This is my short and sweet self-indulgent post about friends and family.  We keep asking ourselves, where did those few weeks back in the UK go?  We knew it was going to be quite a happy and busy time but I don’t think either of us were prepared for just fast the time would go.  Having said that, we have had such a great time with everyone and it felt like Christmas every day.  We only feel sorry that there wasn’t enough time to fit all our family and friends in.

Following our 6 days in France, we met up with friends who were former colleagues in Maidstone.  The KP mob were in the bar, whereas the KCC and education crew were at the same venue but enjoying the al fresco experience.  Lots of laughs, gossip and anecdotes to catch up on, as well as the inevitable questions about travelling life. Stick with us for the next adventure you loyal blog readers.

The socialising did not stop there – it was only the beginning. After a tearful reunion with Jon’s Mum, who was convinced she would never see him again, and the housekeeping jobs of dentists and doctors, we had a tapas lunch with Angie and Martyn.  They were inspired by a recent trip to Spain.  We were in our time warp again where time just vanishes (as well as the wine, beer, cherry brandy, Prosecco and Lemoncello that we managed to consume).

Other friends we managed to pin down to listen to our incessant travelling stories were Trevor, Sharon and Barnaby, Keith and Nicola, Wendy, and finally Caroline, Tim and Holly (the cute westie).  There are a few photos of these reunions but I have been shockingly poor on the photographic front recently.

And then there was the precious time spent with our three sons and their beautiful other halves.  Shaun and our daughter-in-law-to-be, Katie, Sam and our daughter-in-law, Tabitha, and Ryan and girlfriend-in-law, Ella. The wedding planning has started for the “fonced” couple and they have promised to keep us updated (you better!!)  Also Shaun and Katie and Sam and Tabitha had moved house since we last saw them last September so it was exciting to see their new places and how incredibly homely each place was.  We even managed to all get together one day at Sam and Tabitha’s place near Bromley for a walk in the park, dinner and games.  Our unashamedly biased opinion is that we have the best family in the world and we are so proud of them and their individual achievements.  But best of all they are all happy (despite being abandoned by their travelling parents, I hear them shout).

It has been an emotional few weeks with long awaited reunions and, all too quickly, the subsequent goodbyes. And this is without even mentioning the stress of the T20 cricket semi-final and final. In three and a half weeks, we somehow managed to travel to two regions of southern France and ten counties in southern England (and this was the breather from travelling).  We loved every minute and feel ready for JWalking2.  Virgin Atlantic flight to Las Vegas departs in two days.  The adventure continues.

18.3 – 5.4.2016