UK 2012
My brother has just pointed out that in exactly one week - if everything goes to schedule - I will be touching down in Scotland for the first time since I left on 3rd April 2010.
I’ve been joking with people that for the price of this trip back to the UK I could have a kick-ass holiday almost anywhere in the world, and that’s true, but I’m really looking forward to seeing family, friends and the places I was once so familiar with.
But perhaps even more than that I’m looking forward to finding out how my perception of Scotland has changed. The first few days weeks and months here in Australia were tough. Really tough. And I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to shake the overwhelming desire to jack it all in and head back to familiar territory.
Some folk who have lived here for a while and have returned home for visits say that as soon as they walk in their parents’ front door they can’t wait to get back to Sydney. Others have the opposite reaction, to the point where a couple of people I met here have actually moved back to the UK after a visit.
I have no reason to believe I’ll be any different: this trip will either make me realise that life in Australia is actually pretty tickety-boo, or it’ll confirm that I’m happiest with what I know in the UK.