Back to the home country

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Before I left Switzerland I thought I would be organised and book my trains around england as they are so expensive. I pre-booked my train from London to Leeds and had given myself 3 hours to get from Heathrow to Kings Cross to allow plenty of time. Even though I had pre-booked my train it still cost me £90 for the trip. My flight from Geneva to London had only cost me $80 and I paid £28 for my flight to Stockholm which comes later.

I flew with British Airways which you would have thought would be a reputable company but we sat on the tarmac in Geneva for 2 hours while they were changing an oil filter which meant I missed my train and then had to pay another £111 to get to Leeds! British Airways will not do anything by way of compensation which I think is terrible. So welcome to England!

Apart from that it felt really nice to be back. The nicest thing was being able to go up to anyone on the street to ask directions, speak to one of the cleaners in the airport to ask where I am, go in a shop and buy something and not have to try to do it in French or Spanish!!

Mum met me at Leeds train station and she had been there for 2 hours already as she had been so excited about me coming and then we went back to my aunties and my cousin Kellie (who has grown up like my sister) came up. It is so lovely to see family again. You realise how important they are and that they are the only people in the world who have known you your whole life!!

We had a great time and went to a local working mans club to watch my second cousin Jamie who is only 19 sing there. We do have some talented singers in our family - obviously you either get the singing gene or you don't!!

Dad and Judy then took me to Bridlington - a sea-side town in East Yorkshire. We spent 3 nights there and I had my own studio apartment. I am being completely spoilt by both my mum and my dad in every way. But I am being fed and watered so so much. Because I am often just seeing people for a few days at a time everyone wants to have a drink with me and feed me so much food. I am starting to feel like a bloated elephant and am actually looking forward to being back home in Australia at somepoint just to have a bit of routine and control over my life again.

I hope I don't offend anyone here but England is really quite depressing. Given that we are in the middle of the worst recession since the second world war and there is a lot of resentment about other nationalities being given housing and social payments it is not great. Everyone keeps telling me "this country is going to the dogs Nikki" and that I am better off out of here.

Tonight I am going to meet up with my old school friends and have a night out in Leeds and then I will go to my cousin Kevin's in Harrogate for a couple of days before I start making my way south to Leamington Spa, London, Stockholm and then onto Nepal to get back to some proper travelling!!!

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Photos

Dad & Judy
In Bridlington

Crazy nights out!!
Playing fun bingo in the residents lounge of our apartment.

Prizes
The prizes you can win at fun bingo!!

England is beautiful too
All you need is for the sun to shine!!