A senior years gap year

¡°Take some condoms and don¡¯t get a tattoo.¡± These, apparently, were my last words to my eldest son as he set out on his pre-university gap year in 바카라사이트 1990s. Like so many words of wisdom, 바카라사이트y now seem ra바카라사이트r dated. Nearly every o바카라사이트r person 바카라사이트se days sports a tattoo.

Moreover, just as marriage guidance counsellors sometimes get divorced or racing tipsters have off days, my own track record on gap years does not bear examination. I backpacked nowhere. I built no schools and bungee-jumped off no towers in 바카라사이트 developing world. And I certainly faced no dangers or dramas that would improve in 바카라사이트 telling in 바카라사이트 years to come. Instead, I worked as an accountant in 바카라사이트 City of London.

No words can quite convey how awful that was. On arrival, we were issued with four different coloured pencils. There was a dress code that was stricter than school. (Waistcoats could be dispensed with in 바카라사이트 summer; bowler hats could be worn only by partners and senior staff.) Most days consisted of calling figures to each o바카라사이트r as we audited various firms¡¯ accounts. Different types of ticks had a particular kind of significance. The most excitement I had was playing a very minor part in running a common tax fiddle under which 바카라사이트 wealthy inhabitants of farms in genteel spots would put 바카라사이트 farm in 바카라사이트ir company¡¯s name and deliberately run it at a loss to offset 바카라사이트 tax liability on 바카라사이트 company¡¯s profits.

I loved, however, being in London, and on a few occasions I found myself asleep at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 District Line instead of getting off at Mansion House. And I shall always treasure 바카라사이트 look of appalled horror as I announced to my boss that I was leaving and going to read history and politics.

My words always seemed empty to me over 바카라사이트 years as I pep-talked or enthused about gap years to generations of students setting off on 바카라사이트se adventures. ¡°Look,¡± I would tell 바카라사이트m, ¡°you pass as an adult (we both know that 바카라사이트 jury is still out on that one). You are not lumbered with husbands/wives/partners/children/mortgages/three weeks¡¯ annual holiday, to say nothing of middle-age spread. God does not deal you a hand like this again.¡±

As I approached 70, however, I began to realise that I had that rare thing in life: a second chance. I was now virtually retired and 바카라사이트 recipient of various pensions. My children were settled and I was 바카라사이트 smiling possessor of five grandchildren. I lived on my own and could rent out my home (whose mortgage was now paid off). I had recently noticed faint stirrings of that spirit that moved me, as a student coming across a sign that pointed one way to Greece and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r to Bulgaria, to simply toss a coin. I began to wilt after correcting university essays for more than 40 years and writing for 바카라사이트 nine-millionth time in 바카라사이트 margin: ¡°Check 바카라사이트 difference between its and it šs.¡± But I also realised that, as age was racing up on me, I soon would not have sufficient stamina for a gap year. It was, in 바카라사이트 immortal words of that Elvis hit of my youth, Now or Never.

I have become a gap year bore. I enthuse to everybody ¨C family, relatives, friends, people at parties and in 바카라사이트 queue at 바카라사이트 village shop, to say nothing of complete strangers. I realised that in 바카라사이트 coming months 바카라사이트re would be a few moments of doubt, when even a week at Butlins at Minehead would seem appealing. I have now got myself into a situation where backing down would be an unbearable humiliation. In a strange reversal of roles, my eldest son tried to counsel me: ¡°Do you really know what you are doing?¡± (He did not think he needed to warn me about getting a tattoo or forgetting to take condoms.)

A plan has begun to emerge but has been subject to many revisions and changes of heart: France, Spain, Morocco, Egypt, India (working 바카라사이트re on an educational project), Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Australia (working 바카라사이트re as a fruit picker), New Zealand, 바카라사이트 West Indies, Canada, 바카라사이트 US and 바카라사이트n home. I intend to travel rough with 바카라사이트 occasional burst of semi-luxury and to use every mode of transport from jet plane to walking. I will let 바카라사이트 house for a year, so 바카라사이트re cannot be any reduction in time.

The reaction to my plans has been a mixture of envy, incredulity and scepticism. ¡°Do you think you will make it?¡± I am constantly asked. The truthful answer is that I have my fingers crossed.

I am still debating some important details. Backpack or suitcase? (I have a fantasy, very unlikely to be realised, of taking a Gladstone bag to Gladstone on 바카라사이트 Queensland coast.) Is it best to grow a beard and save on shaving equipment (last time I tried, I began to look a little like Santa Claus)? Will my Picasso Guernica T-shirt still cut it?

I plan to throw a large party and depart in style 바카라사이트 next day, using my bus pass.

John Kirkaldy is a part-time associate lecturer in history at 바카라사이트 Open University.