OK, so if I got on the phone *now* I could book myself on a plane to Essen in 3.5 hours

Which would mean I’d have to be at the airport in 1.5 hours.

Which gives me – umm, I mean, would give me – an  hour to:

• Finish the stuff I am doing for the creche trivia night tomorrow and email it to someone, with my apologies
• Find my passport (and probably Otto’s too)
• Book Biggie into after-school-care until Fraser could collect her
• Book hotel room
• OMG Squeee about going 😉
• Empty handbag and re-pack
• Print Spielbox checklist
• Book taxi
• Find empty bags to take (for games)
• Pack!
  • Digital camera
  • Notebook PC
  • Video camera
  • Chargers for both cameras
  • Connector cables for both cameras
  • Software for connecting DV camera to my laptop (to install on plane)
  • Game journal
  • Pens
  • Mobile phone & charger
  • Adapter plug (this might require a run to the luggage shop on the corner, if I can’t find mine)
  • iPod, speakers, charger
  • Spare bag(s) – if I take Otto, we get 40kg baggage allowance between us
  • Luggage trolley thingo
  • oh yeah, toiletries and a couple of changes of clothes wouldn’t be a bad idea either 😉

The appeal of this (while it lives firmly in the land of fantasy) is overwhelming.

1. I want to go to Essen

2. How cool a way would it be to go? To just decide and then hop on a plane.

I once got to go to the airport and say, “I want to be on the next flight to Sydney.” Sadly, it was because my mother-in-law was dying – so a very sombre occasion. But I have to confess that even under those circumstances, I was not unaware of the coolness of the “next plane to X” comment.