To England and back 2007

One of the things you do before emigration, is count the cost of return trips to the homeland. You will of course need to reserve the bulk of your vacation time every 2 years or so to visit family and friends, especially when some of them are unable to travel to see you. We counted that cost as a couple. To add a 2 yr old and a baby into that mix .. Oh My Word, does that ever take it to a whole new level of intensity.

joel enjoying an old(ish) building - the liverpool museum

We have survived a 16 day trip to England. Whether or not we are each in one piece is yet to be determined. The jet lag is lessening by the hour, but has had it's horrible times. Fighting off some sickness, and recovering from total overload of last week, we are steadily reaching planet earth again.

What an amazing trip it was! 3 major locations in England, more visits with more people than it is possible to list, some wonderful memories, some moments of pure joy, inclusion of a very special wedding, visits to great-grandparents, beach, playgrounds, city, country, all major supermarkets, youth events, 2 wonderful churches, old friends, new children, and some of the most divine food you can ever imagine. Tom is continuing to fantasise over Sainsbury's "taste the difference" stem ginger and treacle pudding with toffee and treacle sauce, with extra thick double cream. SPECTACULAR. Newly out, so I can't link to it on the sainsbo's site. If you are in the UK and haven't tried it yet, please do yourself a favour, and feel free to make me jealous with your opinion in the comments.

And do you know what's just totally weird .. we didn't visit a single pub! Stage of life has some influence of course, and who would seriously let Joel drink beer, come on! The fact that neither of us drink is a factor too. However is it actually a legitimate trip to England without crossing the threshold of a single hostelry? I feel totally embarrassed to admit it to the world, and am surprised they didn't challenge us at Heathrow on the way out. "How many times did you visit a pub sir? None? Are you serious? What gives you the right to leave the country, get out there and quaff a jar of real ale now you southern pooffter." If you are Canadian, you have absolutely NO understanding of what I've just written. Sorry about that :)

A wonderful trip, and now .. nice to be home .. at least it will be, once we're fully back in mind body and spirit!