked and have decided to adopt :D
Summer 2008 marks my first solo trip! On this trip I was lucky enough to spend time working in Auckland, New Zealand and backpack around the rest of New Zealand- North and South, visit Melbourne, Australia, Hong Kong, The Yasawa Islands, Fiji and Savaii and Apia, Western Samoa. All in all I was away for just under 5 months of what I can safely say were the best of my life. All I can remember from my time away was the feeling of happiness (this is not to say that I do not feel it at home) and total enjoyment, fun fun times!
As well as visiting the above named countries I have also spent some time on holiday in South Andros, the Bahamas, Zakynthos, Greece, New York City, and the motherland Accra, Ghana.
Now despite all the travelling I've been luck enough to do I still want to travel more and see much more of the world, at present I have an epic African adventure booked with my P.I.C (Partner in Crime), a fine fine Naija girl and my younger sister, which I am soooo looking forward to, it will be the perfect end to a looong stressful and somewhat superfluous degree.
Once back from this epic African adventure which will take us from London to Cairo to Accra and around Ghana, I intend to settle for a little bit longer in London to raise some funds for my first real 'RTW' trip!wooop!!!
And even before I met this unnamed traveller many others had made references to my clothing and the way that I carried my self whilst travelling, apparently I was well dressed, which I will agree with but only in comparison to my fellow travellers, who for some reason unbeknown to me feel the need to all shop in Kathmandu! Why?! I do not know?!?! The clothes there are nondescript and unflattering to say the least. I know, I know they're practical, but there is a way to do practical with out disregarding the basic rules of fashion and style. So anywhoo's that is how I got the name Glam Packer, which I liked and have decided to adopt :D
Summer 2008 marks my first solo trip! On this trip I was lucky enough to spend time working in Auckland, New Zealand and backpack around the rest of New Zealand- North and South, visit Melbourne, Australia, Hong Kong, The Yasawa Islands, Fiji and Savaii and Apia, Western Samoa. All in all I was away for just under 5 months of what I can safely say were the best of my life. All I can remember from my time away was the feeling of happiness (this is not to say that I do not feel it at home) and total enjoyment, fun fun times!
As well as visiting the above named countries I have also spent some time on holiday in South Andros, the Bahamas, Zakynthos, Greece, New York City, and the motherland Accra, Ghana.
Now despite all the travelling I've been luck enough to do I still want to travel more and see much more of the world, at present I have an epic African adventure booked with my P.I.C (Partner in Crime), a fine fine Naija girl and my younger sister, which I am soooo looking forward to, it will be the perfect end to a looong stressful and somewhat superfluous degree.
Once back from this epic African adventure which will take us from London to Cairo to Accra and around Ghana, I intend to settle for a little bit longer in London to raise some funds for my first real 'RTW' trip!wooop!!!
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