Stage one of our adventure is underway; the getting to the start line! Yesterday we said our goodbyes and boarded a train for Manchester airport. The train journey was easy enough with no changes, although trying to for all the luggage on was a bit tricky.

By the time we got to Manchester airport one of the bags had already suffered some damage. The tool box we are using as a ‘bounce box’ was rubbing against the inside of the bag and put a small tear in it. We have now fixed it with good old duct tape and padded the bag out better (with toilet rolls!).

Hopefully the bags will survive all the way to San Diego! The hotel room was ok, although time dragged and we just wanted to get going!

This morning we got up, filled ourselves with cooked breakfasts and headed to the airport. We checked in stupidly early, but its better to be impatient in the airport than the hotel room.

As I write this there is 20 minutes until we can board the plane. Then its 17 hours of flying and waiting in airports to follow until we end up in San Diego!