Endings, beginnings, new places

So today is my last day in my current job. I feel a bit sad to be leaving it because it's been a nice place to spend three days a week ... and what's not to love about working on a travel magazine? Tomorrow we head off on our own travels and then on my return I start my new role. I thought these years of early parenthood would involve a sliding back of my career ... and they have. But, amazingly, I've now been offered a features editor job - still at three days a week. This for me is a definite step forward and I'm pretty happy about that. I didn't expect to get that opportunity at this time in my life. Then again, it's always funny how things turn out, isn't it?
I possibly won't get a chance to keep this blog up to date while I'm overseas, but I will be back in early May with lots of stories and photos.

In a week's time...

... we will be in The Mother Country - well, it is for Shaun and I anyway as both of us have Poms as mums. I think it's going to be quite cold there, which is causing me all sorts of packing conundrums. It feels weird to pack swimmers and sandals (hopefully it will be warm enough for us to be able to swim in the Adriatic) alongside woolly jumpers and thick tracksuits.
I am looking forward to staying in this village:



In my optimistic moments I imagine holding Ewan's hand as we stroll down the ancient streets, stopping to admire windowboxes and being warmed by hot chocolate and scones with clotted cream. Or something like that anyway. It will be lovely.

I wonder if I have gone a tad overboard in my preparation for the flight. Shaun and I will have in our hand luggage (along with a few favourite books and a favourite blanket)...

* snacks aplenty (popcorn, rice crackers, cheese, sultanas, sandwiches ... lollies kept to a minimum for I fear what they might do to a child stuck in a confined space)
* two Wiggles colouring and sticker books
* one Mr Men counting book (counting is his latest obsession)
* one Wiggles numbers game (wrapped in Xmas paper to maximise reward value)
* one Old MacDonald counting/sticker book (wrapped in Xmas paper)
* three new kids' books that have been sent into my work by publicists and duly snaffled
* one pack of brand sparkly new Wiggles textas (wrapped in Xmas paper)
* one pack of almost new crayons
* stencils of diggers, spaceship and train
* one book of plain multicoloured paper for drawings
* one packet of little plastic horses (two bucks - so who cares if they end up under the seat)
* one pack of Wiggles match-'em-up cards
* two foam jigsaws (jigsaws are big at the moment)

Right, there's about 5 kilos of our luggage allowance accounted for...!

Travels

In about 10 days we leave for our holiday here, in this very house:



It's a cottage we're renting in Suffolk and I'm hoping it really is as pretty as it looks. I mean with this as the view from the front room it can't be too bad, can it? Tudor gorgeousness.



After a week there it's off to here: Dubrovnik



And then to here: Budva



Where's Budva? Hey, I'd never heard of it either until recently. It's in Montenegro.

I am quite excited about our holiday ...now, if only I could get over the goddamn sickness I feel at the thought of 27 long, excruciating hours on a plane with a two year old.

Hopefully his behaviour will be better than I think, because, let me tell you, my expectations are LOW...!