Thank-you Margaret. I am an advocate for whatever gets you through the flight - and you can source very effective over the counter sleeping tablets in Oz!
Oh this was an absolute joy to read. I am 100 per cent with you on driving. As for travel, my experience is fairly limited so it was a revelation reading about all your experiences. Brilliant piece. Thank you!
You were so brave. When I was a kid we didn't have a family holiday until I was 7. Even then my dad wouldn't leave Wales 😆 Absolutely loved reading about all your adventures!😊
‘The strange suspended magic of being between worlds.’ A wonderful image that captures the sense of disappointment when a journey ends. I liked this piece a lot. Welcome back to Blighty Sharon!
Brooklyn! What a great film, an emotional roller coaster (even for geeky blokes like me). Credit to your stepdaughter but surely the future is to get from A to B via outer space. London to Sydney in less than an hour! Well done Sharon, a thought provoking piece beautifully written, as usual.
Ahhh, thanks Colin. Oh my stepdaughter is very involved with space missions! Look forward to arranging a meet soon - that’ll be one of the things we chat about :)
Loved this Sharon and related to so much of it! You took me back to my annual pilgrimages from the UK to Australia over the decade I lived in London. That time in the air seemed never ending and I was prone to emotional breakdowns too. I remember crying for like an hour while watching The Blind Side. We’re gearing up to take our kids to Europe next year for the first time. They’ve only flown for max 5 hours before and also hate long car rides so I’m nervous but excited. Hope your travels and time back in the Uk is going well xx
Thanks Sara. Amazing the effect of air travel, eh? I reckon, as long as the kids enjoy movies and electronic distractions, you'll be fine. Also, CALPOL. Although other kid-friendly sedatives are widely available :)
'creating a tidy little loop of dread, avoidance, and underexposure' perfectly sums up my fear of driving too. I have held a licence for over 20 years and still have never driven a car on my own. Just rather you know, walk with an umbrella.
It can’t be a coincidence that many of us on here share the same feelings about driving! I think most of us feel inadequate for saying so, but I genuinely believe that some of us are hard-wired to be good at it, and some of us aren’t!
I recently (well, 4 years ago) discovered motorbikes, and there is something absolutely amazing about tearing along the road on a motorbike. Hate the 'lifestyle' and that whole grizzly biker bullshit, but love that in Europe (because of the side the accelerator is on!) every biker waves hello to each other (well, two fingers pointed at the ground to be exact).
All very relatable Sharon. I can’t drive !!! It’s a long story but I’ve had many lessons but I was always so nervous about other drivers , I felt I was a good driver with the instructor !!! I’ve always said if I move out of London , which I will do when I retire , I’m definitely learning to drive !! I can’t believe that woman said that to you on the flight ! 🤢 😆😆
Driving was “a necessary evil” for me too when I first got my license. I learned to drive with a stick shift and it took 4 goes to pass the test! Bloody infuriating. I had to drive all over London for work and I was constantly pulling over to look through an A-Z (pre-GPS).
You also reminded me of when I bawled my way through an 8-hour flight after breaking up with a boyfriend. Now that was an emotional breakdown. 😭
Thanks for sharing Petra. I’m envious of people who ‘get’ driving. General rule of thumb? Never get on or in any mode of transport after a break up. Been there too!
Ha, The Muse and I are also completely different long haulers. She likes a window seat and an epic snooze; I am a nervous flyer who can't relax, so I end up prowling the aisles or repeat watching the same film over and over. Gin helps.
Marvellous piece, Sharon. I, too, did the Holyhead trip, but by train from Euston. I'm an overthinker and plan and pack everything, the husband leaving it all to me (to be fair, I don't trust him), and just chucking essentials into his case. On our recent trip to Prague, he was in charge of booking airport parking and the travel adapters. He bought two extra (we already had two), and shouted yes when I went through the packing checklist. Only to find he hadn't packed any at all. He uses a CPAP machine, so we traipsed round the city on arrival looking for travel adapters. I told him I was never going on holiday with him again. At least we got the holiday row over the first evening.
Thanks Maria. That made me laugh. Yes it’s a little like when the menfolk patiently wait for us to get ready before leaving the house, but don’t think to check windows and lock doors during this time. I envy underthinkers!
Oh I loved this and was nodding away. I am also a hugely anxious driver (that could fill a book!).
The Stone Roses bar made me chuckle and the hairy journey the next morning. And those poignant journeys to be with family.
I lived in Aus for a short time and my friend used to give me temazipan to manage the jet lag. It was the millennium though.
Thank-you Margaret. I am an advocate for whatever gets you through the flight - and you can source very effective over the counter sleeping tablets in Oz!
Oh this was an absolute joy to read. I am 100 per cent with you on driving. As for travel, my experience is fairly limited so it was a revelation reading about all your experiences. Brilliant piece. Thank you!
That’s really lovely of you to say Jules. Yes, for a self-confessed home-bird, I appear to have moved around a bit!
