6 hours before flight time. Think we're ready to go. Ever felt you’ve left the gas on?! Have been staying in Richmond (thanks Mo and Christopher!) and Alton for the last few days - been perfect opportunity to focus on family and friends - been so grateful for all good wishes sent. We’ll take some very warm memories with us as we travel.

The house is echoey and our belongings are liberally distributed around South West London and Hampshire! With enormous help from friends and grandparents we're out! Nothing to do now but focus on leaving ... oh, and rearrange the China tour which has just been cancelled by the operator!! No pictures yet ... but I thought a good caption for this one was "Will we get to hug a real one Mummy?"

These are our dates ... 15th February - Cairo19th February - Kenya19th March - Delhi21st March - Kathmandu3rd April - Hong Kong5th April - China18th April - Tokyo24th April - Thailand15th May - Australia23rd June - New Zealand31st July - Santiago2nd August - Peru12th August - Ecuador29th August - Home!

First flight date 15 Feb - to Cairo. Excitement (and anxieties!) building.