Stage 1: House sold. 

7 weeks ago, Mike suggested looking at a house in Abergavenny, Wales. 

We live in Bristol but fancied the idea of living somewhere we could open our doors to look at mountains and our 2 boys could run free and feral. The house was beautiful, roomy with acres of land for horses, camping and climbing and planting... the mountains were more blue, more black, more intense than we could have hoped.... My heart was still with Bristol. 

We spent the day walking in the Brecons and LOVED it but still, our little pocket of Bristol had more soul than I could leave unless there was a very good reason.

6 weeks ago Mike suggested we put the house on the market and travel the world with the boys. Now you're talking I thought, but you can't be serious?

Yesterday we sold the house. Our beautiful terraced house in a street that is so strong and community spirited and the warmest I have ever known. A few doors away are friends who i have had babies with- laughed and cried with; borrowed herbs, babysat for, cooked for and mourned with. GOOD friends who I am loathe to leave... however, the next chapter is upon us. It is with a heavy but EXCITED heart that we plan for the next stage and we start to say our goodbyes. 

The estate agent rang last night to say that we had received an offer for the house which far exceeded our expectations. We budgeted that we have an amount to put aside so we can have a deposit for somewhere to live when we return- but also a healthy budget to travel the world with. The first thing i did was go across the road for a cup of tea with my friend and have a good cry that it was all changing. Change is good but bloody hell, it's also quite hard... I am comforting myself that not all valuable things come easily. You can do anything but you can't do EVERYTHING right? You can go but you can't stay too? You can have your cake etc...? 

After an evening of celebrating the endless possibilities of our trip, Mike went into his job today as a Manager at the Council and told them that he will be gone for 12-24 months. 

I went to my job as a homeless health professional and told them I would be leaving in October. The boys (aged 4 and 7) told their teachers they would be leaving in Autumn; we are good to go, sort of. Just nobody mention the jabs.