Epic Round The World Trip Adventures! Stunning Photos & Articles - A fascinating gap year travel journal covering every stop of their journey.

Heathrow, London - UK
Gap Year Travel Journal

HOME AGAIN!! 9th September 2007

After an 8 hour flight we landed at Heathrow and were met by Jo's Mum and Dad. A tearful reunion that involved much squealing by Jo. Back at Mum and Dad's house, where we will be staying for an indeterminate amount of time (till we buy a new house!), we sat out in the garden catching up in the lovely English sunshine - perfect temperature for Jo at last! Suddenly Jo had a lovely surprise when her little niece Lilia walked in followed by Jo's brother Lee and his wife Ceri, who had all driven down from Cardiff especially. Another tearful reunion for Jo, followed by others, her brother Chris, Auntie Carole and Uncle Bill and cousin Paul. The only 2 missing were her other cousin Shaun and his fiance Jo as they had set off for three months in the States only 4 days before we arrived back. It's in the genes this travelling bug!
The next day we went down to the Haven Hotel and sat and had a cream tea on the terrace overlooking Studland and the Purbecks. This is where we used to come and talk about our plans for our dream trip last year. Our final walk before we left in January had been along Studland Beach, and here we were 9 months later having achieved it all and more. On our way back home we drove past our old house at Partridge Drive - we had expected to feel sad, but instead we looked at it with grateful thanks - after all we couldn't have afforded our trip if we hadn't sold it.
We are so happy to be back and to see all our family and friends again. So much has happened to us this year but it's lovely to see that little has changed back home and yes it still is home. So the big question for us now is, is it possible to settle back down now after such an amazing adventure? How long will it be till we get that wanderlust again? Not long I expect!!!!!
Most of all though, I am so grateful to Mike for sharing all those happy moments with me and for making it all possible. We have spent the last 8 months with each other 24/7 and we survived to tell the tale. It wasn't without its ups and downs but we believe we have come out the other end a stronger couple for the whole experience. We would do it all again in an instant.

So, to all of you who may be considering a gap year or a few months of travelling - DO IT!

......You'll never regret something you do, only the things you don't!