Our stay is coming to an end.

We've very much enjoyed being here. It has been great to see family, and great to explore a region that's both largely new to us and really rich in points of interest.

There has been tedious admin to get through while we've been here, which has sucked up time we would have preferred to spend on the hills or with our rellies. But still, we've managed to do quite a lot.

Here'a a motley collection of odds and ends from the last few days:















The UK is already in full-on Christmas mode. And many garden centres devote a ton of floor space to the apparently lucrative Christmas industry:




And full marks to the Artisan Bean Company in Belper for this stunning cherry and kirsch mince pie:


*_*_*

So, we still have tomorrow, but last days are bothersome things, full of cleaning and packing and feeling you don't quite have time to do anything -- not to mention the sad business of saying goodbye.

On Sunday, horribly bright and early, we'll be setting off.

And Sunday is Day 1 of the 66-day journey that will eventually -- God willing -- land us back in Kuching.

Once again, we're covering the ground between the UK and Istanbul on the surface. It's a different route this time, taking in much more of former Yugoslavia. And it won't be such an easy route, as there are far fewer trains in this bit of Europe, and a lot of our travel will be by bus.


I'm sure there will be hassles; I'm sure we'll identify route-planning mistakes. But I'm also confident the journey will be interesting and fun. I know already that it will be scenic, and filled with history, literature, and food...

The countdown commences...