Journey Begins

I feel a bit like Bilbo Baggins - off to something outside my normal routines or places of familiarity - though he didn't fly in an Airbus A380, upstairs! 
Yesterday I packed and repacked - shaving items down... and leaving behind things I had bought thinking they would be good to take... I guess that makes them 'spares'! It also goes to prove that I should have done the whole packing job first - then gone shopping only to fill genuine gaps.

I'm very grateful for my family's support - from the wonderful sendoff by the Auckland troops en mass, which made an uplifting view from the departure gate, to my husband's absolute approval of this excursion - and of the personal development that will go along with the journey. He has never shied from being committed to someone who may change - thanks Ross.

Right now I feel very tired - I kept myself going the last few days with the internal promise that I could sleep on the plane - but Clara insisted I shouldn't on this leg to Singapore. She's right really - but it just means a bit more pain to push through first.
To keep my eyes open, I watched three movies...

I heard a great quote from Maggie Smith's character in "My Old Lady", set in Paris, which has obvious geographical appeal right now... Madame G is a French speaking (and living) Englishwoman and she says "If you are born English, you stay English. Englishness is so obvious."
I'm looking forward to a few days of concentrated Englishness!
However, for now I just need to stay awake, mobile and hydrated - and get on that plane to Heathrow!