There’s a pleasing number of bare coat hangers on by bed as well as the unearthing of quite a few new things I’d squirelled away from previous trips.

I did some outfit workshopping as I packed.  My core New York wardrobe is all my black Metallicus dresses, some leggings and my trusty Zara denim jacket.  When in doubt, go for black and denim and a handful of Red Phoenix jewels.

My stash of Kiehl’s samples have come into their own and I’ll be bringing most of them in lieu of their bulkier and potentially leaky big sister bottles.

Daiso is always a good source of travel friendly buys.  I particularly love this set of saline ampules and contact lens case.

The crucial make up purse has been packed.  The only thing missing from this photo is a clutch of lip crayons and that Naked 2 palette.  Which I will get inside the mind of if it’s the last thing make up related I do.

So for the next couple of weeks, it’s going to be goodbye to:

• dressing from an expansive wardrobe of trans seasonal pieces and a hat stand groaning under the weight of my necklaces

• that right turn onto the Western Distributor as I head home from work

• evening walks around my suburb which ebbs and flows to a beat that’s a million miles away from the pulse of New York City but that I love dearly all the same

• and a goodbye with a ‘I simply will not cry when the taxi arrives’ bear hug with Toddler SSG.  He will be in the safe and capable hands of his much loved grandmother, graunty and all the lovely people we are so blessed to call family and friends.  He’s having such a ball with them all at the moment, I’m sure he’ll be having as many adventures as I will be halfway across the globe.