So this is it – dropped off at Brize Norton, by my kind friend Donna, Sunday evening at 8pm. The flight is not due to leave until 1:10am on Monday morning, but we all have to have checked in by 10:10pm and I’m a bit cautious about what happens at Brize Norton and how long it will all take.

As civilians we are (reasonably) not allowed on base unescorted. What this means in practice, is that you report to Reception at the Main Gate and then wait for a bus or in this case a coach to appear and take you to the terminal, which is quite close by. Then you check in. It is significantly less traumatic than Heathrow this summer(although more functional and less shopping) and then you wait….

The plane takes off on time and the first leg is to Cape Verde, 6.5 hours away. Contrary to most people’s mental image, despite being a military flight it’s a normal plane with normal seats and cabin crew and lots of food. As the plane has to carry a lot of fuel and freight, there are fewer passengers than a commercial flight would have and almost everyone has a spare seat next to them and it’s premium economy legroom. Lovely.

An hour off the plane at Cape Verde in the early dawn and nice heat and then back on the plane for 10 hours down to Mount Pleasant in the Falklands. This is dull – as all long plane journeys are – but uneventful, which is good.

We arrive at about 4pm Falklands time (BST -4 hours) and queue for our bags, which is a bit tight for space round the carousel but everyone is very polite and helpful. It takes a while for any of my bags to arrive, which is a bit nerve wracking as always. Those of us waiting a long time start to make little jokes about the wait. We all have a lot of luggage, as anyone living or working in the Falklands is allowed 55kg which translates for me into 1 very large suitcase, 1 regular and 1 small, plus my carry on luggage. I manhandle it all onto a trolley for the short distance outside, where I am kindly met by Marie, my predecessor at work and Lucille, the Education Department’s PA – local expert and fixer.

They drive me to my new house (which they’ve already checked) and show me key things – the heating, cooker etc. There’s a starter box of food in the fridge and a lasagne in the fridge – I’m all good to go.

And having made sure I’m fine, they leave me in peace for the evening.