Yesterday was an interesting day and that's quite the understatement.
I have yet to do a LOT of things before I can start packing my bag for Krakow, but what happened yesterday is something I just need to share here. I know I am ahead of things with this post, but I can't keep it to myself!

source: https://dribbble.com/shots/3886728-Take-A-Walk-On-The-Wild-Side

The passport issue

I realised that the day of Steemfest is really coming closer rather quickly and since I still need 3 passports, I needed to set appointments for two Dutch passports with the embassy and one for my youngest son for an Irish one. The Irish one will not be such an issue. I am going to deal with that this week and we should have that covered within the time-frame.

My passport and that of my daughter is another issue. There is a slight chance that they won't issue me a new passport. This because I may have some tax owed in Holland. Now, 5 years ago it was no problem. I had already been here in Ireland for 2 years then, so I don't see why now all of a sudden it would be an issue. BUT, to play it safe, I might just apply for an ID card instead. The thing is, the first appointment possible is the 10th of October! It takes three weeks and if my passport won't be issued, there will be no time to apply for an ID card. So I might as well bite the bullet and do the ID card and then apply for a passport later sometime.
I'll cut my losses. NOTHING will stop me from attending Steemfest this year!
So that's THAT.

This passport issue probably means that I won't be able to get a Steemfest ticket before the price rises, so if I could just win one...that would be GREAT!
All my Steem earnings are still going to pay off my debt with those awesome people who loaned me the money to go to Holland, so the passports will have to be paid in fiat. OUCH, dirty word!

The child minding issue that turned into something CRAZY COOL!

If you've read my other #roadtosteemfest posts, you'll know that my kids will be joining me in Poland, but they will not attend Steemfest. Firstly because I really don't have the money to pay for all of us and secondly because it's the ONE time in the year that I do something for myself. And in the long run also for them...

So I needed to find someone who was willing to either travel with me to Poland or someone who lives there. Where to start?
I decided to post a request on several Facebook pages. The homeschooling pages, the worldschooler pages and the solo worldschoolers...
Within less than 10 minutes I already had 2 people interested and a handful others giving me ideas. Awesome that even on FaKebook this still exists.

One of the women who responded said the following: 'Oh, I've always wanted to visit, together with my six year old daughter.' I told her I'd send her a pm and she replied: 'Yeah, let's DO this!'
WHAT an enthusiasm. At this stage I didn't even know where she lives!
So yesterday I managed to get a hold of her. Turns out she lives near Washington DC in the US!
At this point I wasn't so sure anymore, but she wiped my doubts off the table when she said:
'I work for an airline and can fly pretty much anywhere for free, so my daughter and I travel the world whenever we can.' Well, am I the luckiest person on earth or WHAT to have found her right at this point. If that's not fate, then I don't fucking know what is.

source: www.giphy.com

But this is not where this ends. I ended up pre-booking an apartment for us. Literally 7 minutes walk to the hotel where lots of Steemians will be staying. YAY!
I won't have to pay anything till we actually get there, so it was meant to be...again.

Then, yesterday, Emilie (that's HER) and I were talking quite a bit and then she mentions that she has a holiday now and is thinking of where to go. Then she asked me if I was in Dublin. No, not exactly but I told her that we're 'only' 2.5 hours from Dublin and that she and her daughter are more than welcome welcome to stay with us if she'd like to see rural Ireland too. She jumped at the opportunity and is looking for flights RIGHT NOW!

source: www.giphy.com

We talked about a lot of things, from travel, kids, life to politics. And we got along really well. It's almost like we've known each other for years! So hopefully she'll find a flight here and I'll be meeting her soon. She was happy to mind the kids when we're in Poland, me paying for the apartment and some pocket money for the kids is all she wants. I think I may have found a diamond in the rough. I know, it all sounds crazy to trust my kids with a total stranger, but I got a pretty good vibe off her and she has a child... Sometimes you just have to dive in...
So if I could meet her here before the trip, that would be SO awesome.

The only thing I feel bummed about is that I felt we get along so well, it's almost a shame not to bring her to Steemfest! But hey, I have to make choices. Who knows, this may well be a friend for life. I just love how things can go from a simple thing like a request on Facebook.
Things falling into place...