Well it's here - the moment to set off on the biggest trip yet has finally arrived.

Sat at home waiting for the time to head to Manchester airport to come, anyone would have thought that I was going off to do something that I really didn't want to, such was the mood in the living room! It was more than a little strange feeling that I had inside, and that wasn't helped by the fact that despite having the last 2 weeks off to get myself geared up and ready, I ended up rushing to get my backpack sorted - and even then it weighed an absolute tonne!

After heaving it in to the car and saying a silent goodbye to my last bit of familiarity for the best part of a year, there was a strange kind of quietness during the drive to the airport. Once there I kinda just wanted to get the hard part over and done with, so with tears in my eyes I gave out some big hugs to Mum, Dad, Sarah, Olly and of course Hutch, and walked through security - not to face the guillotine or something as the scene may have suggested - but to take the first few steps on the ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME!!!