Be Sure to Insure, to Ensure Your Tour is Secure.

Todolist disease: A common occurrence amongst students and new graduates, Todolist disease causes sufferers to create endless lists of tasks, unable to complete even the most basic bullets, incapable of seeing they are simply procrastinating under the title of organising. There is no cure.

Hello, my name is Sarah, and I’m a procrastinator.

Since I started planning, I have written countless lists of things I need to do. There is a “general-to do” list, a “to-pack” list, a “to-buy” list. There’s a “to-see” list, “to-research” list and even a “to-ask” list, which has become more of a panic trench in which I shovel all my doubts and nerves, unconvincingly disguised as interesting and astute questions I will need to consider before leaving. I’m fooling no one. And I haven’t crossed much off. Every day things get added to the lists but nothing seems to ever get crossed off and I’m in constant battle with my brain and my bank account to get stuff done. My favourite form of defense is the classic “I’ve written it down, so i’m basically tackling it. It’s already underway. Simply by acknowledging the task’s existence, I have taken the first steps towards completion”. Bollocks. And this weekend, my subconscious brain took matters into its own hands.

It was Saturday, and I was sitting in a cinema in Swindon with a friend, blissfully on a break from panic-pondering, (“How many pairs of pants should I be taking?”, “Can a sarong really be used for a million tasks?”, “How quickly could I learn guitar so i’m useful in a campfire situation?!”) and about to enjoy a film (Movie 43: Verdict: bloody flippin’ weird). As the adverts began, a little voice purred into my mind.

“Turn off your phone,” it said.

“Put it in the cup-holder and enjoy the film.” it said.

“You’re a mature, intelligent, observant individual, capable of looking after her belongings – of course you won’t forget it.” It said.

So now, it being Sunday, my phone is in a cinema cup-holder in Swindon, and I am in Kent. How bloody annoying. My trixy subconscious had its way though, since this little detour from convenience meant I had to call my phone network to get the sim card temporarily barred, and so began a lovely conversation with a nice Indian man named Terry (fairly likely not to be his real name) who told me all about my options for what to do about my phone when travelling. I took it on board and can officially tick off DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH PHONE – a mini accomplishment that had me say “Terry, I bloody love you” down the land-line and look forward to putting the decision to action. (Once I get said phone returned from the back-end of nowhere. Apologies to Swindon-ites). TickTick.

A rather heavy-duty task on my list-o-rama is INSURANCE: Where do I get it? What do I need? WHY DOES IT CONSTANTLY REFER TO MY DEATH? and so on. Today, however, I had a little breakthrough and, after trawling Google and comparison sites and internet forums that told me to “go with the flow, man, you’ll never even need your insurance” for what felt like forever, I chose a package. AND BOUGHT IT. *cheers*.

Unfortunately, it was winter sports insurance because I am going on a weeks ski adventure with my mum and Co. before embarking on the actual travelling thing.

I did say a little breakthrough.