Lazzza

I am off work today to take the wee one to the dentist. I am counting down the weeks until I leave now. This morning, I decided to take a short trip up to Craigellachie, which is up Speyside, to buy a couple of garden planters for the new house in the US. They are made from whisky barrels at the cooperage, so I thought this would be a nice touch! If you don't know where I mean, it's near Glenfiddich - bet you know that name!!

I drove from my home town up to Keith and then into Speyside. I was -8 celcius but bright sunshine. The whole area was covered in snow, which was sparkling like tiny little diamonds.

The scenery up there is just beautiful. I never really noticed before. It all just looked like hills and heather before!

The whole Spey valley was shining in the sun today. And I knew that when I drove home that I would really, really miss it.....

Burn1911

Ahhh don't be sad, plenty of times you will have to stop and take a moment to enjoy the view!! it will just be a different view but equally as stunning, and the thing with countryside - it will always be there!!

I am impressed you are bringing over planters!!!!! your garden will look lovely!!

Englishtart

The last time we left the UK (2004) we spent our final 2 weeks on a canal boat, hubby loves to do that (he is the yank) and I grew up on the canals so I love it too

Cruising at 5 mph (max speed limit) and seeing all the beautiful countryside can't be beat! The pubs that you can moor up at are allways especially friendly for some reason and the pub grub allways very welcome! We have cruised pretty much all over England/wales and even late in the season it is never disappointing. Just to see all the wildlife along the way is amazing, our sons to this day say those were their favorite vacations Even the one trip over 3 weeks we did that had over 350 locks we had to get through

We bought lots of trinkets and canal ware from the craftsmen/women during our trips, but unfortunately most of it got 'lost' on the move over

I actually wept at the end of that last trip, knowing that this was one thing we couldn't do in the US, we were reminiscing about all that last night and were making plans to book a canal boat trip sometime next year

There will be things about the UK that you will miss, even things you haven't even thought about yet, but it's an adventure and one you should go into with your eyes and heart wide open

elfman

I did a canal boat trip with a load of mates when we all graduated from college and I have to say it was awesome. We did the Shropshire Union/Llangollen canals and I've probably never drank so much in a single week as on that trip.

Deeks

Awww... it sounds like a beautiful place Lazzza. Where in the states are you headed? Best of luck and all good wishes to you for a very happy adventure there.

ChocolateBabz

But soon you will be driving along the I-10 and the heat haze will be shimmering like...

nah it's not the same

Englishtart

Yeah, there are still a few of the companies that will hire to groups of guys/girls, but not too many, I guess you lot put an end to that!!

Did you go over the aquaduct at Llangollen? That is one of our favorite canals, beautiful in most parts, we went through Stratford on Avon on one of the trips, that was an awesome thing

Lazzza

Houston Texas. We are moving to Katy, which is just outside Houston.

Leslie

Sweat sometimes sparkles like diamonds doesn't it?

Lazzza

Isn't it amazing that you never ntoice how beautiful the place you live in is until you are leaving??

My rose coloured specs were on this morning. They are off now. Have just sorted CDs, DVDs, Play Station 1, 2 and 3 games, Wii games and X Box 360 games (yes one console is not enough in my household - blame OH). Just how many dics can one family have............................and just how many of those don't have bl@@dy boxes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cindyabs

LOL, when my ex left I found he had taken all the CDs and left the boxes.

ChocolateBabz

Know the feeling - we have UK PS2 working through a converter, US PS3, US Wii, 2 x DS Light, 1 x DSi, 1 PSP and sonny thinks he is hard done to cos he doesn't have an XBox 360 - poor neglected hard done to child that he is .

Rete

You can do lovely canal trips in upstate New York on the Erie Canal for example. Have a google.

Englishtart

Well well....I never knew that!! On my way to google right now
Thank you so much Rete

scrubbedexpat097

It's close...