My favourite Niece

Charlie is back in the country briefly.  She has spent the last 6 months in France, (the previous 6 were in Sweden and she's off to Munich in the Autumn).  But before then she is off to visit India for a few weeks with her boyfriend.  The world really is getting to be a smaller place for her generation.  

I like to call Charlie my favourite Niece, and if I had any other Nieces I am sure she would still be my favourite, but it is also only fair to point that she is my only Niece ;-)

We took the opportunity of joining my sister Janet, her husband Mark (Incredibish), Dad and his wife Mary to toast her recent success in landing a research internship at Harvard for next year, and to wish her a happy birthday.  It isn't her birthday yet, but as she will be in India when it is, we thought we might as well make a fuss of her while she is with us.  

Have I mentioned that Mark and I have planned a little road trip on the motorbikes for next week?  We are heading north to Scotland and Islay in particular.  

Needless to say we are stupidly excited at the prospect and cannot stop grinning whenever the topic comes up, which is most of the time.  

I don't know about Mark but I am trying to take as little with me as possible (luggage and motorbikes don't go that well together).  The one thing I am trying not to skimp on is the camera gear - but if I took everything I think I might need then I would need a trailer for the lenses, laptop, tripod, etc. I haven't tried packing it all yet, but there is one thing that I know with some certainty already...  

It won't all fit.  

There will be some hard decisions to make  ...