Packing my bags

 

Photo via weheartit

With Leicestershire schools breaking up for the summer holidays on Friday, I am once again packing my bags for a summer of adventures.

Summer 2011 took me to America, where I traversed the country by train and had all sorts of wonderful experiences in the Pacific Northwest.  Summer 2012 found me in South Africa, which was brilliant but exhausting!  The plan for 2013 was to stay at home and enjoy some r&r time here in Leicester.  Things haven't quite worked out that way...

My escapades begin with a five day trip to Macedonia, to celebrate the wedding of a friend of The Boy.  I'm both excited and nervous about this trip.  Nervous because I don't know The Boy's friends terribly well (what with him living in another country) and I find new social groups daunting at the best of times.  Also, Macedonia is a bit of an unknown quantity and, as far as travelling and tourism is concerned, it's definitely off the beaten track.  But I am sure it will be an interesting and enjoyable weekend (and very hot, if forecasts are correct).

After a mere two days back at home, I'll be jetting (well, Eurostar-ing) off to Brussels for my best friend's hen weekend.  As one of the bridesmaids, I have all sorts of organisational responsibilities for this... ones which I'm not entirely sure I will live up to!

Rather handily, Brussels is but a train ride away from Nijmegen so, while the rest of the hens come back to the UK, next Sunday I'll go and visit The Boy for a week.  I can't wait!  After that visit we will only have five more weeks of long distance before he returns to Leicester: hooray!

The rest of my summer is going to be spent darting between Leeds, Norfolk, Bristol, Honiton, Chester, Manchester, London and Leicester... my poor car is going to take a beating, but it will be brilliant to visit friends and family, go on short breaks with friends, celebrate Cara and Dan's wedding in Devon, and spend even more time with The Boy.  The fact that we're already a couple who 'does' weddings together is a little scary - and a lot wonderful - to me.

So I'll say goodbye now and will return (hopefully with lots of lovely photographs and tales to tell) at the end of July.  Have a great start to your summer everyone!