So, let you tell you about my trip away. In a word, it was fantastic!  It was so good for me, on so many levels.  I've come back feeling unbelievably inspired, driven and motivated. 

It was very good on a personal level - I feel VERY proud of myself for going. If you know me at all, you will know what a big thing it was for me to leave my kids, my husband, my home and my country. In fact, Sister Mel said that she was more proud of me going away than she was of me writing a book, doing an MBA or starting a business.  And my mother and father told me that they were very worried about me going, but were so pleased to hear that I not only went but enjoyed myself. That tells you what a big thing it was for me to go. (one day, if I have time, I might tell you about why and how this is so)

I went because I had to - we run an egg donor program in India in association with various Indian surrogacy agencies*, and my partner had been three time already this year.  So it was my turn to go. And I had such a great time there that I want to go again!

Mumbai isn't the best destination in the world - it is extremely busy, hot, sweaty and DIRTY, but the people are amazing.  They are so friendly and exceptionally hardworking.  I met the most amazing, skilled doctors there.  Business wise, it was a great trip as well.

The flight there and back wasn't so much fun.  There wasn't so bad, but back was a 'mare.  The flight out of Mumbai was delayed by 3 hours and Mumbai airport isn't exactly what one would refer to has a first class international shoppers paradise.  Because we were delayed, we missed our connecting flight to Cape Town.  Oh, and then they lost our luggage en route.  And one of the girls had their luggage broken into. Fun.

But those are minor details - the trip was GREAT.  Well, for me it was. For Marko, not so much.  We Skyped every night (I had a webcam in India) and the first few nights he was skippy and full of the joys of Spring.  By the last night, he sounded like he had done 10 rounds with the Heavyweight Champion of the World. I asked him what was wrong and he said "I am exhausted, it is not easy working AND looking after the kids!"

YOU THINK??

Seriously though, he was a star. Everyone was. I had a whole team of people running my home and family in my absence - Rose was with Max, Tarryne (the teaching assistant) looked after Adam and Kate in the afternoons and Marko did the evenings.  It obviously helped hugely with my peace of mind knowing that everything was under control at home.

Oh, except for this one incident: I arrived in Mumbai on Friday morning at 01:00am. Got to the hotel at 2am, did some work (took a call!) until 3am.  Woke up at 8am.  Needless to say I was a little tired by Friday afternoon.

On Friday afternoon I get a text (MMS) message from Marko with the subject as "Max at the doctor".  Nothing else.  So obviously my heart starts to race and I worry. So text back "what is going on? Is Max ok?"  No reply.  I send another text saying "let me know, I am worried".  No reply. So I call Marko on his work cell - no answer. I call him on his personal cell. No answer.  By this time I am hysterical, imaging the worst.  I call Rose on her cell - no answer. FUUUUCCKKKK!!  I freak out, imagining scenes of Max at hospital, Marko and Rose fighting for his life etc.  I eventually get a text message saying "all ok, he is just teething and has a snotty nose". Well, I lost my cool. I went OFF at Marko telling him if he ever did that again blah blah. He shouts at me, telling me that I always overreact and think of the worst and how can I shout at him blah blah.  Of course I was due for a meeting five minutes later, so you can imagine how I looked and felt.

When I had calmed down and Marko and I spoke that night, I realized what had happened - Marko had sent an MMS (picture message) of Max smiling with the caption "Max at the doctor", basically saying that Max was at the doctor but he clearly wasn't sick as he was smiling and ok. I didn't get the picture as I didn't have data roaming enabled.  Sigh. I think I aged about a 100 years that afternoon.

But besides that little incident, I had a fantastic time.  This little trip has done me the world of good!

(I want to go again in March but Marko nearly had a heart attack when I told him that.  I think I might need to give him a few weeks to get over the shock of having to work AND look after the children ;-) )

*If you would like to know more about our India egg donor / surrogacy program, you are welcome to email me - my details on the Nurture website www.nurture.co.z.  

(will post about my trip away soon, as soon as I've caught my breath)