Our back packs are packed. We havent carried backpacks for about 30 years and we bought second hand ones They look  suitably retro. Some  other things are the same – Steves travel pants have 3 deep pockets on the front for wallet and passport ect. Mine….are the  same brand and they have one small one not even big enough for a phone… 

thirty years ago when Steve and I set off on our first trip to Indonesia it was all a bit different, we were less travelled and the random things you  worry about were different too. I don’t know that  I woke up in the middle of the night thinking OMG what if Steve has a heart attack  or the bus falls down a landslide on the mountain…the last is justified I know now about buses in  indo !  But adrenaline is good, right?

30  years ago we didn’t pack hand sanitiser and we had black pens to fill out our paper  forms at immigration

Thirty years ago, we were  renting our house out for our trip (away 8-10 months) and we were still painting  walls till  moments  before we went to the airport..remember that Ceelie?

We were child free

This time our youngest (19) is very pleased to be parent free. And we were driven to the airport by the oldest (28) and his partner.  

And that first time travelling I wrote letters home and  had to search for post offices. This time I’m told by the oldest that I have to blogpost everyday. Blimey Charlie!