(1) ... think yourself lucky you were not/think yourself lucky you weren't

(2) ... at your earliest convenience

(3) ... was nowhere near as close to

(4) ... was taken by surprise

(5) ... in the unlikely event

(6) ... a world of difference

(7) ... have taken the wrong turning/'ve taken the wrong turning/have taken the wrong turn/'ve taken the wrong turn

(8) ... lost track of the/completely lost track of the