What should the exit be like?

I imagine we will have the following when we depart the UK on Wednesday 18th August:

• Me
• Andy
• Finn
• Isla
• 1 collapsible buggy
• 1 ladybird trunkie (Isla)
• 1 Thomas the tank engine suitcase (Finn)
• 2 pieces grown up hand luggage
• 1 handbag
• 1 laptop
• 4 suitecases
• 2 large bags

Now, the question is - how are we going to get all that to the airport?  Of course we will also need 2 car seats for Finn & Isla to travel to the airport in as well.

We initially talked about splitting the family up and going up in 2 cars with our respective families but I'm not sure this is a good idea.  I can imagine a tearful departure at the airport while all and sundry watch our blubbering (or so I imagine!) au revoirs.  I think it is far better so say our goodbyes at home as I'm sure it will be more dignified for all involved.  Just writing this is making me choke up a bit.

The next option is hiring a huge car with car seats from Enterprise or some such that we can drop off at Heathrow when we arrive.  The amount of luggage I anticipate having with us makes our car requirements quite substansive.

Train - completely out of the question.

Bus - even more so than the train!

Some sort of airport shuttle?  This is definitely an option and one I feel I should research. 

This is our luggage for 2 weeks in America in October!

 

We don't travel light.

I was thinking today that it is still 6 months until we go - it feels like ages at the moment and I want it to be here sooner.  I'm sure that as it gets closer I will be trying to slow down time!

I have been e-mailing my second cousin in Sydney over the last few days.  Caroline has lived in Sydney for many years now and has married an Aussie and they have 2 young children now.  I last saw Caroline in September 2001 when I visited her in Sydney.  Andy and I were hoping to catch up with her on our honeymoon in 2004 but she was back in the UK visiting family then. 

Caroline has provided some useful information about the area we are looking at and has really provided a very warm virtual welcome.  I'm sure we will see quite a bit of them when we get there and although her children are a few years older than Finn & Isla it will be good for them to meet some Aussie rellies!

Caroline is my Grandads, brothers, grandaughter and also grew up on a farm about 20 miles from us now.  Farming has been in the Adams family blood for a while.

My Mum and her brother, Steve, live next door to each other.  Steve in the farmhouse and Mum in a barn conversion and my grandad in another barn conversion on the farm.  We are all quite close together especially now the Stewart Clan are also residing.  It was Steve's son Georges birthday at the weekend and we all met up in the farm kitchen for coffee, cake and present opening on Saturday morning.  It was really really lovely and I will miss doing this sort of thing spontaneously.  I have to remind myself that it is all so easy at the moment as we are almost in a large commune and that if we weren't actually on the doorstep it wouldn't be quite like this.  Still very nice though.