Just when I thought I was calming down a bit and getting into holiday mode, it appears that Saturday has pulled up and is waiting to take us home. Any semblance of calm has dissolved and I am bouncing about like a hyperactive kangaroo who has just found a can of surprise Sprite. Needless to say, Mum’s calls for ‘packing and sorting’ have been gently placed to one side.
Home: I’ve not been there for nearly six months. Woah. All sorts of different emotions, but the overriding one is absolute excitement. My heart is racing like a racing thing and I am hoping a quick trip to the beach bar will help calm things down.
Deepest darkest February was chilly and grey as I was delivered to Heathrow and waved off to my plane – so so happy that the real adventure was about to begin. So tired after all the craziness of tying up life in Blighty and very excited about the prospect of such a long flight in which to get in some serious snoozage; I knew that just getting Dippers and I out to Oz was the biggest challenge of the whole project.
So to be at this end of my journey, the other side of the ocean, looking back through the past few months, years even, with all its wiggles and squiggles and adventures; looking ahead to everything that lies at the other end of our flight tomorrow and all the chapters to come, is a strange feeling. All sorts of emotions winging round.
Happy days though; happy happy days.
Signing out from the lovely M and the Southern Hem….. next stop Blighty.
Outey Toot Toot x
PS Dippers was loaded safely into the container this afternoon and will start her next ocean voyage on Monday.
PPS Reunion with my big brother Mike and dog Bonnie on Sunday. And just to welcome me in true style, Mike will be taking me skydiving with his team – how about that for a big brother welcome. I am so excited.
and then a well deserved break………
Sarah, have a great trip back, safe and comfortable journey – SKYDIVING!!! let me get outta here – bit of a rest for Dippers letting someone else do the bobbobbobbing on the waves. Hope the airline recognises you for the heroine you are and ups the celebrity style comforts. Susie and the natracare SISTERS say R E L A X !!!!!!
Thank you for all the wonderful blogs and for keeping us entertained all these months – you’ve had a fantastic adventure and Arthritis Care is pleased and proud for all the awareness and funds you have raised. We’re looking forward to having you back in the UK – have a safe trip and enjoy the pampering that only a long-haul BA crew can give you! Amanda x
Wishing you a safe journey home Sarah xxx
Tune in – barring breaking stories etc, Sarah’s arrival may be on ITN News on Sunday with an interview and perhaps pictures of her rather exciting landfall on Mauritius!
Enjoy the flight Sarah! best wishes Jane
Sarah – I’ve followed you throughout your whole journey. You’ve been an inspiration. Well done – can’t wait to see you on TV when you get home – and the book, of course, will be a must-buy !!
Sarah,
After stepping ashore with relief, now, thanks to big bro, you can finally jump for joy! Tomorrow my jump will be off a cliff just to ride the thermals while dangling from my kite. Hang-gliding off the west coast of British Columbia is exhilarating. Surfing the thermals is a bit similar to surfing the waves, only it’s a long way down to the water. While doing this I will be thinking of you bailing out of an airydoodle. Many safe landings to you, – RoninVancouver
PS Thanks for the cheering post to Roz.
Good-bye Sarah! Life goes on and i wish you the best. I am sure that your book will sell like hot cakes. Please save one copy for me.
Thanks and cheers to your mum Helen and your younger brother Matthew.
God bless.
Rene
from Mauritius
Just to say have a safe trip home, hope they spoil you on the flight and you have first class service. What a welcome will be waiting for you and the adventure of that skydive also to see Bonnie again.
All good wishes to your Mum and Matt too.
Will hope to be able to see a bit of TV this time and not miss it.
Much love
C & K
Hello Sarah,
You sound like a happy camper.I am happy for you and your family.Everyone has worked very hard for this celebration,enjoy until
next time.
Take care
Grandma Barb
Sarah, it will be GREAT to have someone we don’t know but have got to know back in the UK – very careful skydiving now!!!!!!
Love & blessings – Graham & Angie, Cornwall.
Sarah,
Once again many congrats! I’m really looking forward to the book, the movie, the products (a line of happy socks for all occaisions , etc.). I’m serious about your coming to Telluride Mountainfilm, if film is ready for submission by April. I have a little pull with the submissions board. I’ve allready been talking it up with my contacts. Cheers,
Sarah,
Thank you for letting us know. As i said before its been like withdrawal symptoms and have tried to ween myself with severe chats to myself,that you so generously shared all with us, but you dont belong to us. So this is a lovely surprise this morning.
I,m SO pleased to hear you have a dog. That bothered me a bit. Now the family picture is complete!
Enjoy it, Jill
hi sarah
skydiving. a blast. the most fitting for the likes of you.
you are part of us forever.
always welcome in atlin.
cheers and love
dick and maggie
hi again, sarah
i would really like to have lots of details of the specifications of serendipity, a craft that met with huge valour the demands of sarah outen and her huge valour.
is there a source?
cheers
dick, of dick and maggie
Please, Sarah, try to make sure that will be a brazilian portuguese version of your book. thanks.
Artcle and video interview in Mauritian newspaper L’express of 15th August 2009.Search for l’express.mu Also listen to the sound of the tropical wind.
Well done and every good luck in the future – I shall not doubt be kept up to date by your godmother- my sister. Averil.
Hi Sarah,
Just been watching the video you did at the hotel, I was there last year but just visiting for the day, its a pity about the wind but otherwise it was good. I see you have a good suntan, have a safe journey home, its raining here. I be there in nine weeks time but to the north of where you stayed.
For those who want to watch the video go to http://www.lexpress.mu and click onto video in the centre, then click on to Sarah’s photo left hand side and then play and enjoy the video. My thanks to Navin of Quatre Bourne how is the trianon.
Mike.
OH SARAH
You are such an insirpration the way you are so jovial, you seem to be enjoying every minute of the day, Its so great for you to spend the time to blog to us all,it just feels like one big faimly ,like its been for your whole venture since April ,ahave a wonderful trip home & enjoy your home coming TAKE CARE , Cherrio hope you keep us all in touch TERRY B !!!!!!!!
P.S. Great to hear DIPPERS is packed away and on the way home wirh you ! CHEERIO !!!!!!
Hearty congratulations from us both, Sarah, and welcome back home. The press (at least the bits we have seen) and the TV news reports have not made nearly as much of your enormous achievement as you deserve. We hope you will get some official recognition when you get back here in Oakham.
Hi Sarah ~ hope your journey back allowed you to snooze and reflect. Enjoy your sky dive and meeting up with the rest of your family.
We are mid way home too, with fantastic memories of our trip to ile Maurice ~ what a lovely time we have had ~ such friendly people and of course our time with all the families of the Ocean Rowers.
Take care
Love my Happy socks!!
xtina
Farewell Sarah from the land of Oz! Thank you so much for keeping us informed and entertained during the past four months. You are an amazing and incredible girl! Have fun sky diving with your brother. Big hug for Bonnie too. We’re now waiting for the book to be published in due course. Bye for now and take good care of yourself.
Rosemary, Horst, Danielle and Ben.
Congratulations, Sarah! And, welcome home!
Thank you for your excellent company this summer!
My next feat will be to knit myself happy socks – hooray!!!
With very best wishes,
Glo
(still drying out after Derbyshire…)
hi sarah,welcome home!hope you settle back into land life without too much bother,enjoy the rest of this journey now you’re on the “how i did it”leg,glad to hear dippers got safely stowed and will be enjoying a less fraught return than the journey out!thanks so much for sharing this fantastic feat with us all,it’s been emotional…..
best regards
ian