MEG-A HUGE UPDATE! (See what I did there?!)

OK, so I've been dancing around, slobbing out in front of the Steve Wilkos show, and have only in the past few days really got into gear, but I'm almost ready to go on our trip. I had a mini anxiety attack last night worrying about the actual REALITY of going, but that's all sorted now, I know when I get there I'll love it. Or most of it, hopefully, fingers crossed, yada yada.

So, as I said, I've been getting some stuff done, Mojo and I have both been madly rushing around (and as an irrelevant aside, I was stopped whilst driving with my stepdad because our vehicle EXACTLY matched the description of a getaway car driving around that very night - how cool?!). Anyway, I've been on the phone a lot, waiting around in "queues" being told that my call was "very important" and that I would be shortly connected to someone who would be "glad to assist me". In the case of O2, the man I spoke to was evidently not that glad to assist me (he sounded as dull as a rainy day in Slough) and I'm obviously not THAT important to O2 as they're only allowing me to use one quarter of the texts I'm owed next month whilst I'm abroad, and NONE of the minutes! How rude! So despite shelling out £15 (could be put to much better use), I'm only going to get 100 texts (rather than my usual 200 minutes 400 texts). I mean, what's that? 1.50 per text?! RIP OFF. I'll just avoid using my phone. On the other hand, my conversation with the STA representative was much more satisfying. I was "connected to" the gorgeous-sounding, mellifluous, uber-helpful Rory. He sorted out my Interrail ticket for me, as for some reason my card payment had failed online. We even shared a little joke about the dire hold music - never-ending-solo jazz, you know the kind. My favourite.



Rory prefers silence to this jazz medley too. Rory, if you're out there - we're made for each other. I love you. I've booked the venue and chosen the dress. Call me.

I also phoned Barclaycard and had to wait 10 minutes while someone desperately tried to sell me something I didn't want. Lovely lady, but why didn't she understand?! I'm a poor student just calling to tell you I'm-going-to-Europe-so-don't-block-my-card-please. I can't afford this 3 year insurance plan, Judy! or Ursula, or Winnifred, or Vera, or Pam. (Shout out to Pam at Electrocomponents. Receptionist solidarity, til the day I die. You see I do have SOME sympathy for people working on the other end of the phone: I used to).

In other news, I've been buying yellow raybans (knock offs from Primarche, Primarni, whatever you want to call it). Am I joking when I wear yellow Raybans? Is it ironic? or edgy? cool? post-post-modern? FIERCE? Who knows, watch this space. Also in my shopping basket - summer dresses, good for a bit of all-round ventilation, probably well needed sur la route. Although I do worry about stray gusts of wind revealing my wares to all and sundry. Luggage and locks - Mojo and I paid Boswells a visit, not without an embarrassing hosiery hoisting incident, or contrastingly, a shameless unabashed plugging of this beautiful blog to the shop assistant. Dear Boswells Employee, I hope you are reading. We chose two roll along suitcases that can also be lifted by handles, hold-all style. Super practical AND super chic, elfin dimensions yet packing a 50L punch. Beautiful. And a mere snip at 25 Great British Pounds. I have also purchased an ISIC card (thankyou STA) for discounts along the way, books for reading on the train and while in queues etc., and the MTV guide to Europe. A surprise winner - inane on the outside, but with an inner core of gold - written by Frommers, cool-ized by MTV. I picked it up, had a read, had a chuckle, then realised that if it had substance and chuckles it could be worth buying. Have you ever read "the Rough Guide to..." and laughed?! I certainly haven't. The published, literary equivalent of a rice cracker, if you ask me - you can just about get by on it, you know it might be good for you, but it's boring, dry, and leaves you wanting to throw it away and get a drink. I'm not talking water. Gin, darling, gin. Or Pimms like my gran makes it - Pimms, fruit, skip the lemonade, just top it up with Gordon's.

I have also purchased a fine pair of shoes, for walking. Not shoes for jumping, or running, just walking. Well, they're not walking boots per se. But they're comfy. Office, £20. Decent. Your lowly, run of the mill plimsolls? I THINK NOT. Quote: "This classic plimsole is a must have style for right now! The pump features a canvas upper and rubber sole offering all-day comfort and durability." I bought them today - Monday. Or MonKday. We saw two groups of monks. Buddhist, and your traditional Friar Tuck-esque, roaming around town.

You think perhaps I'm wasting your time and really this post contains nothing interesting/useful re: Europe and inter-railing? Think again, my dear reader! Last week Mojo and I met Molly - our point of contact with the team from the website STA travel buzz - see further down the page for our link to posts about us on their site, and an earlier post on us gaining the grand title of "STA explorers". So we met Molly face to face for the first time last week in Starbucks. We approached a puzzled-looking grey haired woman in her mid 50s (don't worry Molly I didn't really think it was you) and then suddenly realised that Molly was sat right in front of us. We had a chat about the trip, the plans, the meaning of blogging, what we looked for in men, and our desire to avoid being seen as "STA b*&ches" whilst graciously accepting freebies from STA (true story). We each received a t-shirt with an interesting, slightly aggressive slogan on the back (GET OUTTA HERE) and STA logo on the front, some travel wallets, and lovely Moleskine journals, however we must stress that it was not bribery for our undying commitment to and/or promotion of STA (unless we're talking about Rory here). All in all it was great meeting Molly, and a nice insight into the travelbuzz website and intentions. Plus our Starbucks went on Molly's work expenses, so I pigged out and felt pretty sick. Grande caramel frappuccino, and a muffin = ill, but worth it, because it was F.R.E.E.

I'll next write from Europe. See you there. Wednesday 7am flight here I come!

Meg