Exactly One Week!!

Yes, that's right - exactly one week and we will be flying out of Brisbane International Airport, bound for the UK, and hopefully, keeping calm!
As of now, Nancy has had a 'practice pack' and I have bundles of items all over my dining table, waiting to be ticked off the packing list and put into my suitcase.
Life is never as we expect or assume and the past week has seen situations arise in our families due to illness, so we are seeing those people fighting illness that we need to see and continuing to work towards our departure.

My calendar cross-off began 25 weeks ago! Literally can't believe it has gone by so quickly! This morning I crossed off the final week before 'departure week'. Felt a thrill of excitement and nerves as I did so.

Last night as I was going through our "Jenan, ie Jenny & Nancy" trip folder, Heathcliffe was seemingly getting a sense that something is about to happen! As you can see by his face, I think he knows it inolves me going and him staying!

However , Heathcliffe seemed considerably more content this morning when Kerry, aka Heathcliffe's mate/dogsitter arrived! Hmmm, this picture makes me wonder just who will be in charge of this dog-sitting endeavour!

Oh, did I mention it's ONE WEEK!?!?

21 Days, A Stowaway, and a bug.

At this very moment in 21 days time, we will be leaving for Brisbane International Airport. Seems very surreal still at this point. I think having a goal and longing for something for such a length of time makes it even more unreal until it has actually happened,so maybe it will seem like reality when we board the flight!
Looks like someone has decided to secure his place in my luggage!

Meanwhile, our itinerary has come together fantastically well, thanks to Nance and her attention to detail. Cosmos tour packs arrived yesterday for our escorted group tour of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and all of our Air Bnb's are secured for our own solo travel adventures.

A lurgy, virus, bug arrived in my system a couple of days ago, hopefully won't last long and I am just relieved that it has come now and not in three weeks time!

21 days!!!!!

Pre-Travel Planning...Packing...Purchasing...

    At just over 7 weeks (51 days precisely) until take-off to the UK, we are in the midst of packing lists, pre-travel planning, booking Air Bnb's, guest houses and tours (and paying for it all!!!!! eekk!!). My pre-travel purchasing may have included this gorgeous new suitcase covered in, you guessed it, owls, my favourite!

 We are also trying to familiarise ourselves with various counties and train stations and where they are situated so that we have a slightly better chance of not becoming totally 100% lost during our travels! Although I did read a t-shirt the other day that said, "Throw away the map and Get Lost"...have a feeling we may unintentionally embark on that slogan!

We are attempting to travel light. I especially am determined to take only what is absolutely needed as my muscles and stamina do not match that of Nancy's and I want to succeed at dragging my own owl suitcase around Great Britain! Packing lists are a necessity and mine is a definite work in progress.                                         

72 DAYS TO GO...But Who's Counting!?

72 Days to go until we are 'leaving on a jet plane'...on a dream trip, the trip of my lifetime, to the UK! It is proving hard to write this very first post as I simply can't put into words just what this trip means to me - the culmination of years of dreaming & longing to one day set foot in England, many years of severe illness where it truly was 'just a dream', but also a hope and a goal.
I guess this shows that hopes and dreams really can come true, as it is actually going to happen! I am overwhelmed to say the least, but mostly grateful, incredulous and truly deeply blessed!
Now, who are 'we'? I am fortunate enough to be embarking on this trip of my lifetime with my closest friend, Nancy. Nancy has been to the UK numerous times, usually to undertake long distance walks ( like, 100's of kms!), so this will be a different kind of trip for her, and I am beyond excited that we are travelling together!

You will probably get very used to seeing our faces as I plan on documenting every moment of this trip with pictorial memories. (  I will coax Nancy into as many pics as possible!)