Work finished, rucksack full, and camera battery getting a last minute charge.

I am just about ready to go, I think. I may have forgotten something, but I’ve got my PMT (passport, money, tickets) and that’s all that really matters.

Even with just a few hours until tomorrow morning’s flight from Aberdeen, I am still unexcited my trip to the west coast of the USA. Crucial facts about Mullet Island remain elusive, and I am worried we’ll never make it out there; I hear southern California is roasting hot right now; I am utterly unprepared for the experience of driving on the wrong side of the road (and with the wheel on the other side); and I’ve been told of the poor experience that is American Airlines, with whom I’ll be flying.

Meanwhile the very worst American cliches – the ignorance of Joe Public, warped fundamentalist religion, and rampant commercialism – will all be out in force as a result of the Presidential election campaign.

But I should be excited. I know it will be fun. I really need a holiday. There are lots of friends I am really looking forward to seeing. The USA really is, love it or loathe it, an incredible country. And Justin, ever the thorough organiser, has researched all sorts of fun for us to partake of – Yosemite National Park, Alcatraz, and the humungous Six Flags (believe it or not, I’ve never been on a rollercoaster!). And we are even going to meet a film director. More on that soon.

Perhaps when I get on the train to Aberdeen in an hour, I’ll sigh a huge sigh of post-work relief, and Relax.

But for now… frankly I’d love a couple of weeks at home with my feet up and a good book.