Preparation

I have never planned so far in advance for a holiday as this one and it is not a good idea, for me anyway. I have spent way too much time overthinking and planning every detail, not to mention second-guessing every decision (last time we went to Europe we decided to take a holiday 4 weeks before we left and it worked well - except for a strange taxi, or not taxi, experience in Paris!). I do think that basically we have a good plan though and I am looking forward to it.

The planning is becoming so detailed that I even have 2 dinners (one in Zurich and one in London) and a BBQ booked in October! I will have the opportunity to meet people in Switzerland who I used to work with, and this will be great. I am very excited to be able to share this part of the journey with Adam. I am also looking forward to catching up with my cousins Julie & Clinton who have moved to the UK.

One benefit of planning so far ahead is the ability to use the holiday as a motivation for achieving a much more personal goal. On the 1st of December last year I decided enough was enough and I had to get healthy. I am quite pleased with the achievement so far - I am 2/3 of the way to my target weight (this represents a loss of over 25kg) am much fitter, healthier and happier. I managed to find a particularly unflattering picture of me taken at my nephew's birthday in November but don't have a current picture. I will eventually post a before and after. What is constantly amazing to me is that I didn't see the weight. I look now and wonder where I put those 25 kg and how I didn't notice. I have found that I have a lot more energy and activity is much simpler.

I fear I am becoming addicted to airing my thoughts in this way. I am prone to waffle so I will have to watch myself carefully but Pam has sent a clear warning to write or get bumped off her list so I am writing! It should become a lot more interesting in 1 month, 1 week and 4 days when the travelling actually begins!

Chel