Octang Frye

A Midge Ure once bit my sister.

lisa67

Hey I cam from Northampton (originally from Rugby!) Where abouts did you live Sarah?

Going to stay at my brother's house for a few nights when we first arrive...heard from him that it's about 88 degs in the house...ofcourse, no air con ..oh the joys! (but I expect it will be peeing down by mid week)

dunroving

Like others, I'd have killed for a job with free flights home every year, but I hear what you are saying.

I wouldn't have changed a thing (i.e., almost all of my "holidays" were trips to see people, rather than "real" holidays and I wouldn't have it otherwise), but on the rare occasions I took a real holiday (maybe once every 4-5 years), the difference was amazing.

SarahG

We lived in the centre of Northampton. For the last couple of years we lived near to Abington Park.

Redwing

[QUOTE=ChocolateBabz;8689982]
Am I the only one who doesn't want to go back.

QUOTE]
No, you're not.

fsm

Let's look at this.

Moved here in July 1999

Went home Nov. 2001 (Father paid for trip as I said I could not afford)
Next trip was Nov. 2003 (I had $500 off American airlines flight)
Next May 2007 (Used Airmiles)
Then Oct 2007 (American wife wanted to do a major castle tour I think we spend about $9000)
Last trip Nov. 2009 (Used Airmiles)

Next planned trip Sep 2012, for father's 80th, unless Father no longer around (His Words)

Other than missing a really good fish n chips once Father is no longer around (Hopefully around for many years), I cannot see myself flying over to visit my brother & sister (Planes go both ways).

Would rather fly over and do a cruise.

lisa67

we lived near the race course for a few years (Poole street) and then West Hunsbury before moving here. Went back to N'ton about 5 years ago, may pop in later this week when we're over.

SultanOfSwing

There's nothing wrong with not wanting to go back if your trip is turned into something other than a holiday (i.e. time to relax and/or just please yourselves). I suppose I've just been lucky. The one chance we have had to go back home, we stayed with my mum, but she and my sister went to work as normal, and we used our hire car to do all the sightseeing (Antrim Coast, Carrick Castle, Giant's Causeway and all that). My mum then bought us a flight to Edinburgh and paid for a night in a hotel there so we did the bus tours. On the final Friday of our stay, we then had a party in my mum's house where relatives (benefit of a small family) could come by and have a drink and some food and all see us at the same time. We did drop in on my mate while we were over but that was the only visiting we had to do.

However, NI is a small place, and I only have 5 cousins, and a couple of 2nd cousins. Had we lived in England, with family spread all over, then it would be a different story.

The problem I have is not having as much time to travel. Wife and I only get 10 days a year, and that gets eaten up with children being sick, or doctor/dentist visits and the like. We want to be able to go back and see the 'old country' but there are other places in Europe, within the UK/US and elsewhere we want to experience, and allow our children to as well and we'd feel bad if we went and spent a week in London and didn't drop in on me ma! Lucky for us, she is retired now and can come and stay with us and see the baby any time she wants. I used to get 25 days as a civil servant, which is a big deal when you don't have it any more.

I've wandered off on a tangent I think. Ultimately like all homesickness/don't miss the UK kind of things, everyone is different. I do think, in your situation, the free trip home becomes essentially worthless if you can't be allowed to do your own thing. For me, a trip back to NI means I get to see Belfast again, or wander round my old streets and wax nostalgic for my childhood - not drag the family round endless people's houses! I think you're absolutely right to want to fly into Heathrow and then bugger off somewhere else! Wish we could do that

Sally Redux

I would use it to go to Italy or something as she said if I didn't want to visit the UK.

Hubcaps

i *think* we're only getting 1 flight each back to the UK in the first year and that's supposed to be for settling up all financial affairs once our house is sold in the UK.
I have no intentions of returning to the UK apart from my Dad's funeral which I hope is many many years away. I suppose not having close friends over there (or anywhere for that matter) and not being close to my family either it's less of pull for me to return.
I love the PNW and have always wanted to live here since my first visit, I really like the people and have some very good friends from when my husband first worked here. The scary thing for me is reading the "I want to go home" posts. Most of the people coming to the US were as happy and excited as I am now and it didn't work out for them at all, I would hate for this to be the case for me too.

emailrob

I'm with you 100%.

We went back to the UK at considerable cost last year. Spent 10 days driving, not sleeping in the same town twice. Nice to see people and all, but not a holiday. A beautiful wedding in scotland part way was the saving grace.

Going back at Christmas. We're staying in the town we left 2 years ago, and people can come and see us...

ChocolateBabz

Now you see I would do that - if I could get a cottage or something for the 2 weeks over Christmas that would be great however DH thinks his parents would see that as a personal and unforgivable insult and we would be forever banished from their home, outcast and left to wander barren lands for all time....

emailrob

We are doing a house swap. Our friends get free accommodation in California and we get free accommodation in England. Seems like a good deal to me

Jerseygirl

but what about your family in the UK?

ChocolateBabz

you mean my family ? that is a long long story for when I have had 2 bottles of wine to myself and am having my very own pity party and have access to the laptop that should clearly have been revoked

No one misses little old me