Everything's booked now - train tickets, ferry tickets, interrail tickets, hostel in Calaisfor when we first arrive in France. I've bought everything I could possibly need - clothes, toiletries, First Aid stuff, walking boots - I've even thought to buy a backpack. Yes, that was the fatal flaw in my grand back-packing plan - no backpack. I've earned all the money I aimed to earn to take away with me so I can enjoy myself and do lots of things without worrying about money. I've even had my hair cut in preparation, although the less said about that the better (how SHORT is my fringe?! Aaah!!!).

Yep, just 5 days to go. And I can't wait.

Oh, and another thing - remember this post? While I am not quite down to what I was when I was 17 (and nor do I think I ever really will be again, but I am now resigned to that fact) I have, over the past 2 months, lost a whole stone in weight! And while I have no intention of disclosing my start or finish weights (some ladies never tell their age, I never tell my weight) I can confirm that I now look and feel loads better, and thanks to pulling zillions of pints of bitter, carrying billions of heavy glass trays, and walking up and down the stairs in the castle trillions of times, I now have muscles in places I didn't even know I had. Fabulous!

And finally* -


(borrowed from Bill)

- just because!

*note I am looking at Jake and his chest, not the woman lying at his feet, although if I had my way, that woman would be me.