Across the Pond Archive Page   

Just a few days now until we leave on our holiday to Canada. I just need a break so badly—even trying to keep up with running the household is getting more difficult, I feel like I’m struggling to keep up. I’ve got a gazillion more things to do and the house to clean (the last thing we want to do is come home to a messy house!) but also I’m a bit nervous about going “back home”. I’ve been away for so long (three years in my case), and I don’t know if any other ex-pats feel this way, that your hometown and country-of-origin seems to almost take on mythical qualities and you lose the sense of perspective about how it really is/was. And even though I’ve kind of kept up with what’s been happening “back home” I know that it will have changed a lot (my parents tell me there’s been a lot of housebuilding going on and it’s not the same sleepy town it used to be which just seems weird). I won’t be seeing my really good friend and I’m a bit worried about her, plus other people will be scattered about geographically so I don’t know how many people I’ll actually be able to visit with, but I just hope that this trip will be meaningful and reconnect me to my roots in a positive way and both G and me will feel really refreshed and be able to set some goals and think clearly about what direction we need to take. I know this sounds a little ambiguous and I’m sorry about that. But those of us who have been reading this blog and/or know us personally will know what we mean.

Right, I’d love to stop and gab (and put together iTunes playlists for our Mega Roadtrip) but J is asleep and I really do need to get some packing and tidying done. I’ll try to post at least once more before we leave.

I haven’t written for a while because we’ve been trying to sort out stuff for our trip to Canada…travel insurance, holiday money, our itinerary—the usual gubbins. Plus both G and me have been really tired and I’ve felt kind of burnt-out. We need a holiday and a good rest. I’m just looking forward to seeing my friends and family again and doing some serious chillin’.

But then I wake up to the news… terrorist plot to blow up several UK flights foiled and as a result Heathrow has been closed and severe security measures put in place throughout the UK airports. Basically, no hand luggage allowed, only “essential items” such as travel documents, medication and baby care items and these must be stored in clear plastic bags. No cameras or mobile phones allowed on board either; they all have to be checked-in.

Now I realise that these severe measures will only likely last a few days, but what about the long term measures that will no doubt be put in place after this episode? Just like the security precautions that were put in place after 9/11, ie no scissors, removing shoes to go through x-ray, etc; there will no doubt be some more measures added. But as much as I understand the reasons for the precautions and am mucho glad they foiled this plot (thank God!), all this stuff makes travel a lot more stressful—for both the poor airport workers who have to deal with delays as well as irate passengers, but especially for the 99% of the travelling public who are absolutely innocent.

I pity those poor parents with young children who are flying long-haul today. How are they supposed to feed and entertain a child when “non-essential” items have to be stowed in the hold? How do you explain to a young child that their colouring books have to be taken away from them because of some bad men trying to blow up a plane?

I really hope that when we fly in two weeks things will have calmed down a whole lot. This flight for us was already going to be difficult and I’ve been doing lots of planning to try to make it as smooth as possible. But if these strict measures remain, I honestly don’t know how I’m going to logistically cope with a grumpy, bored baby for nine hours. I pity the flight attendants!