Well I knew the last week would be a weepy, and it was, but no where near as much as I had thought it would be. I think it was mainly because I just didn't believe it was all happening, that in a weeks time I would be living on the other side of the world and would not be returning, or at least if I did it would be in quite a few years time.
I would have liked to have had a relaxing last week, meeting up with family, and saying our goodbyes, but unfortunately I found it quite stressful....stressful is becoming my middle name! Clearing the house out took days longer than we expected and put us behind with our planned travel arrangements, visiting family that lived in Norfolk, Manchester and Scotland. Even our neighbours were starting to wonder if we were actually leaving "Are you sure your going" they would ask. We would reply "yes, tomorrow" and you would hear a small "yippee" as they turned. Well, ok, they didn't really say yippee but they must have thought it after four days of saying we were "leaving tomorrow" to actually close our house front door (still no buyer for house) for the last time and drive away. Lots of the neighbours actually came out and cheered and waved us off, I will take it as being because they were excited for us on the adventure we were about to set off on, and not that they were that pleased to see the back of us! It was a really great send off and I would like to thank them very much for being such great neighbours, especially to Sarah, Malcolm and Joan for all of your help in the chaotic situation we got ourselves into emptying our house! If you weren't there you simply wouldn't believe it!
Travelled to Norfolk to spend a few days with my parents, didn't get too emotional when we left because I knew that I would see them at the airport, however when we stopped off at my brother's in Manchester it was a different story! I knew that it would be years and years before I would, or even if, I saw him again. Lots of wine drunk and mega boo hoo time for both of us. Don't know if he was crying because he would miss me or because I drank so much of his wine! hic hic! Felt sorry for Bill, I continued to bawl my eyes out (bucket loads) for the three hour journey to Scotland.
Spent a nice few days in Scotland with Bill's parents and visiting various members of his family. Had the added headache of selling our car which proved stressful.....there's that word again......but finally sold it to a garage on 1st September, day before we flew out and at a huge loss to us. Never mind, at least it was gone.
Flew out from Heathrow airport on September 2nd. Thank you to all who came to the airport to make sure that we left - my parents, my Aunt Flo and Uncle Ernie, Bill's brother Ian, his sister Margaret and her husband Danny. Couldn't get overly emotional here either as we had another disaster with our luggage allowance. Oh my god what a disaster, don't know how I survived that one. You will find out what I am talking about in my first e-mail home! Still cry over what I left behind in a hurried state.
Biggest regret with our final weeks in England is that I didn't have enough time to organise a great big get together with family and friends. I would have loved to have had a huge party to say goodbye to everyone, but the thing with doing things at the last minute is that you just don't have any spare time.
Oh well, on with another chapter in our lives.
Click here to view some photos taken in the final months run up to our departure date.
