Home again, home again, jiggety-jig

It wasn't difficult.

All I had to do was take to the UK the old, falling apart luggage, dispose of them, and return with new tougher suitcases to Bangkok. We knew what we wanted and it was cheaper to buy them in the UK. Simple, eh?

But something went wrong.

And no, it wasn’t the obvious thing of not making it home with falling to pieces bags. Even though string and sellotape held our baggage together en route to the UK we felt most lucky and relieved not to have had them explode, spewing books and knickers over Heathrow's carousel.

Soon after we arrived, Son and I went off to purchase new suitcases and then we got on with having a fabulous trip. We saw lots of people, though sadly not absolutely everyone because how can we? Then it was time to think about packing again. I used to start compiling packing lists two weeks before we went away but a combination of more travelling experience, and training from Husband means that now I leave it to the last minute.

I'm still not quite sure what happened... I did start to think about packing… I gave one old case to the nieces to take on holiday but all the others I kept– just in case, y’know? It was when it became urgent for us to pack that it dawned on me that something was amiss. Clearly, our possessions had swollen or something… maybe it was the air? No matter how much I jiggered things around, or begged space in the children's cases, the stuff wasn't going in.

So in the end, some of the old suitcases had to make the return trip to Bangkok again.

Back in Bangkok

I arrived yesterday and am suffering physical and bodily chaos while I try to adapt to the change of time zone. When I’m awake I want to be asleep and when I’m asleep I really should be awake. Two big suitcases and a large piece of hand luggage full to bursting with books, clothes and other paraphernalia, sit on the floor waiting to be emptied. I can’t seem to sort them out.

I’ll be back blogging as normal in a day or two.

I'm back

I’m back.

And, I’ve had this rather uncomfortable feeling all day, that I couldn’t quite identify … what is it? Why do I feel like I’ve misplaced both my ‘phone and my handbag? Why? I’ve got my bag, and I’ve got my non-blackberry stand in … so… what is it? And then, I’ve remembered:

My children, my babies are flying to England tonight to have a three week Christmas holiday without me! Aaaaagggh.

They’re all packed up now: suitcases full, but not bursting. Daughter has written instructions for wrapping presents – a couple of birthdays in there as well as Christmas – just to keep us on our tippy toes. I think I shall feel better when they’ve actually gone – right now, I keep wondering if I can get any other presents. No. No, I can’t.

It’s all done but I’ve still got me to pack, and I’ve got some website stuff to do, three pieces of artwork to prepare and email. I think Husband will be quite glad to see the back of me on Saturday: I’ve spent the last four weeks in a blind panic.

The lovely Cathy at My New Notebook has awarded me a lion, which I’m really flattered about – thank you very much, Cathy. I have to award it to five others, but I’m going to come back and post about it tomorrow cos I'm so tired I need a lie down…