Snow and Japan preparations

I loved the snow when it first appeared on Monday, but now the novelty has worn off and I'm fed up of it disrupting plans. Yesterday I only had lessons in the first 3 periods, so the plan was for mum to come and collect me at 12.30pm. But as I got to school the snow was falling heavily and it kept up for a while. My first 3 lessons were ok and I got the final piece of my Environmental Systems coursework completed, despite being a bit distracted by the snow. But then I heard from mum that the snow was too bad for her to come and collect me, so I'd have to wait for dad to finish work. I expected this to be around 4 or 5pm, but he finished at 3pm. So I only had to waste 2 and a half hours at school, which wasn't too bad. Then yesterday evening my friend Claire was going to come round, but she couldn't get here because of the snow :( So I felt quite fed up for a bit yesterday evening, but then I rearranged all my furniture and started to tidy my room which made me feel a bit better.

My preparations for Japan are going really well - I can't believe it's only 5 days til I go! I'm an avid reader, so over the last month or two I've gathered together 9 books I've been recommended or have meant to read. I only want to take 3 or 4 to Japan, so on Thursday evening I read the first chapters of 8 of the books. I expected I'd only like a few of them, so then they'd be the ones I'd take to Japan. But I liked all of them! I've managed to narrow them down to about 5, but still have to decide which ones to take. One of the books I thought might be good to take with me is Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides. Becky recommended another book by him, called The Virgin Suicides, which I read and really enjoyed. I ordered Middlesex from the library a couple of weeks ago, but it's not come yet, and I'm off to Japan on Thursday. So I'm not sure whether to buy a copy or wait to read it when I return from Japan.

My universal adaptor arrived in the post this morning as well as a parcel from my friend Lizzy with some travel bits for me to take to Japan - a journal, a small hairbrush, some small travel bottles to take toiletries in, and some shower caps! And 2 of the monthly magazines I subscribe too (Focus and Writing Magazine) came in the post this morning, so I'm going to save them to read on the plane.

This morning I went to the village Post Office to enquire about buying some Yen (for spending money in Japan), but they would have to send off for it and they and so couldn't guarantee it for Thursday. Then I went into my local town where I enquired at the Post Office there, only to encounter the same problem. They suggested I try the travel agents and luckily they had some Yen in stock. The exchange rate at the moment is just under 130 Yen to the Pound, so I bought 30,000 Yen for about £230, so I've got plenty of spending money. My nan gave me £40 of that, so I'm very grateful to her. And while I was in town I also visted the opticians as my glasses weren't comfortable, but they're much better now.

On the way back from town we picked my nan up and she's come round for the afternoon :) Then tomorrow morning I'm babysitting (well, for a 10 year old) from 9am til 12.30pm and then in the afternoon I'm hoping to go to the cinema with my mum to see Doubt (Meryl Streep's latest film). Around those plans I've also got to complete 5 biology experiment write-ups by Tuesday and do some more preparation for my mock English IOC on Monday. I'm feeling a bit more confident about the mock IOC now though and my York Notes guide to Wuthering Heights arrived in the post this morning.

Then on Monday I've got a full day at school, including my mock English IOC in the morning. Tuesday I've only got lessons in the first 2 periods, so I should be able to be picked up mid morning. And then Wednesday I've got the day off so I'll have plenty of time to pack and do last minute organising and hopefully I'll not be too tired for going on Thursday. I'm not so worried about the snow disrupting flights now as it looks like we've seen the last of the snow - at last!