Day 344 - 13th April 2010 - Happy 60th Dad!

Well we finally made it through the last fortnight and we are all reunited, Ant Bee and Me.
After a dash down to Hampshire to fill up the car with kitchen essentials from the garage in Andover, I picked up the keys to our new home on Aprils fools day, whilst Ant and Bee boarded the ferry to Turkey to start the long drive home at noon the same day. I had the entire Easter weekend to get things organised, the furniture retrieved from various peoples houses (thanks to all who housed them for us for the past year), before starting work again last Tuesday. Even had Inca (the cat) delivered back on Sunday morning; Jakki you are an angel sent from above and I will never be able to thank you enough for all you went through to ensure she was there for us when we came home. We both love you dearly.
Ant made it home shortly after midnight last Wednesday - just 6 days after setting off! Bee was tested to the limit during the final stages, but still she made it home without letting us down. She is currently parked up and enjoying a well earned rest before the final camping reunion in two weeks time when we return to WOWOs to share campfire tales with the much-loved and badly-missed friends and family that we waved goodbye to exactly one year ago. Bring on the men in tights.... we can't wait to see everyone's outfits! xxx

Day 328 – 28th March, Sunday. Ardingly.

Another week done and at last everything is now in the hands of the solicitors. We are hoping to exchange contracts tomorrow and with luck on our side could have the keys before Easter weekend and the annual Bolney Pram race! Which means that Ant and Bee can set off for home sometime this week. :-)

The weather wasnt great today, but at least I managed to get out again for some Sunday exercise. This time we went walking from the Ardingly resevoir and through the fields and posh houses on the outskirts of the village. Still no sign of the Kingfisher, I am hoping that at least a few breeding pairs survived the harsh winter.

Day 321 – 21st March, Sunday. Barcombe Mills.

After a very hectic week of property viewing, meetings with solicitors and financial advisors, friends and family, the sun finally came out and we were able to get out for some fresh air.  A friend and I went walking from Barcombe Mills to the Anchor Pub for lunch and returned along the old railway line. The evening was spent checking out what I hope will be our new local in the village of Bolney at their monthly comedy evening with stand up from Martin Beaumont and Andrew Roper (Australian), compered by Danny Buckler. Heckling came only from two children that a single Dad had decided would be fun to bring along and plonk right in the front row! Grrr.

Day 317 – 17th March, Wednesday. Fly home.

Flew home from Larnaca to Gatwick.
Caroline kindly brought the girls up to meet me at arrivals, which was a really lovely welcome, until we discovered that she had no idea where she’d parked the car! We spent forty minutes trawling the three different multi storeys, freezing our arses off trying to find ‘Felicity’ the purple Ford Fiesta. After some help from 2 NCP attendants we found her on the ground floor - it was twenty to nine by the time we left Gatwick. I can confidently say there is very little which is more embarassing to a woman than having to explain to the loudspeaker on a car park payment machine that you cannot find your own vehicle, with a long queue of people behind you! Never again.

Preparing for the return trip

Wow - feels like I haven't written in months, but so much has happened. Where to begin? Well Ant has sorted through all the spares, changed the oil and put new seals on, as well as getting her new visa all up to date and planning the route home. All the cupboards have been cleared out and repacked and are soon to be stocked up with food and drink for the way home. The first leg is back on the snail's pace ferry across to Tasucu in Turkey, before the long drive through the Turkish wilderness up towards Istanbul, for which Ant's Dad has managed to get a second jerry can to carry more fuel on board. Bee only has a 200 mile range and although the internet shows petrol stations at various points along the journey, the reality could be very different (fuel is also ridiculously expensive in Turkey). I, on the other hand, have been busy getting things ready for their arrival back in Blighty.....