One More Sleep To Go!

I should be asleep already, but couldn’t resist one final farewell post before our big trip. Tomorrow night I don’t expect to get any sleep and will then have to function in San Francisco with two tired children, but I’m sure Dan and I will survive. Last time we did the big Wellington to London flight was when Charlotte was 10-month’s old and we went straight through. Having a two-night stop-over makes me feel so much more relaxed and I’m hoping we manage to enjoy a little sight-seeing.

The bags are just about packed and we leave Auckland around the children’s sleep time tomorrow night. We still have our coughs and colds so won’t be very popular on the flight. If I do manage to sleep I’ll probably snore like a dinosaur!

It was really sweet of Marrisa, Michael and Bethany to meet up with us for a farewell brunch this morning at The Southern Cross. Charlotte loved having her face painted and doing some arts and crafts. The girls so enjoyed playing and dancing in the beer garden (complete with hot water bottles and rugs for evening guests!).

Marrisa et al gave Charlotte a beautifully made card with some English money for her to spend (wisely!) on her travels (I know she will absolutely delight in an opportunity to do some ‘real’ shopping and not just ‘lets pretend’!).

Dan and Michael took it upon themselves to ensure all was in order at our table, whilst Marrisa and I took it in turns to play with the girls.

We had a wonderful morning and it was a stunning day in Wellington today. Hopefully the good weather will follow suit for tomorrow, so we can tire the girls out on lots of fresh air before our flight.

Sophie is calling out for me on the baby monitor as I type and I’ve already been up to her once already. Poor little love isn’t going to sleep very well tomorrow and if she does it will be on me. I’ve invested in some ‘flight socks’ as if she does sleep I’m not moving!

Charlotte went to sleep a dream tonight and I had a little tear in my eye as I gave her a kiss before she went off to dreamland. She’s really going to miss her home, but I know she’ll really thrive on all the adventures. She is very excited and seems very aware of the journey she’s about to undertake.

Anyway, I really best go get some shut-eye.

We’ll be blogging on our travels and are so very excited to see our folks and to introduce Sophie to everyone. I have such a romantic notion of England in mind and feel like a real tourist. Our past visits have been in Winter and Spring. This will be our first English summer since 1999!

Farewell for now!

P.S. Thanks to my wonderful neighbour for dinner tonight – Family Lee REALLY appreciated it!
P.P.S. Thanks to Stephanie and Francis for house/cat/fish/plant sitting!