It is always the same, with minor variations, when you pack. The variations occur in the last minute stuff. Who knew that South Africa has a three-pin round plug unique to itself that your typical Argos won't stock? Oh, don't get me wrong, they will list it - but they won't actually have it in stock. So a last minute dash into town to find that that little travel shop up that alley that looks quite Diagonal does stock them. One up to the small shops!
Now, next, is it too late to get a fresh 'Afterbite'? I know this sounds like a must-have for vampires but if you, like me are the thing that mosquitoes the world over flock to (do mosquitoes flock? - all right 'swarm to') -you need one of these pens that take the itch out of the bites. No - whatever you are going to suggest I try to prevent being bitten, I've tried it. Even 120% Deet that melts my fly-fishing lines does not deter them. If 'Anopheles' appears in your Latin classification, then I am on your menu, with the Deet as an amuse-bouche to savour before you sink your nastily-adapted mouth parts into me.
And then the last purchase, a cheap camera case for my expensive new Ixus camera from Canon -Who Are Too Cheap to Include a Case - Or This Time Even a Memory Card.
Hurtle home to finish packing suitcase and carry-on bag. A trial weigh with my new digital case weigher, a present from my frequent-flyer daughter, shows I am currently under BA's limit-so time to put the feet up and go through the pdf of the camera manual.
This camera comes with no case - but, incredibly, you can set it on a self-timer that is activated when the camera detects a wink. I wonder if it will detect two fingers?
