Travel journal

Hey everyone :). I was excited last Wednesday to finally receive my travel journal! It's been about 6 weeks in planning with Paul-Francis (he has an eBay store - The Diary Shop) and then him hand tooling the leather (embossed with a honeysuckle design) and the hand bound with hand made recycled paper!! I had 2 commissioned, one for myself (the pics are of my journal) and one for my dear friend Helene, to express my gratitude for all she's done in making this trip happen for us :)

Usually we've been just voice skyping as it's easier when we were planning the trip and researching different websites, but once she'd told me that the parcel had arrived (I'd been very naughty and lied!!! I told Helene that I'd found a book for my mum in the UK and could I ship it to her address because it would be cheaper postage and I would be there in a few weeks anyway). She very kindly offered to open the parcel just to check the right thing had been sent to me, but I told her it was ok... Then I video skyped her for the first time and after we'd had a bit of a chat, I asked her to open the parcel to check for me because she had me worried about if the right book had been sent (obviously another lie but I'm sorry it was for the right intentions!!!!). I won't forget the look on her face when she opened the parcel, saw the journal (exactly the same as mine but with a buckle rather than the c lock clasp) and read the letter I'd had Paul-Francis print out and send with it :)
It was so great to see her reaction and how much she loved it - now I can't wait until my trip starts and we can start writing in them - a momento to keep forever :)

Not many sleeps now until I leave, so I'll attempt to post more often as my adventure of a life time starts!!