P.R.E.P.A.R.E. Find out what it means to me

All I’m asking, is for a little preparation when you get home, (just a little bit).

Mental, physical and financial preparation has been paramount to getting ready for six months away from home. Besides the hours googling accommodation in unfamiliar cities, meetings with travel agents, and revising the itinerary almost weekly, I’ve had to make some adjustments to my every day life.

Spending habits have had to change. It hit me after splurging an easy two hundy on a gold silk Zimmerman singlet – which I love, and which I wear every second day to get my cost per wear – that I needed to be stricter with my money. Look for items you can skimp on, and shop from asos.com instead of mycatwalk.com.au. Take your lunch to work every day, and instead of spending your dollars on shots at bars in Melbourne, save them for shots at bars in Greece.

I also suggest keeping as low maintenance as possible. For the past year I have been dying my dark brown hair blonde all in the name of fun. However I will not let the cost, time and regrowth dictate our trip. Therefore I have gone from this once a month:

To this:

And more recently, this:

My travelling buddy Ash also did the big colour change, to minimise the maintenance and cost. Our money is sweeter than honey too, Aretha.   

In physically preparing for the trip, I’ve realised we will be doing a heck of a lot of walking and heavy lifting. With our packs weighing an average 15-20kg, we want our bodies up to the challenge of hauling our beloved clothes and shoes from city to city (or bus door to hostel door). Over the last four months I have upped my back weights in Pump classes and made an effort to walk before or after work. So far I am ignoring advice to pack lightly. If there is a will, there is a way.  I will carry my clothes up mountains to reach hostels if that’s what it takes!

Over the past few months I have also been more aware of my mentality and temperament. I will get home sick, I will get tired and cranky, and I will want chocolate. And coffee. And ice cream. Not overreacting to small problems, being organised to minimise stress, and keeping my attitude in check have been a great start. Travelling in a small group will be challenging, considering we will be living together and up in each other’s grill all day every day. So taking the time out now to practice snapping out of bad moods and talking out issues calmly has been valuable.

Moral of the story, start preparing early while you can. There’s no point waiting until two weeks before you leave, you need longer than that to develop habits and notice change. (Just a little bit) of preparation will make for smoother sailing while you are literally sailing the islands of Croatia.

Nikki ‘Morticia’ Franklin

Sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, sock it to me, waaaaaahhhhhhhooooo