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Day 95 – Full circle

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Our final day of this incredible journey. I didn’t sleep particularly well, but I eventually got up early, showered, and started the last round of packing. I popped out for a quick breakfast at the WatchHouse café before heading back to settle the hotel bill, vacate the room, and prepare for our journey home. The taxi arrived early, though the driver had a bit of trouble navigating the maze of Covent Garden — eventually finding his way out. Joe headed off to find himself some breakfast, then it was time for the final flight. Thankfully, everything ran smoothly. The flight was on time, and the lady sitting next to me kindly swapped seats so Joe could sit beside me. Club service was excellent, and we even landed early, which made Sam very happy as he was keen to get home to watch Spurs play. And then… just like that, we were home. Straight back into real life — unpacking, washing, making dinner, and getting everything ready for tomorrow: my first day back at work after three months awa...
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Day 94 – Gentle reunions and shared moments

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After such a wonderful, deep sleep, we both woke feeling far more revived. I headed to the gym early and was delighted to find it blissfully empty — my favourite way to start the day. Afterwards, I showered and got ready while waiting for Gaby to arrive. We had planned to meet Filippa and Samuel for brunch and chose The Ivy in Covent Garden. Joe decided he would join us too, although he needed a bit more time as he was feeling a little unsteady on his feet today, which he blamed on the medication he’d taken for his back pain. Gaby went ahead to meet Filippa and Samuel while Joe and I followed on more slowly. It was really lovely to see Filippa and Samuel and catch up properly — fellow cruise lovers always make for easy, joyful conversation. After brunch, they kindly walked us back towards the hotel. Once back, we had a quiet moment to rest before heading out again to meet Claire and Harry at Bills in Covent Garden. Daniel was due to pick Joe up to take him to Dahlia’s, but he was ru...
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Day 93 – Beauty, Balance, and a Touch of Magic

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I started the day gently, heading to the gym for some light stretching. Joe was feeling a little better and decided to get up and pop out to Boots to pick up a few things. We kept the morning calm and unhurried while he waited to meet Dahlia for lunch and a wander around Covent Garden. I stayed back at the hotel and got some of my recordings done, enjoying the quiet focus, before Gaby arrived. We shared a snack and a lovely catch-up, one of those easy conversations that feels grounding and familiar. Later in the afternoon, it was time to get ready for a real treat — Cirque du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall . The show, OVO , is one of my absolute favourites, and I was so excited. Getting there was a bit of an adventure in itself; Ubers were in high demand and it took a while to secure one, but we made it just in time to meet Daniel, Joshua, and Natalie. I had booked a box, which turned out to be such a good decision. The view was perfect, and the whole experience felt special. The s...
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Day 92 - Gentle Landings

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I awoke early this morning, I think my body clock is still adjusting to the time difference. I headed down to the hotel gym. It is small, but thankfully not too busy, which made it a lovely space to ease myself back into movement. It felt good to reconnect with a routine again after a couple of quieter days. Afterwards, I grabbed a coffee while Joe slept a little longer. He is still not feeling 100%, a mix of jet lag, travel fatigue, and the cold weather. Once he was up, Joe decided he wanted to get out for a short while, so we headed to M&S for a few essentials. We then stopped so he could have some chicken soup, which felt like exactly what his body needed, before heading back to the hotel so he could rest properly ahead of the evening. I spent some time catching up on the blog and popped out briefly to pick up a few things. Thankfully, Joe started to feel a little better and decided he was up for joining friends for dinner. We met Phil, Dawn, Ian, Josh, and Natalie for a Thai ...
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Day 91 - Singapore → London, and the realities of landing

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We re-boarded in Singapore for the final leg of our journey to London . Dinner was served soon after take-off and then the cabin settled into that familiar long-haul hush. Joe slept for most of the flight, while I drifted in and out of rest, read a little, and did some gentle learning as sleep didn’t quite come for me. At one point there was epic snoring going on—I did a quick check to confirm it wasn’t Mr C, only to discover it was the gentleman opposite me. Small mercies 😄 The flight itself was uneventful, calm, and surprisingly peaceful —one of those journeys where time seems to move quietly rather than drag. Breakfast was served before landing, and everything felt straightforward… until we touched down. That’s when the real adventure began. The airbridge wouldn’t work , so we sat on the plane for over an hour while stairs and buses were organised to take us to the terminal. Once finally inside, ground staff told us they couldn’t help with the luggage transfer and that we ne...
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Day 90 - Leaving Sydney, beginning the long road home

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I woke to my last Sydney sunrise , easing gently into the day and letting it sink in that this chapter really was closing. The morning was all about packing and one very important mission: recovering Joe’s missing bag . I’m pleased to report that both were successful . Joe jumped in a taxi to the pier and retrieved his bag, which had been kept safe for him—huge relief all round. Then it was time to vacate the room , with the concierge collecting our luggage. I checked us out, and just in time Ellen and Joe arrived , so we managed to share one last coffee together before saying our goodbyes. Never easy, but always filled with gratitude. And then… the travel fun truly began. Despite the travel company having pre-booked a saloon car , it was clearly never going to take four suitcases and two carry-ons , so we had to grab a street taxi instead. Off we went to Sydney Airport , only to discover another complication: our luggage could not be tagged just to London . It had to be tagged all...
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Day 89 - Australia Day on the Harbour

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  Happy Australia Day to all my friends in Australia. It was a real privilege to spend this special day here in Sydney with you all. I was up early again to watch the sunrise and do some gentle stretching—especially those calf muscles , which were definitely reminding me about yesterday’s bridge climb! I then headed out for a walk to soak up the atmosphere. It was incredible to see so many people out and about so early , already in celebration mode. I stopped for breakfast, caught up on messages, and enjoyed that quiet hum of a city waking up to a big day. Then it was back to wake Mr C , as we’d decided to jump on the hop-on hop-off bus . It was a great way to see more of Sydney, even if it only confirmed what I already know—I really do need to come back and spend proper time exploring this beautiful city . Once the bus tour wrapped up, Joe was more than ready for lunch, so we headed down to the Quays and ate at Harbourfront Seafood Restaurant , which Joe thoroughly enjoyed. ...
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