The conclusion - flights home, family and friends

Wednesday 14 February

So here we go. The end of our amazing trip, and it has passed so quickly. 92 days and nights since we were at home! We head to the airport after breakfast, check our three cases in then flop in the Air NZ business lounge until it is time to board. Then back into our Singapore Air pods we go. First flight is 10.5 hours to Singapore. Passes quite quickly, we try a combo of sleep, reading, eating and films, and we land pretty much on time into Changi airport in Singapore. Disembark and head again for the business lounge, too tired to shop, so we just flop! Five hours to wait now until we board the 14 hour flight to London Heathrow. It departs more or less on

time and we are back in our pods on a different plane. The turbulence is appalling so no chance of any sleep on this flight!

Thursday 15 February

05.45hrs UK time and we land into Heathrow airport, beyond tired and jet lagged! Tried to sleep in line with UK time zone as they advise you to do, but pretty much impossible with all the turbulence. We collected our luggage from the carousal then headed outside to catch the bus to Green Motions depot at the Holiday Inn on the M4 to collect our pre booked hire car.

Once sorted we set the sat nav, took a deep breath and headed up the M1 to start a manic week long tour of the UK visiting family and friends before we get to head home to Gozo. Arrived at the Paul Pry Premier Inn in Peterborough around 2pm and lay down for a brief sleep before showering and heading to see my mum, who lives about a ten minute drive from here. Great catch up followed by dinner at the Granary at Orton. Very nice but mega tired after we had eaten so dropped mum off and headed back for more much needed shuteye!

Friday 16 February

Woke up early, feeling weary but grateful for some proper sleep! Had breakfast then headed out to do some shopping locally before going back to Mums for coffee. From there we were off to see my brother and his family and after a brief catch up and plans made to meet later for dinner, we once again had a siesta at the hotel to try and combat the tiredness and jet lag. Nice meal later at the Bluebell at Glinton but despite Chelsea playing Hull live on tv later that evening, sleep took control again shortly after kick off. You can’t really control long haul jet lag I find, but it can certainly control you!

Saturday 17 February

Terrible night’s sleep unfortunately but time to hit the road again today so after a hearty breakfast, we left Peterborough and headed towards Redditch where Dan’s daughter Rachel lives with her partner Nick. Arrived at the Premier Inn there around 2pm and whilst I headed for bed again (feeling dire as the jet lag had now appeared to have manifested itself into a migraine), Dan headed out to see the family. We all met up again later that evening for a lovely meal at the Red Lion at Alvechurch with Simon (Dan’s son) and Sam and family and the ten of us had a great evening together, early celebration of Dan’s 70th in April as they won’t see him at that time in Gozo. Lovely.

Sunday 18 February

Early breakfast again, packed the car up and checked out before heading for Bedworth to surprise Dan’s brother John at his local. Worked a treat and had a good catch up before all heading to the Craven St club in Coventry to meet our brother in law Pat and our old friend Dennis. Fun afternoon, lots of drinks and laughs, and headed back to the Premier Inn in the centre of Coventry around 6pm. Dan and I had a cracking curry in the hotel café and called it a night. Definitely counting down now to Friday when we finally get to go home, after nearly 100 days away!

Monday 19 February

More of the same today, did some shopping in Coventry then met our good friends, Bill and Denise, for drinks and eats later in the

Gatehouse and Italian restaurant respectively. Yet another great catch up!

Tuesday 20 February

Our good friend Jackie came to the hotel after breakfast for coffee then we went out to meet more good friends Marc, Angie, Abby, young Toby (5) and even younger Oliver (few weeks!).Went into the Gatehouse for drinks, came out around 7 then went for eats and back to the hotel by 9pm. Fab to see them all again, as always.

Wednesday 21 February

Last day in Coventry today before heading back to London tomorrow, only two more sleep nights until we are back in our own bed, beyond excited at the thought of that! Packing up this morning then meeting Pat and John in the Gatehouse later before having a meal at the Belle Italia with them (and Rachel and Nick) around 7pm. Got a message from our friend Derek, who used to run a bar in Malta near to us but now lives back in the UK so he popped over to say hello which was good. Nice meal and evening for our last day here.

Thursday 22 February

Had breakfast and checked out at the Premier Inn and headed south down the M1 to London to drop off our UK hire car and go back to the original Premier Inn where this lovely long trip began at Heathrow Airport. We got a taxi this time to accommodate us and all our luggage as we had lost the will to drag it all round tube and train stations one more time! Checked into the hotel, headed for the bar (surely not!) and had drinks and eats before climbing into bed, nailing the crossword and falling asleep. Home tomorrow!!

Friday 23 February

Headed into the terminal after having breakfast and checking out, and waited for our Air Malta flight home to Malta. Set off more or less on time and at 15.30hrs (CET) we landed – finally – home into Luqa airport in Malta. Amazing feeling. We picked up our transport to Cirkewwa where we get the ferry to Gozo from and before long we were aboard the ferry (around 6pm) heading for home. Our friends Jon and Lou were on the ferry and very kindly dropped us home with all our bags.

Walked into the apartment, dropped the bags off, turned all the heaters on and went down to the garage to see if the car would start. No problem, first turn of the key! Off in search of food and drink, we drove over to Xlendi Bay and headed into Ta Nono bar for Hopleaf

beer, Rose D’Anjou wine, house special pizza and salad. So that is that. We're home!!