As you know I'm returning to the UK today after a long break in The Bahamas after Retirement. So was the journey home simple and straight forward? Well ask Christine.


During our stay with Alex and the grandkids Christine has been making trips to the Home Fabric shop in Nassau, by herself, with Alex and occasionally with me. So much so that on my last trip there with her the shop assistants knew Christine by name and asked how the family was. But it didn't seem a problem. Until we arrived at the airport.


We had two suitcases, both expanded to the maximum as well as my golf clubs. Now suitcases are always heavy so I never thought it would be a problem. But when the scales at the 'check in' desk groan and the girl says 'you will need to repack your case' I wonder what has gone on. We took a lot of items out with us that we were leaving in the Bahamas for our next trip so in theory, we should be bringing less back.


So in the middle of the airport lounge we have to unpack our cases and rearrange the weighting. When I opened the large case causing the problem I saw the reason for the trips to the fabric shop. We had a king sized patchwork quilt, I question why and Christine simply asks me what did I think she has been doing for the past few weeks.


Well, OK, we manage to rearrange most things but the three conch shells (for anyone not sure of the size of a conch shell, think a football) collected from Adelaide Beach would have to left behind. Christine says she is not coming home without them as they are required for the new designs at home.
I at this point am very tempted.


We manage to get most things repacked in the cases and conch shells are now in the hand luggage in a bag on my shoulder. So we are off... No we're not - the plane is delayed by two hours. Nassau International Airport is not the best place to be delayed as there is nothing at all - except heat. We finally took off about midnight for the eight hour flight Heathrow.



We got out of the airport at 2.00pm tired, very cold, ready for a five hour drive home. And to make matters worse Christine's iPOD has run out of batteries and she wants to talk to me, preventing me from listening to Talksport Radio. Arrived home eventually and the central heating boiler is dead, the washing machine won't turn on and the legs fell off the fridge freezer. I want to go back.