Good Morning all,

The deed is done.

Spurred on by Bill who was a bit aghast at my laid-back attitude to booking my flight I decided to get on the phone & sort it aaaaaht !
Just as well I did really. I have never booked a flight before & was looking at all the deals in the paper thinking 'No problem, loads of flights here' Little did I know about that magic word 'availability'

Oh yes, they have loads of cheap flights ... but on the day I wanted to travel ? Not on your nelly.

So, after a bit of bare-faced bluffing ie. 'Oh yes, I have had a quote from suchandsuch who only wanted to charge me £30 - yes really' I have booked the flight thru a company called 'Biggles'

I leave @ 2215 on Thu 15th May from Heathrow.
I arrive in Singapore @ 1800 on Fri 16th May (sealed transit bus to avoid all the plague-ridden SARS victims)
Leave again @ 2105 16th May
Arrive Christchurch 1030 on Sat 17th May

All in price of £568 which is very good, downside is I have to venture to the badlands of South Croydon to pick the ticket up tomorrow.

If Queenie's jouney was anything to go by I will arrive an exhausted heap. Having said that I wouldn't fancy sitting in an airplaine seat for 23 hours if I was 6'03" so hopefully I should fare a little better.

I am relieved that it is done & the good news is I now have 3 extra days to get all the stuff done which I was panicking about doing.

Had a bad night on Monday night. Woke up at 3am Tuesday morning & started having a case of the dawn-jitters.

Strange how your fears become hugely out-of-proportion when it's just you & birdsong isn't it ?

Luckily I had company in the form of Tallulah who has discovered the joy that is wrapping yourself around a human neck imitating a feather boa. I have to say, I didn't mind at all, the contact was most welcome, if a little ticklish.

Luckily, 3am here means 4pm in Auckland so I texted Bill & told him how panicky he was feeling.

First of all he asked if there was anyone with me who could fly the plane ? When I said there wasn't he took the microphone & talked me down. No lives were lost but a few meals were spilled.

He has recommended a website

Love Marlborough

which I am going to take a squint at.

Played golf at Gatton Manor with Andy yesterday. He won't mind me telling you that he played worse than he ever has in a misguided attempt to let me win. I, however was determined not to take 'charideee' & proved as much by hitting no less than 7, yes 7 balls into the river on the 18th. We decided it was kind of a draw. The weather was absolutely beautiful & we enjoyed the day despite the golf rather than because of it. Think I disappointed Andy by not falling in the river whilst fishing out 4 balls with my 7-iron. Who says I don't know which clubs are for which jobs ?

Then onto Linda's for my tea, her version of an Ulster fry, essentially a fry-up but with mash substituted for chips. Yum.
I also played with Harry (do not adjust your set) we found something to bond over ie. his scooter which was fantastic..
I am sure we didn't get too much in Linda's way doing wheelies & 3-point turns in the hallway & kitchen whilst she cooked tea.
We then sat down to watch the cross-country at Badminton & marvelled at the guts of the riders who throw their heart over a fence, then follow it.

Just spoken to Q-we have arranged to meet up Monday to choose my digital camera.

Right, must go now to have a brew, pack some boxes, answer some e-mails & possibly venture into the garden.


Sorry the last bit's not very reader-friendly, there were gaps & paragraphs but Blog has squashed it all together.
That's obviously the maximum I can publish at any 1 time.


later,

Cx