Going on holiday

Well we have made it.

We are on holiday.

To say I am relieved is an understatement as the stress leading up to a holiday is at an all time high.  The organisation that goes into a holiday is near military proportions.

Four months before

Call kennels and get dog booked in.

5 minutes

Two weeks before

Ask Mr B to find passports and driving licences

Buy mop heads that friends have asked us to take out.

5 minutes

A week before

Decide the suitcases we have are not suitable so go to Marks and Spencers to buy new ones.

Buy travel insurance

Buy tax disc for car as it expires when we are away

Make a note in diary to take post box off wall so mail has to come through letter box

Make a note of bin day so C who is staying home (take note would be burglars) knows day

Decide the suitcases I have bought are too big and need to go back.

Talk to eldest about house sitting / cat feeding / looking after fish etc.

Look for receipt for suitcases.

Three hours

Six days before

Book car parking at Gatwick

Work out what time we need to leave the house on day of departure.

Give kids six days notice of what time we need to leave on day of departure.

Listen to J explain that he might as well just stay up all night then

Ironed all summer clothes

Look for receipt for suitcases

One hour

Five days before

Do a pharmacy essentials shop.

Look for receipt for suitcases

Take children to various shops to buy clothes etc.

Washed all ironed clothes as cat had slept on them whilst in piles on spare bed

Find receipt for suitcases.

Decide suitcases will fit in boot after trying it in our own car.

Try and cram clothes just bought into small suitcases.   Fail

Cry

Five hours

Four Days before

Print off itinerary from airline with check in information

Make a “useful paperwork” folder.

Print off anything remotely connected to holiday, and put in file

Hunt for keys to villa that have been put in a safe place

Log onto airline website and try to move allocated seats.  Fail as plane is full

Decide to order a “vegan, Kosher, low sodium” meal for the hell of it for Mr B

Look for keys to villa

Spot a link to “in flight entertainment” and make a list of “must see” films

Lose useful information folder

Two hours

Three days before

Look for keys to villa

Look at website of cinema near holiday villa to see if Katy Perry film is on for E

Change sheets on spare bed so friend can stay over when visiting C

Do all other household bill paying

Find keys to villa

Look for useful papers folder

Two hours

Two days before

Clear out bread cupboard

Find useful papers folder

Clean out fridge

Clear all paperwork off desk and do all admin tasks.

Iron all clothes again

Leave wadges of cash with labels like “food” / “train fare” for C

Two hours

Day before

Take dog to kennels

Panic about how dis-organised I am and have forgotten EVERYTHING.

Fill car with diesel

Buy food / washing powder / cat food for C

Pack and make sure J and E have packed.   Watch Mr B pack and be ready in 8 minutes.

Four hours

Morning of flight

Get up at 4am.

Clear out bin.

Marvel at how J has stayed up all night watching an entire series of Glee with C

Watch as boys load car.

Spend entire journey to Gatwick realising you have forgotten to bring bras

Ditto above mop heads

Three hours

 

Some might say I need this holiday.

 

 

image courtesy of Free Digital photos dot net