NEIL LEAVES TODAY FOR HIS BIG ADVENTURE

NEIL GOES TRAVELLING
THAILAND -------> AUSTRALIA

My blip is not about Douglas today but son Neil. Off on his travels.

He left the house at 7.30am - managed to get a photo of him just before he went. He was getting the local bus into Newcastle, then the Megabus to London. Staying overnight at a friends place in London -- sleeping on the floor I guess as 2 others are also staying over. Tomorrow a group of 5 will be leaving Heathrow and going to Bangkok.

After 3 weeks or so travelling around the area they leave from Singapore on 10th October to go to their final destination - Sydney, Australia. Neil is planning to stay there for 6 months - or maybe more.

It hasn't really hit home that I won't see him for such a long time. Even though he has been away at Uni for 3 years he was only over the river in Newcastle and he came home every weekend to play cricket/ rugby for our local teams.[and to eat and get his washing done] Also I used to meet up with him in town once a fortnight or more often and we would have a meal together.

So I'm feeling a bit strange at the moment - happy for him as he is off on a big adventure but sad for myself as I will miss him a lot.

Take care Neil and come back safe.

( We both got up at 5am as Neil is a last minute packer and had everything to do this morning. As I had only gone to bed at 2am I am nearly nodding off at the moment. It's 8.15am now and it's back to bed for me.