The past couple of weeks have been utter chaos. I’ve left my job, am serving my notice period on my tenancy, and am largely spending my time trying to turn the contents of the house into money.

My eBay sales are faring even better than I had hoped, but I still need to shift about 150 books, 3 guitars (& amplifier), and a variety of computer hardware and other electronic equipment which is too good to throw away, but either too crap or too cumbersome to sell on eBay.

I’ve applied for my Thailand visa, which means that my passport is currently in the hands of the Thai Consulate. And I’m supposed to be flying to Belfast in seven days. Hopefully my passport will be returned to me by then, or it could be a rather short holiday. I believe my photocard driving license will serve as sufficient ID if the passport isn’t returned in time, but easyjet’s customer service line seems to consist of a looped recording of completely irrelevant information. Does anyone know the real rules? Put my mind at rest, please! Not that I can do much about it now, anyway…

On the bright side, my landlord has already returned my deposit on the house, and the tenant he has lined up to replace me (or act as Steward in my absence, insists Sian) may be interested in buying some or all of my furniture.

Things do seem to be rolling into place, but I do suspect I’m really running out of time to get everything done.

If anyone reading this wants to meet up to wish me well before I go (or to personally thank me for leaving the country and making it a slightly less sarcastic place to live), here’s my schedule, such as it is – more for my benefit than your interest:

Sat 8 – Fri 14th

• Post about 150 CDs and DVDs to eBay customers
• Try to find local buyers for electronic hardware, guitars etc & furniture
• Get my 150 or so books listed on eBay
• Throw away everything I can’t either fit in my suitcase, sell or donate to charity (I pity the binmen, this is going to be high volume!)
• Start posting the first few books to sell
• Receive passport & Thai visa (hopefully)
• Start cancelling utilities

Sat 15 – Sun 23

• Holiday with Sian in Donegal, Ireland – attending my mother’s wedding

Mon 24 – Thu 27

• Post all remaining eBay items, cancel any remaining utilities (including internet, sigh…)
• Issue change of address to everyone I still have any sort of “account” with
• Set up mail redirection
• Organise a lift to Heathrow

Fri 28

• Farewell night out in Southport

Sat 29

• Farewell night out here

Sun 30

• Final tidy of the house
• Return keys etc
• Get to Heathrow and jump on a plane

May 1

• Arrive in Bangkok
• Exhale

It’s been quite a roller coaster ride so far. I do seem to thrive on making things exceptionally difficult for myself. I hope I’m up to it this time!