We're in countdown mode.

In a little over a week, we'll be boarding a plane and flying to the other side of the world. If I don't sound excited it's because it still doesn't seem real!

It's been a hard slog to get to this point and if I try really hard, I get flickers of excitment, especially when I think there's a chance we'll get to see the "Tricky Green Lady" - the elusive Northern Lights. Sometimes it's hard to keep that excitement level down because there's a big chance we won't see them, I have to keep telling myself that. So I'm giving a head's up now, if we see them only once, there's a very strong possibility that there will be no photographic proof because I'll be too busy soaking it all up! And probably shaking too much to hold a camera!

I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here. By the time we get to Norway and travel above the Arctic Circle, we will have already spent a week looking around London, another week pondering Paris and a good amount of time catching up in Copenhagen with my ex-pat sister and her husband. Once we hit Norway, we'll be hooning up the coast on a Hurtigruten boat and burning the midnight oil watching out for Miss Aurora 2013.

Hayden and Monty will be taking turns in guarding the house while we're away, I even put fresh sheets on the spare bed!

Please don't phone my mobile while I'm away, or as I've said before, I will be sending you the bill.

Anyway, I've still got planning and packing to do, so I'll be off, didn't want to forget to set this up before we left. Next report, hopefully, will be from London after next Wednesday week. (4th Sept)