handluggage only

i'm off to a conference over the next few days in Lytham St Annes, it will be an opportunity to meet up with some of my colleagues from around the country and i am quite looking forward to it. back in february when i was considering how to get there i realised that it was cheaper and quicker to fly rather than go by the train. it does mean that i am missing most of the first day, but i also don't have to catch the 5.55am train to start a journey that would involve 3 train changes, take over 7 hours and i'd still get there late. in fact as i type they have already started. but my taxi (my father in law) is arriving in about an hour and whisking me to newquay airport for the first leg of my journey.

when booking i choose the handluggage only option as bmibaby wanted to charge for hold luggage. it is only in the last couple of days that i have begun to realise the limitations of only carrying handluggage. in terms of clothes etc not a problem, it is more that i am having to cut back on toiletries to comply with the liquid limits. i can't take my tweezers or nail scissors, so i am glad it is only two nights that i will be away. i'm also having to radically downsize my handbag as i can only take one piece of handbagage!!

however with the advance of the internet i have already checked in on my flights and rather bizarrely had to answer questions like 'did you pack your own case' and 'could anyone have tampered with your case since you packed it', when i hadn't even packed it or begun to think about what to pack. i know some people pack stuff for their holidays several days or even a week or two before going. me, i'm a bit last minute on this and tend to pack on the day of travel, or the night before if it is an early start.

however i can report that with an hour to go, i am packed and just sorting out the last few things and trying to leave a tidy house for matthew.

by the way don't feel too sorry for matthew being on his own for two nights. he has already arranged a meal at his parents on wednesday night and is going to see some friends tonight. he also told me that he is looking forward to having the bed to himself - cheeky!