Well this it, the day I have been waiting for for some time has finally arrived. It may only be the start of a holiday, but it is a holiday with a difference, it is one without thinking that I have to be back at work on Monday morning and that really is a nice feeling to have.

So the journey begins with a stay in Malestroit, a place that we liked when we first visited (probably in the summer of 2006) and a place in which we have now purchased a second home - in fact the house we own is the one that we rented on our first visit. Maybe it was meant to be from there on in?

I know we have some people to catch up with and that we will be celebrating our 19th wedding anniversary in La Rochelle, plus a visit to Nantes is on the cards but other than that it should be a fairly relaxed way to start our career break.

Our trip to Malestroit not only coincides with the fourth anniversary of our house purchase in Brittany but also it will be the longest time we have spent in the property since we got the keys - it really is good not to have to think about going back to work, although maybe I have mentioned that already?