Sailing Sarita: UK and France

Having picked up our car in Friday Harbor we drove the 1400 miles to Denver where we visited friends and put our car up for sale. It was great to be back in Denver where we lived for over 6 years. It is a wonderful place with the best climate (for me) any where I have ever lived or visited, if only Colorado had an ocean.

North Cornwall

We arrived in the UK on the 23^rd July to cloudy skies, rain and only 58f. Welcome back to a British summer! But it is good to be back not only to see family and great friends but for a whole host of other reasons including a pint of good old warm English beer.

It has been two months since we arrived in the UK and we have spent much of the time staying at my father’s house on the borders of Wales and England with rolling green hills and lovely country pubs. We have also taken the advantage of visiting as many of our friends and family as possible, travelling all over the country.

We took the train down to London and visited some of the wonderful museums and art galleries: The Victoria and Albert, Natural History, Tate modern….and walked around the streets of London for once being the tourist. My first cousins on my father’s side live in London and we had a lovely evening catching up with them and their families which was simply wonderful. If there is one thing I miss from the UK its family and friends.

Arriving back to the country where I was born and lived for a long time but having moved away 12 years ago sparks a whole host of emotions. We moved away in 2003 for a number of reasons: wanting to do something different and travel, frustration at the dreary British weather. We left behind a beautiful country packed with culture, history and soul and family and friends. It has been four years since I have been back in the UK and it is great coming back but could I live here again, probably not, It is just too busy here, the roads are a constant traffic jam, the infrastructure is overburdened, mobile phones don’t work well, the weather is dreary and this is summer but as I said there is so much I love about the place especially family and friends.

The last two months has flown by and we are preparing to fly back to the US later this week where we will collect some packages to take back to Mexico (Thanks V much to Jake and Danielle on ‘Ohanna for receiving the packages). We will spend a few days in Arizona before catch the bus back to Mexico to prepare our beloved Sarita for going back in the water.