Well the day had finally come for Nige and I to return to the UK for 12 days for our very close friends' wedding.
DAY 1
We left Domino, to be looked after a friend from work, and we headed to Calgary Airport on the wednesday evening, the 28th and arrived at London Heathrow the following afternoon. We had only brought hand luggage as I wanted to buy clothes here, so we made it quickly through to our waiting family. Mum, Nigels mum and I had all been plotting secretly,\ and unbeknown to Nige. his mum and Step-dad had travelled down to be with my parents at the airport to meet us. The first things we noticed was how nice it was to hear some british accents! Then we saw some signs being waved by our parents. It was so wonderful to see them and a great suprise to them to see my over 3 1/2 stone lighter than I was when we left for Canada! They also had with them (as had been requested on facebook earlier on in the week) some UK chocolate in the form of a kingsize twix and kingsize snickers! So Nige and I said goodbye to each other as we headed into our respective mothers cars and headed up to Somerset to my parents house in a two car convoy!
After the 2 hour drive (with a phone call en-route to my sister in London), we arrived at my parents house. We both agreed later that evening that it was strange coming back there as that had been the last place we'd stayed before we left for Canada and although we had done so much since then, it felt like we'd just nipped out to the shops! We had known all along that the whole of this trip would be spent rushing around, trying to meet up with all our friends and family, so it was so wonderful getting to spend the night, just the six of us, catching up on all goings-on. We hadn't seen my parents since October and hadn't seen Nigels mum or step dad since we left North Wales for Somerset almost 12 months ago. After a wonderful meal, a few bottles of wine (and an emergency girly trip to Asda and Next to get some pajamas and a shirt and tie for Nige for the wedding) we headed up for our first night back on British soil in almost a year.
DAY 2 FRIDAY
After a good old 'Back' bacon butty, Nige and his mum and step-dad headed up to North Wales in their car, with us about 30 minutes behind. As we started to approach familiar countryside, it was really mixed feelings to coming back. We both agreed later in the trip that it felt like we didn't quite belong here or in the UK!
Both our parents had been invited to our close friends Emma and James' wedding the following day, but we'd arranged to stay with our other close friends Steve and Tracey for the time we were in North Wales. So after catching up with Nigels Grandad (who had come to Nigels mums to meet us), a quick cuppa and a bite to eat we headed up the road to our friends house, (which is actually just across the road from our house, which is currently being rented, very weird!).
It was so wonderful seeing them, and it wasn't long before Steve and Nige headed out to have a few drinks with the Groom to be James, whilst Emma and her bridesmaids came round with a few bottles and a takeaway menu. It was great sharing a bottle of wine with Emma and Trcaey, but it was very strange, one minute it felt like hadn't been away, then the next I felt almost out of place. With the wedding party having to get up early, we all decided to head up for an early night.
DAY 3 SATURDAY
The whole day was just beautiful and we were so glad that we had made the trip over so that we could be with them.
We had such a wonderful day and were touched that Nige and I had a mention in the speaches, and a song played for us at the evening party.
The wedding was also a great opportunity for us to catch up with all our friends from street, and also see our parents again at the evening party.
Partying went on into the night and after many a drink to toast the bride and groom, we all headed up to bed!
DAY 4 SUNDAY
After a big breakfast, we waved the bride and groom off on their honeymoon from the hotel and Nige and I headed back with Tracey and Steve for some well earned rest! That evening our other friends from the street decided to organize an impromptu 'welcome back Nige and Sophie' gathering, so after a well enjoyed indian takeaway (the ones here, just aren't the same), it was back to base for some energetic Wii Games.
DAY 5 MONDAY
After very little drinking by either of us over the last 12 months, 4 nights in a row of alcohol consumption was beginning to take it toll! I had arrange to meet up with a friend early in the morning and then three hours later she was dropping me off at Nigels mums so the we could meet Nigels extended family for lunch. Due to finances we had been unable to travel back for Nigels cousins wedding late last year, and his other cousin and her husband had had a little girl, Orla, not long after we'd left so it was great to be able to catch up with everyone over lunch. We got home with time for a shower and change before we headed to some other friends for dinner. As we were not due to pick up our hire car until the the Tuesday we had been relying on other people for lifts, which had made us feel teenagers again! That evening we had another indian takeaway (and we can now conclude that they taste far better in the UK!) and a great catch up with our friends, that have been more involved that most with our initial move to Canada, as they are very good friends with the family, that first stayed with here in Calgary, whom have now become friends of ours. So a few bottles of wine later and it was another enjoyable, yet late night!
DAY 6 TUESDAY
We had arranged to pick the hire car up and then Tracey and I were heading to Liverpool on the train to Primark in order for me to replenish my depleted wardrobe after my weight loss. So later that afternoon we arrived back with a large number of bags and a light purse! Then we headed to some more friends of ours 2 minutes down the road for a cuppa, then I headed down the road for a quick hello to another friend, before we went back to the house for food. After food we headed out to meet up with a couple who we met last year, that are making the move to Canada later this year. It was so nice being able to share our own experiences, the way that others had done with us before we moved. Thankfully as I was driving my liver got a rest that evening, then it was off to bed, after another busy but fulfilling day.
