24 emails and 5 international phonecalls later …

and I am not exaggerating, but I think I have everything booked now for the Journey of a Lunatic.

• I have a plane ticket for London to Moscow with BMI.
• I have a place to sleep in Moscow.
• My train tickets are confirmed for the 27th of February, and they are going to pick me up at the airports, handing me my ticket, and drive me to my hotel in Moscow. Want to see what the train (inside and outside) looks like, go here. (I am taking nr. 4 – 2nd class – 4 berth)
• I have a place to sleep in Beijing. And to spoil myself just a little bit after 6 days in the train, without a shower, I have chosen a deluxe room for 3 pound extra per night. This hotel is on walking distance from the train station where I will arrive, so that’s highly practical.
• I have a plane ticket for Beijing – New York on the 7th of March. As I am going to cross all kind of time zones on this flight, it makes it possible for me to step in the plane at 9.50am in Beijing, arrive in London at 13.00pm after 11 hrs and 10 minutes, and from there I have 2 hrs to change to my plane to New York, which will land on JFK at 17.50pm New York local time.

  At that time I have been flying for about 19 hours! (And I have to admit that on the map the distance Beijing – New York looks shockingly far!) Not to mention that I don’t like flying at all, but I hope I can sleep a part of this trip.

  I am flying with British Airways (first time), in a Boeing 777 jet, and if they stick to their schedule, the on board entertainment (the little screen in front of me) will show (I love BA already), yep, Casino Royale. Which makes me completely relaxed about the flight, as I am not able to think about fear when looking in the deep blue eyes of Daniel Craig. So that’s settled too.

  I dropped the plan to book a Vertical Hour that day, I could have made it, with a taxi from the airport, directly into the Music Box to get Nighy, but I would probably have ended in an horizontal hour or two, and falling asleep right in front of Bill, is just a no can do. So let’s not do that.

• In New York I have booked myself into the Seafarers and International House, which is cheap for New York (my “usual” place was booked up already). And I might not be a Seafarer, but Davy definitely is. And yes they are a tad religious there, but hey, I probably pray and worship just as much as they do. Just not to the same person. I am not linking them here, but google and find them if you’re interested. They might kick me out when they read that I believe in other things than them, so let’s not take the risk. I promise to behave properly there.
• I have spoken to Telecharge, and got my cancelled Vertical Hour tickets refunded, and I have my new tickets confirmed. Cool. I look really forward to this again. Really. So. Very. Much.
• I have done what I could do to get everything arranged. Now I am just depending on my visas to make it on time. It should not be a problem according to the Visa Office. So for now I choose to rely on them and not to worry.

What am I mumbling about:

Dear Ingrid!

We would like to confirm that your ticket from Moscow to Beijing has been issued.
You will be on the train #4 on February 27, 2007 (carriage – 6, berth – 7).

And 6 times 7 = 42.

See – Everything Is Going To Be Just Fine.

Oh this horse on the picture, I swear that I first found out what his name was when I came home after taking this picture. It felt somehow appropriate for this post, as my head feels like a roundabout. The Magic Roundabout, of course.