Nicholas Quirke was awake in the early hours of the morning on 6 January 2020 and found himself reviewing the last minute administration that going away needed; cancelling utilities, applying for SORN on his car, as well as the paperwork his procrastination had caused him, organising insurance were all incredibly frustrating, expensive and time consuming. Adding to his administration was his last gasp attempts before he departed to rent out his flat. Constantly cleaning and decorating for viewings were a drain on his time and energy. He was going to have to make sure he worked through his list and diligently completed them all. It felt like it had been a herculean task to book his travel and arrange Visas and he was relieved that the drama of that had at least had been finalised, though he did feel the need to keep going over the itinerary to make sure he was not going to be left stranded along the journey. Despite the early start Nicholas still managed to leave late for the garage in Peacehaven where a repair to his car was being made. It was a moment of relaxation from the whirlwind of his mind to have to wait for the car to be fixed and he enjoyed the opportunity to look at some of the sights he would enjoy on his trip. It was also a convenient opportunity for him to drop off some plants with his Mother, for her to tend in his absence, before heading home to show more potential tenants round his increasingly empty home. With the business of his day completed he could relax and look forward to his evening in London at his brother Michael’s exhibition. Though it had been a relatively bright day, when he came to leave he needed to pick Richard and Eileen up from their home as a torrential downpour started. The rain made it a difficult drive but it was good to have the company of friends, though their presence did not curtail his abuse of the inefficiencies of the other drivers. It was the last time he would see his brother before he set off on the year long odyssey to China and though he enjoyed the exhibition and their talk in the Coach and horses afterwards, it was tinged with a hint of melancholy. Nicholas got everyone home safely and finished his day feeling another step closer to achieving his goals.