Things I found strange – Our UK Trip
So it had been two years since we had left the UK and we were really excited to go back for the summer to visit friends, family and places we hadn’t seen in a long time.
Of course we had a wonderful summer, but, there were a few things I found strange while we were there!
Firstly, we left the UK as a just married couple and now, what seems like no time later, we returned with our 1 year old son…the two years passed so quickly!!
Driving from the airport to Mark’s parents house I felt like we had never left, it really was strange it’s like we slipped into our old lives right away. It was like we had two seperate lives, our UK life and our Seychelles one….
That is until we went to the shops, any shops whether it was the supermarket, clothes shops, toy shops even a halfords. Everything was MASSIVE and there was so much choice!!! We really aren’t used to that here, if we can get something at all there’s not going to be different brands to choose from. There’s certainly no offers like buy one get one free!! We found ourselves just stood in a shop and kinda freezing not really knowing where to start!
We were reminded just how much people live through their phones in the UK. A walk outside anywhere you will see people’s head buried In their phones. I’m not saying it’s necessarily a bad thing but you just kind of forget that’s how things are there….this is my phone now and I hardly use it, in fact days can go by where I don’t look at it, we see most of friends on a daily basis even if it’s just in passing and so most things are organised that way! **I will say that I have my iPad at home and I would be lost with out that!!**
Smoking is still pretty popular!! Not so many people smoke here and so you don’t really come into contact with it very much!
I noticed a few things that affected me too:
I realised just how humid it is in the Seychelles as back in the UK I had that feeling of being completely dried out, my skin and my nose….that kind of feeling you get from a ski trip!
As a contrast to that my hair reverted immediately to how it was before we moved away….I had to wash it every day to avoid it being greasy, very annoying!!! Here I do every other day sometimes even a couple of days!
Hello, everyone! I’ve been suffering from the hair loss for 4 years. But now, I have a great progress after the use of Propecia. I read on https://nygoodhealth.com/product/propecia/ that the full course lasted 12 months. I noticed improvements after three months of treatment (my hair stopped to fall out).
Another realisation was how much make up people wear. On a day to day basis here I wear no make up but I instantly felt the need to throw on at least some mascara before leaving the house when we were back in the UK to avoid feeling like some sort of leper!
These were all things that I found strange and definitely not expected! Are there any things that you find strange when you go back ‘home’ ?
Wow – how interesting. It always seems so small back home when I go there from Canada! I know what you mean about make up though, people here don’t wear so much either and I don’t wear any nowadays! Fashion is way more important in the UK than it is here.
Holly recently posted…Yarn Along: Knitted Leg Warmers
You definitely notice things about “home” when you return after an absence. The thing is, you have to write about it quickly, otherwise it seems so normal again after a few weeks that you don’t bother thinking about it anymore. I wrote about what struck me as “different” and “new” about the US when we returned after a three-year assignment in South Africa: http://www.joburgexpat.com/2013/01/hello-america.html
Sine Thieme recently posted…A First World Problem: We Have No Time
Yes, yes, so much! It’s funny how you notice things that you never dreamed you would notice before. Like how everything is so big – the quantities, the size of things, the portions, the people, the streets, the cars….. I can totally relate with you on that one when I go back to the States for a visit. The main thing I notice though is the people and how open and friendly it is compared to the UK. Sounds like you had a good trip though! 🙂
That’s funny, it always feels strange when I go back to France, it’s not even that far. Things are the same but they are different too. Because I now live in a small town, it feels strange to go back to my home town (5 times the size). I can’t recognised some of the brands in shops anymore. Even the local accent feels strange – I have lost mine a long time ago now.
I don’t miss the humidity of Seychelles. Always so warm and my hair gets frizzy. But then you get to wear shorts and dresses all the time and flipflops. I miss that about California too. My toes love a bit of fresh air! 🙂
I’ve not been brave enough to go back to the Uk yet, I don’t feel quite ready for it yet, so I found this really interesting as I often wonder what will feel really strange to me. I think I might feel a bit claustrophobic as things are so big and spread out here in Canada.I’m surprised about smoking, you never see it here anymore either. Thanks for hosting 🙂
Lou’s Lake Views recently posted…Expat Celebrations
This is such a great list and all things I take for granted living here. It’s funny how you say ‘popular’ with smoking. I’d rather say common as I don’t think anyone sees it as much of a positive anymore, just a necessary evil! x
Donna recently posted…Parenting a New Baby
This made me laugh, I can really relate! We’ve been away from the UK for 3.5 years now and there are DEFINITELY things I find strange. Like the separate (BOILING) hot and (FREEZING) cold taps. And the low ceilings. What is that all about?
It’s funny you think there are a lot of smokers in the UK – we think it’s the opposite as it’s much, much worse in Italy. Must be wonderful in the Seychelles!
xxx
Eline @ Pasta & Patchwork recently posted…My Brazil
Hope you had a brilliant Summer back in the UK poppet! I guess it’s only when you are away for a long while and then come back, that you realise how different things actually are! I’d still trade you big shops for sunshine though! 🙂 xx
It is surprising how many things you find different, especially with the UK and the US where it’s a case of ‘the same but different’! A lot of the differences are quite subtle, although some, not so much! Glad you had a good trip, thanks for hosting x
Sara (@mumturnedmom) recently posted…Country Kids: back to school: family cookout
Interesting observations! Strange that your hair would be oilier in a drier climate? I wonder how it would find it as compared to Canada. #pocolo
Jennifer recently posted…Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Hemp Seed Muffins
I haven’t been home in a while but I think I’d find it all a bit small, as you know the USA is Massive! We are hoping to get back to the UK next year! xx
Really interesting things, as you say not the things you think you would notice.
#POCOLO
http://www.minitravellers.co.uk
What a great post! I also found the sheer variety in stores to be strange, overwhelming and a little unnecessary when I go back to Canada. Italian grocery stores pale in comparison!
Angie @Reasons to Dress recently posted…Updating my denim look with a chunky chain
LOVE this post – it’s so interesting to get a different spin on things. We don’t realise how much bigger all the shops have become, drying skin has become normal as has daily hair washing and as for the makeup (mummy def wears this daily – haha). You are lucky to live in such a warm, un touched part of the world but I have to admit we are a city family and would probably find it strange the other way around too 🙂 xxxAx
Little Miss Alba recently posted…Blog Swap with Scout the City x
This is a really interesting post – I can remember when I used to come home from summers working in France and would buy all the things I couldn’t get out there (proper white bread and salt & vinegar chipsticks!). I’m not sure about the make up thing though – I never wear make up unless I’m going on a night out 🙂
Sarah recently posted…Best pet reptiles for children