Well less than 24 hours to go before we set off and I can't get rid of a nagging feeling that I've forgotten something important. Well if I do remember before tomorrow afternoon I hope it's not heavy. Travelling light is the aim - but that doesn't take account of the cameras, the laptop, the chargers, the guide books and so on. My actual clothes would probably fit in a carry-on bag but instead I've got this giant, and feeling very heavy, bag (and another rucsac as well). Cogniscenti of these things will appreciate that this is a Macpac so comes from New Zealand. So I like to think I'm taking it back home.

But first there is the small matter of getting there. With a two-night stopover in Hong Kong, one night in Sydney (literally out of the airport, to the hotel, go to bed, get up, back to the airport) we won't actually get to Christchurch until Wednesday. But then it is half-way around the world. Time was, of course, when it would have taken several months by boat. Sounds very attractive but I suspect deck quoits can get a bit boring after a while.

So six weeks travelling round New Zealand in a camper van. Three weeks in Australia where we meet Frankie, assuming she doesn't decide to stay in the retreat where she and Ed are going to be working for a while, and are joined by Joce and Sophie. Then it's off to Vietnam, finishing by cycling from Ho Chi Minh City to Ankor Wat. I just hope that bag is big enough.