Well, the deed has been done....I've booked my flight back to NZ. Hassles about visas mean that I could be back in about 5 weeks though. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Life without risk is a life half lived....etc, etc.

Don't need to worry about packing my case...it never got unpacked after I got back. This time I'll be taking over a few things to remind me of home.....broons and oor wullie books, chewing the fat videos....lots of crisps, few bars of chocolate.

Just have the stress of having to get my flat sorted before I go.....safety certificate for the boiler.....new timer fitted on it....bathroom is a bit of a mess. The grout around the tiles on the floor has crumbled, and I thought it might be easier to just put carpet down.....can I put it down on top of the tiles though, or do they have to be removed first? It'd be so much less hassle just to slap a wee bit of carpet down. The white stuff round the edge of the bath has also turned black in some places.....I'm thinking that's not a good thing. I'll need to think of a solution to that too.....maybe some of that white tape stuff. I also need to repaint the tiles in the bathroom. The previous owner painted them, but didn't use a very durable paint and it bubbled and is peeling off. I wonder if I can just paint straight over the tiles, or if I need to strip them of the existing paint first......