Hi everyone,

So, camp is over. I've cried more over the last 48 hours than I have in the year previous to them! Saying goodbye to people who you have lived with, had every meal with, camped with, cooked out with, had you hanging safely at the edge of a cliff with... it's really hard.

The last week has been good fun. I went on 2 night caves (my favourite trip of the summer, I even managed to get some photos but they're not on here) and on the Thursday night we had the counsellor show. It's basically the kids in the audience (for a change!) and us up on stage singing and dancing about our time at camp. ODL got up and did the trips song, which we had written to the tune of rolling on the river. It was good fun. We all got up super early yesterday morning and the campers were gone by 11.

Yesterday evening we had banquet. We went to a country club and had some truly lovely food (particularly after the camp fare). There were some awards, and tehn Neil (Alicia's - the director - husband) had made a slide show with staff pictures from the whole summer. There were a lot of tears then (it's an all girls camp, and he'd put in significant music to accompany it, what do you expect??). Then I had to say goodbye to Natalie (who I met in Heathrow and who has been a great friend to me ever since. She was also my secret pal.. you get assigned to someone to make surprise gifts for for the summer, and she made me things in copper enamelling etc) and so I cried again... then we had to say goodbye to most of the girls from ODL.

Then Hannah, Allie, Nicky and I went to sheetz to wait cause they were being picked up by 3 of the boys. We went on an adventure to walmart where we got colouring pencils and Nicky got a haircut (I love walmart) and then we had skittles, which weren't right. When the guys got there and I had to say goodbye to them, and to Cat and Nicky, I just couldn't stop crying! It was not helped by Sam and Kieran doing the whole "this may be the last time I ever see you" thing. Aled couldn't do that, because he works in Swansea, which made me feel better. And Cat and Nicky live near Fort William... which really isn't that impossible. Although Nicky is moving to Switzerland, and Ann's Swedish, and Hannah lives in New Zealand, and lots of people are American... you see my dilemma.

This morning we got up at 5.30 to drop Hannah at the airport and things started to feel more real. I have to unpack and repack my bag, pay for accommodation in various places, buy a national parks pass and a road atlas, a cooler and food, and in 4 days I am starting a drive across the whole of America. It's all starting to sink in, and it's too much to take! I'm so excited though. Before I leave I will post our planned itinerary up here. When you see it you will think it a bit odd (it really zig zags across) but it is everywhere we want to see, so we don't care. Most days aren't more than 4 hours driving (although some are quite a bit more), some days are no driving at all. I'm going to head out now. Allie's car is getting a service, so we're all ready to go on Tuesday morning.

Lots of love, me xxxx

P.s, I put a few pictures up. I realise it does't give you much of an idea, but it is something.