Back to Blighty

Being back in 'sunny old' England has been a strange affair. In many ways I feel like I never went away, and then again the same breath I feel like I've been away forever. Coming back to no fixed abode and no money has been frustrating and though it's been lovely to catch up with friends, and I'm terribly grateful for the use of their spare beds/floors, I can't help but long for the stability of living in my lovely little cabin in the woods with my lovely Isaac.

There have been certain things that have been fabulous to come back to. Food, for example. Now, that's not to say I starved in Canada - far from it - but the first time I went to Sainsbury's I nearly lost control entirely. Poor Debbie had to put up with me running around going 'Oh my God, they've got these! And I'd forgotten about that! Oh wow - I have missed this sooooo much' and the like. I had genuinely forgotten about certain things that you can't find in Canada, like Parma ham, and became overwhelmed when I remembered that such loveliness existed.

Sadly, the fact that I have no money - and no income at present of course - has meant that I really haven't been able to indulge myself in the things I've missed. Never has my resolve been more tested than in Waterstones, where I caressed the piles of paperbacks like a much longed-for but totally unavailable lover, knowing that even the 3-for-2 deals weren't enough to justify spending money on things that I Don't Really Need.

Today, however, has been a productive day. I have walked miles - literally miles, because I have no transport and no money for buses - spoken to letting agents about my flat, called to renegotiate my mortgage (something I have been dreading and procrastinating about terribly, but, in the way of such things, was in the event simple, straightforward and well worth doing), bought a few things I needed to tart up the flat, done a little bit of maintenance and had 3 cups of tea to boot. Things are looking up. I've applied for my visa for New Zealand - did I mention I'm going for a working holiday there? And that lovely Isaac is joining me? If not, I am and he is - and as soon as I've got word it's being processed I'm booking my flight for some time around the 18th of November. That will give me something solid to look forward to and to plan for, which is just what I need right now to get me over the post-travelling blues.