baltic extravaganzah 3000

I've filled in 64 pages of documents, submitted passport, photos, 12 months bank statements, fees, pretty much everything save a stool sample.*

The process for my visa extension, which takes me to the dewy honey-filled immigration status of 'Leave To Remain' in three years, is underway.

After the papers are filed, I get to head down to the Home Office in Croydon (Fuck. I have to Croydon? Oh dear God), and get all my shit stamped and approved. The immigration joys of a non-EU person are truly fantastic.

After that, I have to move really really quickly. Because one of my best mates, The Dove, is heading to Europe for almost two months.

Banging in a bottle on a bloated blue baboon, how excited am I? Hopefully it will actually be summer by then.

While she'll stay with us in London for a while, she'll be stationed in Berlin. After our trip there together in 2009, we both fell in love with the place. She's literally grabbed the Germans by the bollocks, and literally rented an apartment there for a month to do some freelance work. What a lucky bitch, wouldn't you say?

Anyway, we've started plotting a trip. A few posts back, I had a good moan about not having a sister or wayward sibling with which to travel. Not days later - coincidentally even? - the Dove said she'd travel with me. To some weird, fucked up country, even.

Given she's kind of like my sister, I'm glad she stepped up.

God I love her. So after lots of to and froing, we have chosen to go to:
Latviah
Estoniah
Lithuaniah.
Finland.

Commonly known as The Baltics. In June. Summer. When it has even been known to snow.

Four countries. Nine days. Kind of like when I went with my mum in a Skoda, but this time with Dove.

Awesome, fucked up, semi-Russian countries with a best mate. Can I even control the excitement right now? No. I cannot.
GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHBREEEEEEETETGAAH.

Which means 'I'm really really excited.'
So we're looking at all of this, but Peas has to get yet another visa to go to the Baltics, in an extremely short space of time. Like four days.

I bloody hope that I can do this. Holding thumbs and dreaming of the formidable babushkas. Who will be sitting next to us, on our bus journeys.***

The Dove is coming to town. Blow me on a burgundy badger's on a piece of bullshit bamboo in a Brazilian beehive. Or punch my arm and call me Jeremy.


* Only Neanderthals could really do that. Not I.

** According to conflicting reports, we've had the most rain in April in 100 years. We're also, at the same time, in the middle of a 'serious drought.' Only in Britain can totally completely opposite things take place at the same time.

*** There are no trains in these countries. Eastern Bloc much?