Every blog has to have its first post, that goes without saying, but I didn’t realise how difficult it would be to decide what to write about when merrily setting it up a few weeks ago.

The main reason for the blog is to keep people up to date with the adventures of Dean and I as we wander the world: I guess that’s why you’re reading. But I figured it would be best to get to grips with the technology (wordpress and its app on my new(ish) Samsung Galaxy Note) before our departure to solve or work around any potential glitches in the plan.

For several weeks now I’ve been wondering what to write about, concluding that day to day life really isn’t very blog-worthy! Now that the summer holidays are here, my days generally consist of reading the latest book for bookgroup (A Half-Forgotten Song by Katherine Webb), summoning the motivation for my daily dose of Jillian Michaels’ 30 day shred DVD, various gigs with the Distractions, a little volunteering at the Hope Centre, a few catch-up cuppas and then copious wedding/travel planning and researching and purchasing and to do listing! It’s all quite enjoyable and I suppose the fact I’m already having to think hard about what day of the week it is shows I’m acclimatising pretty well to being a lady of leisure!

So what made me start writing today? Yesterday.

I received my new passport in the post! To most this will seem like a fairly mundane occurrence but there are a few reasons why, to me, it classed as noteworthy enough to inspire my first attempt at blogging (plus a well-‘liked’ Facebook photograph).

Firstly, I was beginning to think something had gone wrong because it had taken so long to arrive so it was a relief to hear the van pull up and the knock on the front door. Secondly, as my friend pointed out on said Facebook photo,  I am a passport geek: over the last few years I have eagerly collected and, you might say,  cherished, as many stamps as possible! Realising it was soon to expire and that I would have to start afresh was a sad moment! At least they send them back!

However the main reason I got so excited was that it felt so symbolic of the year ahead. The fresh, clean pages, the unfamiliar new design and the electronic chip are literally the passport to my adventure.  But then, you see, you can get them post-dated, meaning that this was the first official document with my new name on: Stephanie Jane Patrick. The condition of this arrangement is that I can’t leave the country until I’m married when that really is my name, but this isn’t problematic and in fact means that my issue date is always going to be very easy to remember: 21/09/13! So in the one ‘special delivery’ both the wedding and the travels were brought together. Consequently,  I think I might actually believe it’s all happening now!

So if you’re still reading, well done! Hopefully I will find more exciting subjects to blog about once the adventures begin! Now…how do I post this thing…?