DEPARTURE POSTPONED

I am finding it hard to express just how frustrated I am. You build and build for the big day. You have it in your mind, have imagined it a hundred times, planned for it for months and months. Wheeling the bikes out of the front door turning right and turning your back your old life for a year. And then the weather and a sickly wife (as I had deep down always feared) bring it all crashing down. It is just one day, one moment in a year of moments. Yet it would have been one of the most significant. It shouldn't matter and in a few weeks, maybe a few days it probably won't matter, but right now it feels like a crushing blow.

We will still catch our ferry on Saturday night but we will now have to catch a couple of trains to get to Portsmouth rather than cycle there. It shouldn't matter but right now it really does. I am trying desperately not to be angry with Bridget - it's not her fault and keeping her healthy will always be a priority - but I want to be angry at someone. The weather is also to blame but English weather is always to blame and to be angry with the weather doesn't make me feel any better. I know we have made the right decision postponing and it was a good test of my willingness to go with the flow rather than insisting on sticking to the plan. I am sure there will be more trying issues to face over the next year and maybe passing this early test - all be it with less equanimity than I would have liked - is a good sign.

FOUR DAYS TO GO

I am sitting at Edinburgh Airport waiting for a flight back to Birmingham. It’s been good to get away and to stop contemplating non stop about the trip. We did some shopping and had to answer questions from Jacqui, Joe and the kids but generally spent time not thinking about it. Now though, with nothing more to do than to wait for our delayed flight it’s difficult NOT to think about it. I think we are both a bit nervous and as a result a little bit tetchy. Tomorrow we are in Stamford again with Adam and Diana and Hilary. We had planned to drop Pateley off this weekend as well (he’s staying with Hills), but we are feeling so sentimental we may leave it until the last moment and drive him over on Tuesday. Apart from that we have a little more shopping to do, the panniers to pack and need to clear our room out for Ruth. We plan to set off at eight o’clock Wednesday morning (Ruth’s instruction so she can wave us off) and may be joined by a few friends and colleagues from work. I’m sure the weather will play a part and if it’s cold wet and windy am not expecting anyone to turn up.

Coincidentally (kind of) last week I drove the route we will be cycling to Oxford. Sarah (the new lodger) forgot her passport and needed it delivering to an Oxford College in time for her departure to France. To complicate matters it couldn’t be signed for and so I couldn’t easily arrange a next day delivery. It gave me a good excuse to drive and drop the passport off myself. The route is almost exactly 50 miles but far hillier than I had thought. As we have not yet ridden our bike fully laden I am now worried about how long it will take and what lasting affect it will have on our legs. Thursday is hopefully a much shorter day so we should have time to recover.

We do need to be careful though. The long term weather forecast is appalling for next week and Bridget hasn't been feeling too great - a cocktail hangover can't be helping - and the last thing we need is for her to catch a serious cold or Pneumonia before we even get out of the country.

More goodbyes coming this weekend - Pateley, Adam and Diana and Hiliary. We'll say good by to Mum and Dad on Thursday morning after camping with then in Wednesday night.