Who'd a thought, after all the visa trauma last year, I'd be posting a thread from back 'home'.

Arrived at Heathrow (ahead of time) in one piece after The Flight From Hell. Our son didn't quite make it to the toilet and yarped just outside it, much to the flight attendants' disgust. All three of them treated the kid as if he had Ebola and threw up on purpose. I intend to complain to American Airlines. Those three would be better suited as the witches in the Scottish Play.

Anyway, enjoyed standing barefoot on friend's lawn feeling proper grass between my toes, waking up this morning to a lovely, soft rain. Got tea from the local chippy last night, with Daddie's Sauce Picked up hire car today. Took me about 10 minutes to adjust to manual - will take me a bit longer to get used to the traffic and tiny little narrow roads.

Seem, for some reason, to be over the jet lag already. Managed to stay awake until 9.00 last night and then slept like the dead for ten hours.

Cats finally made it. They'll be picked up from Heathrow tomorrow. Have been to the quarantine place, it's lovely, clean, very professional, great staff.

So, that's my update so far. I know it's early days but, it really feels right to be Home.

Welcome home....it does feel great, doesn't it! Hope it all goes well for you

Anyway, enjoyed standing barefoot on friend's lawn feeling proper grass between my toes, waking up this morning to a lovely, soft rain.


I feel homesick! What I'd do to feel real grass under my feet! Hope all goes well for you, keep us posted!

I'm glad you are back and happy. UK's gain.....Pittsburgh's loss!

It would sound crazy to anyone who isn't homesick for the UK that it feels great to have real grass under your barefeet - but I totally understand.

Our first take out will also be the local chippie!

We have just put our house up for sale NOR and are hoping we can be back in the UK late this year or early next year.

I feel exhausted just thinking about everything that needs doing to leave Australia and to start life again in the UK, but having lived here for 2 years, I know I won't be happy until I'm back home.

I'm not looking forward to having to move in with my parents (with my husband and two children) until we sort out a house, or the hassle of getting my children into new schools and my husband and I into work, but I know it will be worth it in the end. Shame I can't just fast forward a year and it all be done!

Good luck to you with your move back to the UK and anyone else who is planning to do it. It takes a lot to move out here, but for some reason, it feels a "bigger" task to move back.

Bravo! Good luck.

I know! I never even got back to Pittsburgh while I was there.*cries*

Gill123 - It does feel like a daunting task when you start thinking about it, but (touch wood), it's not bad once you get stuck in. Really, the only problem we had was with the cats. The pet shipping lady was fumbling a bit with DEFRA and USDA regulations and so the paperwork turned into a farce.

In the end, it took 5 days for the cats to get here from leaving our house to arriving at the quarantine kennels. We're off to see them this afternoon.

The good news, we did ok on the transfer of our money and got more pounds than I expected. This is a good thing, because we need pretty much to buy EVERYTHING!!!

Good to see you have arrived safely!

I know what you mean about the feel of grass under your feet - nothing quite like it in the world I reckon!

So happy for you!!!!!!!!
Glad the cats made it and they will be so happy to see you.
daddies sauce and English grass..........ah bliss.
Have a great new life.

Ah, I'm so jealous, but very happy for you! It's nice to hear about people's journey back home and their initial feelings and experiences. I plan for our first dinner to be from the chippy too! lol

Please continue to fill us in on life back in the UK! It brings me hope and makes me smile. Good luck to you!

We started looking for a car today. There were one or two I liked but the sodding boots were too small!

We also visited the cats. Poor Bluey is still totally freaked out although he was a bit happier when hubby made a fuss of him. Khan was all mouth and purred non-stop. I know he'll cope with quarantine and I'm glad Bluey doesn't need to be in Q.

Hubby waiting to find out when his interview is. He's on pins and needles.

Also went to Tescos. It was nice to see all those old familiar favorites again and we stood and drooled at the fishmongers counter for quite a while. I can't remember the last time I saw fresh fish. Bought pork pie and some stilton cheese for lunch, it were lovely.

Mmmmmm, pork pie, the chippy, Indian, Chinese, Greek........I think the only thing I'll really miss is cheap but delicious sushi.

So glad it's going well for you! Good luck to hubby on his interview. I'm terrified to do an interview after all these years. Fingerscrossed.