Have I started the countdown yet???

I have to admit I'm so very excited to be going home to Montreal for the holidays in only 5 days!!!

I also have to admit that every part of my being is dreading the trip home on Saturday. Granted I'm flying via Paris again so thankfully there's no Heathrow worry this time and it all went really smoothly last year but I'm waiting for a disaster to strike.

I'm not a bad flier, I'm not scarred or feel the need to drug myself with prescription medication to get myself to the final destination I just really despise the whole ordeal. Now once I get there... with all my bags, I'm the happy camper but for the 10 or so hours it take for me to get to that stage (one time thanks to BA loosing my luggage and all my Christmas gifts it took 5 days to get to that stage but anyhow...) I believe it's all worth it.

I'm impressed with the whole 'adventure' that I leave here at noon and travel for an eternity and arrive in Montreal at 6pm. If only the journey only took 6 hours I might not feel the need to complain about sheer boredom and a sore ass but alas I paid a lot of money for that opportunity!

I'm a worrier and as a worrier I don't like the whole travel bit. It starts around now, I worry about what to pack. Then I start to worry about getting to the airport (which didn't used to be suck a big issue until I missed a flight this summer... disaster) and then I worry about getting my bags checked in and the scales.... will I be over - the shame!!! Finally I relax a bit and I'm ok... I'm bored with a numb butt but I'm otherwise relaxed until we land and then I start to worry about whether my bags have arrived, I have no problems with customs (here's hoping that I haven't jinxed that and end up with a cavity search on Saturday) but that long time standing at the carousel waiting for my bags containing all of the joy and effort in gifts that I have worked so hard at for the last few months is so long and feels like longer than the flight itself.

This year I'm going to try it differently. I'm going to relax, I'm going to under pack my bags. I'm not going to struggle with a carry-on the very maximum size allowed. I'm going to be a better traveler and when I do arrive and my bags are left in Paris, I'm going to be OK with it because it will only be the 20th and they have 4 days to turn up in Montreal in time for opening the gifts on Christmas morning.

Of course, I say that now......