Have you all been agog with curiosity to find out what is in here? I was, as my sister had been dropping hints about it for some time. I wasn’t even sure why she was getting me a present as my birthday had been and gone ages ago.

On the day that she gave it to me she explained that she’d started collecting bits for it soon after we booked our holiday and that it was a thank you present to me for organising it.

Here is what was inside:

Everything in the bag is to be used on holiday, except for the old book “Mediterranean Holiday”. I am reading that now. I’m very fond of old travel books like this. Some things are for entertainment, others are practical.

Luggage scales will be handy for both of us. Lint rollers, well I don’t want to go on holidays covered in dog hair. I’ll probably have to run one over myself at the airport after saying goodbye to Cindy. A First Aid Kit is always a handy thing to have.

I would certainly have bought a travel diary, now I won’t have to and I love the design on this one. There is a notebook too which will be handy for shopping lists, things to do lists and assorted notes and scribbles. She even remembered the pens.

Stickers for the scrapbook I’ll make of the holiday photos when we come back and a scarf with a dog that looks like Cindy because you need something to remind you of your dog when you are away.

Something to do when we’re lounging around on deck. I’m probably going to take some knitting as well. I’ll make Barbie outfits or some other small items. A good excuse to take a Barbie on holidays. There is another scarf there too, a nautical one which you probably can’t see very well and a moonstone to keep me safe.

The other book ” Surprise Sailaway” I’m keeping for shipboard reading. It’s about two sisters who go on a cruise holiday together. Of course we are not looking for romance but a little adventure might be fun.

I thought that this was such a thoughtful gift and I am really looking forward to using all the things in it especially the diary.