The final countdown

Packing has taken all day. ALL day. I have been feeling very weird all day. Too busy to think about anything in particular but not busy enought not to be worrying about tomorrow (or today now it is past midnight). Dinner was excellent. Mum cooked a huge chicken pie (my fav meal) and my closest friends from Burnham came up, had drinks outside and then sat down for dinner. The early dinner turned into quite a late night becuase noone wanted to go and I didn't want anyone to go. I said goodbye to Alex, Nick and Joe and this was my first final goodbye to family and the first time I have really felt that pange in the heart and all emotional... and since then it has not gone away. I had to shoe Dani and Ali out the door before exploding and then I had to say goodbye to Doreen... one long hug latter and my eyes were welling up. I think hers were too but we made it out the door with a final hug and kiss... if this is what I am like now think about tomorrow at the airport with mum and dad. Whoever said this goin away lark would be easy though!

As I am sure is the same the world over when people are getting ready to leave the final things to sort out always get in the way of the most imporant thing to do with you last few hours which is spending time with those who you love. At the moment I am sorting out photos from graduation to post to people, still uploading CDs onto my itunes so I have some half decent (taste depending) music and tidying my room.... why does it all catch up on you??

I thought I had packed everything imaginable - I even have a potato peeler becuase when I was in Poland last year I nearly sliced my hands off with blunt knives so I am thinking ahead this time - but I had forgotten one ESSENTIAL for Kazakhstan which my godmother remined me to pack..... a HOT WATER BOTTLE! What a thing to forget!

Anyway time to change the next CD.. the next post will be from Kz which seems a million miles away from the kitchen in Burnham....