Four Months

It’s almost three years since I had the slightly mad idea of leaving our lives behind for nine months to go travelling.  Three years ago, it seemed unimaginably far off.  For literally years, people have been asking us about our plans.  Oh they’re fine we’d say, mostly research at the moment, not much we can actually do for now.

In January, we finally had some news, we bought tickets.  It was exciting telling people, people were excited for us.  But it was still too early to sort out most other things.  We made lists, started to think about getting things done.  Thought about jabs but couldn’t actually have them.  Thought about visas, but couldn’t actually get them.

Then as time crept on, I gradually began working on my to do list.  And we started to have last things.  Last time we’d visit an airport before THE flight.  Last birthday the 8 year old would have before the trip.  Last winter for two years.

Four months on Friday we shall be in the air.  Four months.  It really isn’t very long.  Especially when two of those months will be the school holidays.  The to do list gets ever longer.  For each thing crossed off, at least two are added.  Suddenly, it feels, it’s no longer to early to do stuff.  It’s starting to feel like it’s too late.

We’ve half sorted the house, we now have a new kitchen, a smart front path and a beautifully restored kitchen light.  But we’ve still got a carpet to replace, bathroom lights to fix, the whole house to decorate.

I’ve cleared out a lot of stuff, but haven’t remotely finished.  And as for packing up, that’s going to be interesting with the children off school.  We now have passports and visas for Australia and the USA.  But vaccinations are a dark cloud on the horizon.  I’ve yet to count up the numer of injections we need from two sets of doctors.

I’ve dealt with my dentistry, but thanks to the vagaries of the London bus system the children missed their appointments and will be having them over the next couple of weeks.  Steve’s old enough to sort out his own teeth, or not.  I hear Thailand has very good emergency dentists.

And I haven’t even started to think about the things that need to be done at the last minute.  Utilities, house rental, packing.  Actually, the packing’s already sorted in my head and has been for about two years.  I’m sad like that.

Four months will whizz by in a flash.  A blur of sports days, picnics, trips to visit friends and relatives, back to school, starting school, ticking tasks off the list.  This time in four months, we’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.  And it will be almost too late to do things that haven’t been done.  I’m excited.  I’m nervous.  I’m excited.  Blimey.  Is it really only four months?