You were so brave. When I was a kid we didn't have a family holiday until I was 7. Even then my dad wouldn't leave Wales 😆 Absolutely loved reading about all your adventures!😊
‘The strange suspended magic of being between worlds.’ A wonderful image that captures the sense of disappointment when a journey ends. I liked this piece a lot. Welcome back to Blighty Sharon!
Thanks Gillian. Lovely of you to say. Glad you enjoyed.
After that entrancing opening paragraph, how could I not be hooked, Sharon. A splendid read! Glad your jet lag has lifted.
Thanks so much Wendy.
Brooklyn! What a great film, an emotional roller coaster (even for geeky blokes like me). Credit to your stepdaughter but surely the future is to get from A to B via outer space. London to Sydney in less than an hour! Well done Sharon, a thought provoking piece beautifully written, as usual.
Ahhh, thanks Colin. Oh my stepdaughter is very involved with space missions! Look forward to arranging a meet soon - that’ll be one of the things we chat about :)
Loved this Sharon and related to so much of it! You took me back to my annual pilgrimages from the UK to Australia over the decade I lived in London. That time in the air seemed never ending and I was prone to emotional breakdowns too. I remember crying for like an hour while watching The Blind Side. We’re gearing up to take our kids to Europe next year for the first time. They’ve only flown for max 5 hours before and also hate long car rides so I’m nervous but excited. Hope your travels and time back in the Uk is going well xx
Thanks Sara. Amazing the effect of air travel, eh? I reckon, as long as the kids enjoy movies and electronic distractions, you'll be fine. Also, CALPOL. Although other kid-friendly sedatives are widely available :)
I feel famous ;)
Nice one shaz! 🤍
'creating a tidy little loop of dread, avoidance, and underexposure' perfectly sums up my fear of driving too. I have held a licence for over 20 years and still have never driven a car on my own. Just rather you know, walk with an umbrella.
It can’t be a coincidence that many of us on here share the same feelings about driving! I think most of us feel inadequate for saying so, but I genuinely believe that some of us are hard-wired to be good at it, and some of us aren’t!
Yep, I agree. My friend Victoria when we were 17 just took to it, didn't flinch.
By the by, enjoyed the name of the New Cross takeaway - despite wishing my last name was Metroland it is actually Morley.
I recently (well, 4 years ago) discovered motorbikes, and there is something absolutely amazing about tearing along the road on a motorbike. Hate the 'lifestyle' and that whole grizzly biker bullshit, but love that in Europe (because of the side the accelerator is on!) every biker waves hello to each other (well, two fingers pointed at the ground to be exact).
All very relatable Sharon. I can’t drive !!! It’s a long story but I’ve had many lessons but I was always so nervous about other drivers , I felt I was a good driver with the instructor !!! I’ve always said if I move out of London , which I will do when I retire , I’m definitely learning to drive !! I can’t believe that woman said that to you on the flight ! 🤢 😆😆
It can’t be a coincidence Francis that so many of us on this platform can relate to the driving issue!
I agree !! 🤷🏻♀️☺️😁
The stuff strangers say! What an opening line.
Driving was “a necessary evil” for me too when I first got my license. I learned to drive with a stick shift and it took 4 goes to pass the test! Bloody infuriating. I had to drive all over London for work and I was constantly pulling over to look through an A-Z (pre-GPS).
You also reminded me of when I bawled my way through an 8-hour flight after breaking up with a boyfriend. Now that was an emotional breakdown. 😭
Thanks for sharing Petra. I’m envious of people who ‘get’ driving. General rule of thumb? Never get on or in any mode of transport after a break up. Been there too!
Ha, The Muse and I are also completely different long haulers. She likes a window seat and an epic snooze; I am a nervous flyer who can't relax, so I end up prowling the aisles or repeat watching the same film over and over. Gin helps.
Gin always helps, Lewis.
Marvellous piece, Sharon. I, too, did the Holyhead trip, but by train from Euston. I'm an overthinker and plan and pack everything, the husband leaving it all to me (to be fair, I don't trust him), and just chucking essentials into his case. On our recent trip to Prague, he was in charge of booking airport parking and the travel adapters. He bought two extra (we already had two), and shouted yes when I went through the packing checklist. Only to find he hadn't packed any at all. He uses a CPAP machine, so we traipsed round the city on arrival looking for travel adapters. I told him I was never going on holiday with him again. At least we got the holiday row over the first evening.
Thanks Maria. That made me laugh. Yes it’s a little like when the menfolk patiently wait for us to get ready before leaving the house, but don’t think to check windows and lock doors during this time. I envy underthinkers!
That Stone Roses bar night was hilarious - and the state of you the next day even more so. 😂. Such a good holiday! Great read as always Sharon! Xx
Thanks luv x
A great read. Thank you.
Love this piece 😃 Having driven with you in australia made it extra relatable !!!