Ecto17

We moved yesterday so still jet legged and totally dazed!!! The last week has been stressful and emotional and Thursday and yesterday was incredibly emotional and leaving family on the other side of security at the airport was beyond tough however we managed and our first day here has come with no regrets (pls note, still dazed!!) but had my favourite ice cream this evening that l can only get here and all is good! I think it is normal to feel the way you are and glad you felt better today.

moneypenny20

You're way braver than me. We purposely told everyone the wrong date we were flying. There was no way on this earth that I was putting us through the nightmare of saying farewells at an airport gate. We went to Heathrow a day early and stayed in a hotel for the night.

tom169

Ouch, I told my family straight and bid farewell at 4am to the closest people (my parents, sister and Nan). Wasn't easy, but with a taxi departing we had little choice.

Twinkle0927

This is bringing back memories of last December to me. I'm still "fresh off the boat" - I will have been here exactly 6 months tomorrow. But the feelings you have described are completely normal as you will have noticed from the responses.

I moved to be with my husband. Leaving work was strange. I had been gradually packing/selling/donating my stuff over a course of several months but it never really felt like I was actually leaving the country for good. Just felt like I was having a clear-out. Until I left work. I had my interview on December 6, left work on December 9, got my visa from the courier on December 13, moved in December 19. Those last 2 weeks went far too quickly. I went to the airport the day before with my mother and as I packed the last things and handed my keys to my landlord and put the bags in my mum's car it really hit me. Someone said it felt like an out-of-body experience and that's a perfect way to describe how I felt.

When the plane pushed back I was excited to finally be able to live with my husband but I started to cry a little also. I felt I still had "things to do" in the U.K. I flew into Las Vegas so the plane was mostly holidaymakers getting excited about all-you-can-eat buffets and slot machines. When we landed the flight attendant said on the PA system "enjoy your holidays!" and I kept saying to myself "this is it. No going back".

Although I prefer the U.K. I now feel that this home. Just yesterday The Husband said "I've noticed you're now seeing here as home and you've stopped comparing things to the U.K.". He's right. For the first five months I think every sentence I said started with "Well in the U.K..." as I compared driving rules, work practices, prices, weather, attitudes, scenery, everything.

tom169

The most annoying part of the flight was going through the checking at Heathrow.

American airlines like to ask immigration style questions. I guess making sure you won't get turned at the border and them having to pay for the flight back.

It took a while for them to understand that I don't have a job in the UK or a place to live in the UK. I am moving!

Twinkle0927

It's more than just paying for a flight home. It's a huge fine if you knowingly transport someone who does not have the correct documentation to enter the country for the duration of the ticket or a valid passport (that also covers damaged and worn passports). I always remember with a smile the episode of "Airline" (fly on the wall documentary about easy jet) and two passengers whose passports had been through a washing machine being told they couldn't fly (even though passports were in date). They were advised that they were denied due to the fine. They said "but we will pay the fine for you!" Obviously thinking it was 100 quid or so. It's around £3,000 per passenger.