Going Home!

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Well it's almost time to head back home, and although we are coming back for another 6 months or so it still feels like the end of the trip!

It has been great fun, although it has does have its highs and lows - only two weeks ago Ben had an incident on his bike, where a car didn't indicate and turned in on him at an intersection. He's alright, just a bit of skin missing. The help he was given by the passers-by was great; they helped him up off the road and made sure contact details were swapped with the driver.

Some of the 'better' moments of the trip have been:

* Getting off on the wrong train station, in a different country (Slovakia)
* Reliving the Sound of Music in Salzburg... over and over again
* The backpacker's trip in the Czech Republic (sledding in the dark)
* Kareoke with some friendly hungarians, and relaxing in the Budapest Spas
* The mountains of Slovenia (and our dismal attempt at Snowboarding)
* Meeting the friendly family just outside of Venice, and getting a ride home...
* The Italian people, food and countryside
* Fun with some Isle of Man (Manx) people in Rome
* Realizing the state of the poor in Naples
* The people and scenery of Croatia

And then over here in England:

• The weekend in Ireland with Guiness in Dublin, and Van Morrison at a Blues Fest.
  
• Meeting an old Hindu man on the walk to the top of Mt. Snowdon in Wales
  
• Working with some great people, and living in a big city.
  
• Proms in the Park in Mancester (On the last night of the proms, with a live link-up)
  
• Visiting Blackpool, riding the rides and eating the fish and chips.
  
• Living with some fun Polish people, picking up a few words and getting their perspective.
  
• Getting to know the Curry. British style.
  
• Experience the English music festival scene at Leeds
  
• Bagpipes, scenery and Ben Nevis in Scotland.
  

Our living conditions are set to change when we get back (Around Dec 12) - we have to move out of our sharehouse and find a new place. We had signed a contract with the two remaining housemates (After two left to go back home and get married) But they also now need to go back to Poland, so with good timing we are movin' out and setting up when we get back in some new digs.

It's starting to get a bit cold here now - the days are definately shorter and its raining a bit more. This may not sound like the greatest weather to live in, but it does make you appreciate why the country is so green. From what we have heard about the conditions back home with high temperatures and no rain, it seems like such a stark contrast - our thoughts are with everyone affected by the weather.

It's not long now so we are looking forward to catching up with everyone in only a week or two, so SEE YOU SOON!

Cheerio,

Ben and Stace / Stace and Ben

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Photos

The Happy Couple
At a Curry House on the Curry Mile in Rusholme, Curryland. It was Stace's leaving do with her workmates.

Comments

[Allison]

Melancholy
Hi Ben and Stacey You latest entry indicates that you think that coming home is the ending of your fun. What nutters you are. Don't you realize that coming home for 6 weeks is just a break in the weather (no pun intended). When you get back to pommie land you will be rejuvinated and ready to tackle the trials and tribulations all over again, think of it as a sabatical. I'm really looking forward to seeing both of you, its been a long time. Take care, see you soon, Al. :) (smile you're returning to the 'dale, where strange creatures named 'Muzza', 'Fresh', 'Big W' and 'Big Gay Al' (or as she prefers to call herself "the most awesome person in the world") will fill your days and nights with dazzling drunken fun and drama.)

[Gordon Stokes]

The peak District
I realise we don't know each other but your comments on the Peak District took me back to my youth in Manchester in the early '60s when the 'Hiker's Special' left every Sunday morning from London Road Station (now Piccadilly Station I believe) and take us to the towns and villages of the Peak District. We were able to leave the train at one of the villages and walk the hills for a day and pick the return train up at another village in the afternoon. It was OK if the weather was fine but inevitably we got a little wet at times.