DAY 7 WEDNESDAY
This was our last full day in North Wales before heading down south and early in the morning we headed out to purchase our UK chocolate supplies and a new camera (ours had stopped working at the wedding). I had also got a check up appointment at the dentist. I had recently gone to the dentist here for a filling that had come lose, and ended up using almost all my insurance allowence having root canal, only for them to leave me with just a temparary filling and the instructions to make another appointment for anothe root cannel on another tooth. I was keen to get a non-bias veiw, from someone that doesn't see me as a way of making money, so was pleased that my UK dentist could squeeze me in. I was able to get a cancellation about 2 hours later and returned so that my fantastic dentist could put in a prermanent filling in my previously treated tooth and then just put a filling in the other tooth, informing me that that tooth didn't need root canal treatment! (and we used to moan about the NHS, I've just saved myself $2500 thanks to my dentist) In the afternoon both Nige and I headed to our previous places of work. We both had a great time catching up with our former collegues, but with time ticking away before we left North Wales, we had to head back to say good bye to our friends before we left. We had been so well looked after, with fantastic cooked breakfasts, teas and coffee, a chance to catch up on all the gossip. After we had been made to feel so welcome, we knew it would be hard leaving in the morning .
DAY 8 THURSDAY
After an early and very tearful goodbye we left our old street and headed down the motorway to visit our very close friends and their son, our Godson, in their new home in Dorset. We stopped via my parents for a 5 minute cuppa to break up the journey and arrived in Poole later that afternoon. One of the highlights of our trip was seeing our three year old Godson jumping up and down on the front step with excitment when he saw us pull up!
We hadn't seen them since they visited us here back in November, plus they only moved into their new house just before christmas, so our Godson gave us a very indepth tour of the house, whilst we sipped a very welcome cuppa! The evening was spent playing games, eating, drinking and catching up on all the gossip, before another late night.
DAY 9 FRIDAY
The following day, after a hearty breakfast sandwich, we headed to the coast for lots of posing for pictures and a cream tea! Then it was sad bye bye as we headed to Englands Capital to drop off the hire car and to meet up with my sister Tiffany and Best friend Katie. My parents were going away for work the following day, which was my sisters 25th birthday, so we all met at hers to say goodbye to them before they left. That evening we had aranged to meet my best friend and her husband for a meal and a few drinks. I hadn't seen my best friend in almost 2 yearss as her and her husband had gone away for his work, and not moved back until after we'd left so it was amazing to see her. It was like we'd never been apart and the five of us had a great night, eating, drinking and chatting! Another late night!!
DAY 10 SATURDAY
Today was my sisters birthday and I had an idea to take her to a cafe I'd seen on TV here in Canada 'The Cake Boy', that was situated in south London. Well so as not to dwell on the situation too much, it was typical British weather, cold and wet, and we had all failed to make sure we knew exactly where we were going and how to get there, so after about 2 1/2 hours travelling and walking around getting nowhere we found a pub, ordered a large birthday drink for Tiffany and called a cab, to take us there.
As it had been my idea to find this cafe, so to say I got some stick throughout the day would be an understatement (especially as my sister is vegan so can't eat much of what they serve, and it was her birthday) But all that was forgotten about when we arrived, ordered a bottle of champagne and noticed that the guy behind the counter, was in fact the Chef himeself, Eric, Lanlard. After much girly giggling (From Tiffany and myself, not Nige) we were able to get our picture taken with him!
Whilst we were in London they had the 'Elephant Parade' which is a conservation campaign that aims to shine a spotlight on the urgent crisis faced by the endangered Asian elephant. The event had over 250 brightly painted life-size elephants located over central London, so we felt it rude not to have our picture taken with a few.
After the elephant hunting (for photo shooting only I may add), we headed into Covent Garden for some food before meeting up with Katie and her husband again. My sister had booked for us to see a show at the Comedy Club later that evening, so we left Katie to see that (very funny indeed), then hooked up with them afterwards for some more dancing! Unfortunately later on that evening, I happened to notice that my memory card was no longer in the camera, only to find the following morning that the camera was no-where to be seen. We were lucky that our time spent with our Godson had been snapped by our friends, and that my sister had taken almost exactly the same pictures as us, but to have only just replaced the one that broke the weekend before, we were glad we had only brought a fairly cheap one!
Well the following morning, there were many a sore heads, yet after some breakfast and a cuppa we packed up ready to get the taxi to Katies' house. We arrived later that afternoon for our last night in the UK before heading back home and we treated to a fantastic Sunday Roast.
DAY 11 MONDAY
We had been lucky enough to be granted an early night the night before and after 5 minutes in an extremely powerful shower, and another amazing cooked breakfast we were ready to try and squeeze in all our UK goodies ready for the trip home. After we'd eventually packed all our cases and bags we headed up to Katies local chippy for, fish, chips, mushy peas, curry sauce and battered sausage.........mmmmmmmmmmm. After our last UK meal for this trip, Katie's took us to the airport to catch our flight back home. What with the Icelandic volcano still giving out smoke we had to make a detour so our flight ended up being 11 hours so when we walked through the front door, we were so pleased to be home.
Apart from spending more than we had anticipated, us still having lots of people we didn't get to meet up with and giving our livers a bit of a shock! (oh and me gaining 10lbs) it was an amazing trip. At least we can have a good rest now before we have to think about going back to work!
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