The Background

29th July 2004
4:26pm: Anxiety attack
Very bad night - couldn't get to sleep because I was feeling very anxious about various things I have to get done before I leave on my trip, which is suddenly looming closer. When I did fall asleep I woke up less than an hour later, then again after a dream which was superficially very ordinary but had undertones of menace, less than an hour after that. I lay awake for a while, then rang my lover (midnight here = midday there - one of the very few advantages of our twelve hour time difference). After talking for a while, I still took a very long time to get back to sleep, and woke at about 5:40 am. I'm feeling a bit tired now. However, I went to the travel agent this afternoon and paid half the outstanding balance, and will pay the rest next week. At the same time I asked a couple of questions that had been bothering me, about relatively simple things that I just don't know (and therefore feel stupid for having to ask). Now, if I could just get started on the study (still waiting for the lecturer to send out the necessary information and post the stuff on the website), I'm sure my anxiety levels would go down dramatically.

30th July 2004
I think my passport has arrived, as I had a note in my mailbox saying the PO is holding a registered article for me, and what else could it be? I'll go and pick it up tomorrow.

1st August 2004
Oh yes, that registered letter was my passport; I picked it up from the PO yesterday morning.