What am I Doing!

I think I'm packed, I think I know all the details and I think I know how to get to my hostel. Should be interesting. Just had a lovely dinner with family to say goodbye as tomorrow will be final packing, panicking and picking Jimmy & co. up from camp. There's no denying I'm a little terrified - of everything to do with this trip... that's most of the reason I'm going. But I have found two lovely girls who are on my trek that I should be able to meet up with in NYC. We've got a vague plan, the first one being to find food!

Here is the final list, day by day, of where I'm headed starting Wednesday 3rd August.

Departs New York area at 0730 hrs
1 Washington DC

2 Washington DC
3 Virginia
4 Tennessee
5 Alabama
6 New Orleans (H)
7 New Orleans (H)
8 Texas
9 San Antonio
10 San Antonio
11 Texas
12 Carlsbad Caverns NP
13 Arizona/New Mexico
14 Monument Valley
15 Grand Canyon NP
16 Grand Canyon NP
17 Zion NP
18 Las Vegas (H)
19 Las Vegas (H)

20 Los Angeles
21 Los Angeles (HP)
22 Pacific Coast
23 Monterey
24 San Francisco (H)
25 San Francisco (H)
26 Yosemite NP
27 Yosemite NP
28 Lake Tahoe
29 Idaho/ Nevada
30 Jackson
31 Jackson
32 Yellowstone NP
33 Yellowstone NP
34 Sioux Indian Lands
35 Badlands NP
36 South Dakota
37 Minnesota
38 Chicago (H)
39 Chicago (H)
40 Ohio
41 Niagara Falls
42 New York area

And today my mum and I booked our flights to New Zealand!! We fly out 24th October and arrive home 24th November with stop-overs in Sydney and  Dubai. There goes all my savings. But she deserves an adventure! 

Well I guess this is it until I'm in NYC. Speak to you soon!

Josie x

Psalm 139:12-14

New International Version (NIV)

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. ¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.

Time for goodbyes.

So this time next Sunday I'll be on a plane to NYC. Scary...

But a lot of friends are off on amazing camps this week so even though I'm not away long I've already said goodbye to you. You'll all come back hyperactive but exhausted next Saturday and you better leave me some comments about what happened in Wales so I don't feel left out!! But I'll see the CCiD bunch at the leaving shindig when I pick my Jimbob up. Leaving him behind in the UK feels pretty in stupid. We're just praying I don't miss out on anything because I'm wasting time feeling homesick or lonely, there isn't much point when, God willing, I've got years left here and only six weeks exploring!

I also finished working at H&M last week which means I'm unemployed! No more money coming in... I don't think it's quite real yet because it hasn't been very long. But no job! I feel so irresponsible. The H&M crew were lovely and they put up with me for nearly four years but I don't think I'll go back, it's time to look for a job I want to stick with for at least twenty years, being a grown up and that. May end up in a supermarket for a while until I find it but hey, it's an income.

And our little Gemma flew away to South Africa for six months last week... I really admire her. She'll have the most life changing time but I know we're all secretly hoping she comes back to us, at least for a little while. Here's her blog if you want to stay in touch with her and up-to-date with the happenings; gemma-leanne.blogspot.com It blows my mind to think back a few years to when the younger bunch all started to come through and get to know us and now mostly all of them are saved and going out into the world as followers of Christ. It also makes me feel incredibly comforted knowing all my extended family will be praying for me while I'm away, and if I forget to say it after, thanks for that.

Anyway, please stay in touch through here as I don't think I'll check my e-mail much while I'm gone. To become a follower click around the top right and to receive e-mails when I update type in your address at the bottom of the page.

Hope to see a few more faces this week but to those of you going away tomorrow, I love you guys! Have the best time in Wales and have a swim in the stream for me! (That means you Hannah!)

Your Jobo xxxx

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This time next month

With only two weeks left at work then two weeks of packing and seeing folk the days are counting down fast! Plus the fact everyone keeps asking me how long which makes me think about it more... This time next month I will have been in New York a whooole day.

I'm quietly confidant that I've got everything ready - I just need to make it fit into my bag. Here's a photo of what I have to live with for 6 weeks. It's not that long really. The problem is just that I'm a girl and we tend to try and pack for every situation we may encounter, even if it's not that realistic. Hence, I just spent twenty minutes explaining to my mum why I absolutely need every item I'm taking. Thankfully she agreed with most of it. And reminded me of a couple more practical items I'd bypassed.

Below is the photo of my whole tour, starting in the East in New York then travelling South. Most days we'll be travelling for about 4 or 5 hours so at least there's more time to catch up on sleep if we've had a late night. I'm really not sure how often I'll be able to update while I'm in the US but I'll aim for once a week. If you have my number feel free to drop me a line as I'm using it as my camera, just don't be offended if I don't reply - money and that...

I've heard tons of tips on travelling and back packing etc so why not throw some more my way if you have any.

Over the next few weeks I really need to start planning for New Zealand. Aside from the actual trip there's still flights and hostels to sort out...

Just a few weeks left to go.

x