T -6 Days 8 hours

Tax return has proven most delicious :D Now I have my spending money.
Waiting for Passport to arrive, waiting for new phone to come in on Monday, waiting to get on the plane...

Had tea with Olga tonight (RAMUS mentor) and got to see her lovely new house. She gave me a bit of a pep-talk about how important this year will be for helping me to realise my true passion for medicine. It was nice for someone to see it as that straight away, rather than grilling me for "slacking off".
Olga also gave me the lecture about "travel health" :p I suppose I had to get it from someone. She did raise a valid point about DVT for the AUS-S.Africa flight.

Found out very recently that Tom won't be travelling at all this year.
That was epically bad news, especially considering how much he slaved his guts out to earn enough. It *DOES* mean that he'll be able to afford a MOST EXCELLENT elective next year, but it is yet another kick-while-he's-down.
Tom, you've tackled the challenges of this year with tact, grace and dignity. I hope you take away enough experiences from this year to be "worth it". I feel for you, brother! I'll toast many drinks in your name during my absence.

I found out this morning that the awesome VIP tickets to Birds of Tokyo are for *THE SAME DAMN TIME AS MY GOING AWAY PARTY* :( also, the friend who wanted to come along to the gig is now in quaranteen for having the plague or whatever. If anyone would like the tickets, just let me know. It sounds like a good gig!
I thought about pushing back my party till 7pm, but figure that ample beer and food that is of the fishy variety would suit me better. Plus, getting the revised plan out to everyone would just mess everyone around :p

I think that work now truly appreciates that *I AM LEAVING* :p I'm trying to bring someone in on each of my duties, and hope to have much of them squared away before I leave. Regardless, I'm taking half-days for Monday and Tuesday. I can stick around for all of Wednesday if they want me to, but that is all. The critical stuff has someone on-board. The other stuff has a fair degree of documentation.. I'm sure that they will be able to deal :p

So, now I just need to pack my clothes, tidy the unit up and mothball the delicate stuff. Redirect my mail and ship a heap of stuff to my parents.
Ironically, packing is probably going to be the least intensive job but certainly the longest. I'm now looking on taking profoundly fewer clothes than I thought possible.. still too much other miscellaneous crap like cooking stuff and my little tool-pack. I'll just have to lay it all out and be merciless...

well, off to see Wanted tonight.

ciao