Hello again

Will try to explain what I mean. If you get them you'll know what I mean but hard to explain...

You know, say if you are sitting at a desk and you are about to nod off, then jolt yourself awake before you do - you kind of jump in your head after that feeling of about to drift away? Well, do any of you ever get that feeling of the country you used to be in and do the same? For example, Can a certain smell, temperature, glance at something make you able to "drift off and really "feel" you are back in that country, then a few minutes later you are back to reality? E.g The other day I came out of Waitrose and a car must of just pulled away (wasnt our weather LOL) because I was hit by a rush of warm air like you do when you come out of a mall in Oz. For 2 seconds, I was coming out of the shop in Oz, by the time I got to my car I was UK again.

I used to do it a lot when I first came back and then I think I sort of trained myself to be able to do it. So like if bored at work, I could shut my eyes and be somewhere else.
The longer Im back the less able I am to do it - but I liked to be able to do it - a bit like self induced hypnosis I suppose. I really liked being able to travel from my desk.
Do any of you know what I mean? Its not just a memory as you feel it too. What is it? Can any of you do it?

C x

Last night was pretty cold here in Perth and a lot of people must have been using their wood-burning stoves because there was a real smell of woodsmoke in the air. The combination of the cold, dark and smoke made me think very strongly of bonfire night. Not 100% sure if that's the kind of thing you are meaning?

Also, for the first few years of living over here I would sometimes think I had seen someone in a crowd who couldn't possibly be there. Someone like a neighbour or an old work-mate - just the brain trying to fit faces to memories I guess....

I used to experience it when I would cycle after some rain when you get that 'metallic' smell. Always got it if ever I saw the relection of drizzle in a streetlight, that kind of thing.

Went to New Malden last Saturday for some Korean food and really had to pinch myself that i wasn't in Eastwood.

Yes I do. Luckily I live in the boonies, but I have found myself confused as to what the heck side of the street I'm supposed to be driving on just for a few seconds I am not sure what country I'm in.
I also find myself saying phrases I haven't used since I was a teen. Just this afternoon, Dh was having a moan (he is a Brit too so is forgiven) and I said Awww Bechod, (a shame/sin, or something like it, used to say what a shame) He looked at me like where did that come from?
It happens quite often. The less I work and am around Americans, the more I find I do it, I'm sliding back in time.

I'm flashing back to 2006 just seeing your post on here

I know exactly what you mean, recently i found a store that sold one of my favourite UK chocolate bars, I took a bite and I was 14 years old again with my brother and sister in our very old house we grew up in, it was like Da ja vue.....very spooky kind of feeling, it came and went and when I tried to get it back it wouldn't happen. I truly felt there. Smelt that old house, just the bite into a Cadburys flake did that. It used to be our Saturday night treat...........I wanted so much to get it back but couldn't. My brother is no longer alive but for that second we were right there together.

Oh how lovely to hear from you! Hope you are getting on well

Ah thats lovely - its kind of happysad when it happens, isnt it?

PP - PTSD is such a dreadful thing - your posts always indicate someone who's "been there" and you always seem such an inspiration to other people

I do it mainly when I am ironing...I love ironing for that reason...I loose my self in the moment and nothing around me matters any more...it's just me and my thoughts and they can be really vivid and almost real....then snap...back to reality!!

LibbyX

Is it the smell of burning that snaps you back to reality?

Ha Ha...not burnt anything...Yet!!

I have seen so many dopplegangers here in Oz it's not funny. Loads of people look like people I used to work with. The first warm, sunny Spring day in Oz is very evocative of the same time in the UK.