So today is officially our last day on tour, it was quite a sad morning as I had to say goodbye to my contiki twin, Rhea. She came out to the coach as did most others that were staying Amsterdam to say bye to everyone. I gave everyone in the family there memento which is a small clog key ring with their first initial on it. We had a small family pow wow (minus Jenna as she was still sorting her shit out in the room; Classic Jenna) before we headed out to the coach. Saying goodbye to rhea was so difficult as we have gotten so close in the last 20 days. I don't know what I am going to do without her next to me as my partner in crime. Everyone was quite upset saying bye to everyone, getting on that coach and looking at rhea outside by herself broke my heart. I know I will see her again so it'll all be ok.
It was about a 3 hour drive before our last service stop in Belgium. The coach ride to Belgium was quite somber, everyone was recovering from the night before and no one really said anything. Poor Kate sitting behind me was having a massive coughing fit the entire way to Belgium. I felt so sorry for that poor girl as that was me a few days ago. We got to services in Belgium and went out to get some lunch before getting back on the coach to make our way to the ferry to take back into the UK. On the ferry Leisa, Jess, Christina, Sara, Rachael, Loz, CB, Markus and I reminisced on all the fun times on the tour. We talked about all the tour goss and all the amazing memories from the last 20 days. It was nice to see what everyone's perspective was from the last 20 days. It was also cool that the ferry ride over to France I was with Leisa, Jess, Christina and Sara and going back to the UK I was with them again but so much has changed and we now know so much more about each other and have seen each other at our best and worst.
Once we got into London it was another 2 hour coach ride back to the royal national. I sat next to Christina on the way to the royal national. It was a really fun ride back as we just all had a laugh and enjoyed each other's company. Steph played our wake up song a final time and we all went crazy. Sara even got so excited she sat on her sunnies and broke them. We got back to the royal national and went down to the basement to collect our tour singlets that we had purchased. Once I got my singlet I rushed to my hostel in Hyde park to drop off all my stuff and made my way back to the royal national for farewell drinks with the rest of the crew.
This was very bittersweet, it was awesome to get to have one last laugh and banter with everyone but also very sad to say goodbye. It was very difficult to say bye to everyone but especially to Christina, Sara and Loz. I tried to say bye as quick as I could to make it a little easier. Their were tears, laughs and hugs. These are the people that have made the last 20 days so amazing. I left just before midnight and said a quick goodbye to everyone else as I would be seeing some of them during my stay in London. I caught the tube back to my hostel and went straight to bed.
Until next time sexy people,
Ray