Global Poverty Monitor

Robin left about 12 the next day, then Mum and I started packing. All this time I was worrying that there wouldn’t be enough room in my case for everything, but it turned out the real problem was the weight. I was allowed 20kg in my suitcase and it weighed that when it was only half full, basically just with my essentials and hardly any of the presents I had for the kids. I was really worried that I wouldn’t have anything to give out at the orphanages. We went back and forth with ideas, then left the house and had tea. When we came back we packed the case with the 20kg, then put the rest in garbage bags and packed them in too. I was just really hoping I’d be able to pay for the extra weight, but in the worst case scenario we’d just have to take the extra bags out and go as is. After that was done I packed my hand luggage and got Robin’s box ready and set up Mum & Dad’s present. Mum & Dad gave me a ballerina figurine, and also a photo album with photos of Robin, Happy, my car, Fluffy, and everyone who was at the Greyhounds.

I got up sometime after 6 and went outside to talk to Happy. It seemed like he understood what I was saying, but I’ll know for sure when mum brings him into the house later on. If he understood he will settle down in the house, but if he thinks I’m around he’ll look for me. Glen picked us up at 8:30am and we left for the airport. Robin got there just after we did and I was so relieved to see him because I really needed him there. I was so nervous about the luggage. We found out there is a 32kg limit for any one bag. So if I wanted more we could buy another bag and pack some into it. I would have done that if it came to it, but it would have been a nightmare lugging 3 bags around airports and hotels by myself. Luckily my bag weighed in at 34kg, so all I had to do was lose 2kg and pay for the excess. I was so happy because that meant I got to take all of the toys and jewelry that I’ve spent ages getting ready. We took out the muesli bars, Kantet’s atlas, and the tin of Sustagen that Mum had sneaked in. That put me exactly at 32kg so I checked in, paid the excess ($AU266), got my boarding pass, and felt so relieved that I felt like I needed to sleep. I told Robin my nerves were even worse than when I played volleyball on his team.

Now that you’ve finished here, head over to San Francisco, CA.