6 hours to go...

---

A few things have happened in the last couple of days. One, I've played my last game of skittles for my lovely team, Mooey and the choo choos. Admittedly, I've quit a fair few times before - normally every Monday night after hitting yet again another score so low that it would only trouble a kid of 3 in a head-to-head. The season started so well - and since then, it's been a crawl downhill. To most, this would be a despressing statistic, however I don't go to skittles to be the top scorer every week (ok ok, I do secretly but I've got to be honest with myself that that's never going to happen!). I go because I get to see my mates and have a good night out.

Skittles has always been fun - to hear other teams trying to give three cheers to various versions of our team name is often the highlight. 'Chooey and the Moo Moos', 'Moochie and the Boo Hoos', or just ' The Other Team' - I love waiting to hear what the opposition think we're called every week. This week was the exception - the team got our name right and better still, we won by a healthy margin. To top it off, I've been given a poem by Lynn that describes each and every team member to a tee - which is now safely packed in my case and ready for any moments while I'm away that I need to think of home.

I travelled to London the following day. Had a lovely night out with ex-TP colleagues that same evening. And now it's Wednesday afternoon - and I'm due to fly in less than 6 hours. The real holiday blog will start tomorrow after I land in my first destination - Bangkok. A nice 5 star hotel awaits for the first few days - I might be on a grown-up gap year but I'm not quite prepared to fly to a country I've never been to before and not know that I'm staying in a nice place. Give it two days and I'll be down the Khao San Road roughing it with the teenagers on their genuine first-time-around gap years. It's a scary scary thought that I'm twice the age of an average backpacker but I'm sure I can give them a run for their money.

So begins the next 6 month adventure - I'll do my best to update you every week as to where I am and what I'm doing. If I go quiet, call the authorities- I've never been quiet in my life so it's guaranteed to mean something egregious has happened. Think Bridget Jones/Bangkok Hilton. I always said that one day, I'd accidentally be accused of something on Crimewatch - I'm very much hoping that the prophecy doesn't come true while I'm overseas!

The butterflies have finally set in - gone is my confident 'Nooo, I'm not nervous at all' stance and been replaced by 5ft 3 of blancmanche. I need to get on that plane now - but first, to meet la Hillyard for a quick glass of wine to settle the nerves and get some last minute travel tips from her. For now, it's time to sign off....here's to a fab adventure, to catching up with friends, making new ones and to having the time of my life. I'm sure I will xxx

---