How Life in England Began

At long last! It’s here! The first installment of the adventures of Mrs. HomeFree in England. #UKadventure. Thank you to all my loyal readers who have waited either patiently or impatiently for me to begin updating you on my new life. So, here is how life in England began for Mr. HomeFree and me.

What do you Pack for a Life in England?

First, we joked often about the fact that we took fewer items with us overseas for a year than we did in our vehicle while we lived on the road in America. At first blush, that seems insane. Then, you slowly realize that that is human nature, isn’t it? Since I was able to put the seats down in my car, it gave me the ability (i.e. invitation) to bring additional items with me as I drove around the southeast for two years. But, when I fly, I want to check as few bags as possible. In fact, on vacations, we never, ever check bags. We use carry-on luggage only. For this longer situation, we did check a couple of items, but that was due in part to Mr. HomeFree’s need to bring some required work items. Anything else could be purchased when we arrived. By the way, I bought a waterproof jacket at a charity shop (translation thrift store) when I got here for less than $12 USD.

We landed at the famed Heathrow airport on our 24^th wedding anniversary. No, we did not plan that. It was just how the universe worked things out for us. Mr. HomeFree (who had been watching driving videos in preparation) drove us 90 minutes north to Cambridge. His ability to learn to drive on the left is very impressive, though of course, it was born out of necessity.

What does Home Base look like for a Life in England?

The struggle to decide what type of lodging we wanted for a year could fill months of blog posts. Suffice it to say, that we had significant restrictions due to his job. Since that job is the reason we have been gifted with this opportunity, we were not about to break a single, tiny rule.

In the end, we opted to live farther from his work (1 hour commute) in order to have certain other advantages. Our home is a combination of hotel & apartment. There is a free laundry on site. We have access to free breakfast every morning. We have access to a gym, which I use several times each week. This isn’t a vacation. This is our life. Details matter.

When traveling overseas, getting on the same time zone as your new home as soon as possible is very important. As all travelers know, airplane sleep is rarely restful. Oh well. We arrived in the morning and stayed up all day in order to ensure that we went to sleep for the first time with the rest of England. We ate dinner downstairs at the restaurant onsite. It was yummy despite the fact that there was no bartender that night so I couldn’t enjoy a welcome cocktail. I chose pasta and my husband had his first fish & chips. By the way, the green stuff in the picture is “mushy peas.” This is a common side dish here. It is simply green peas smooshed. I think they are bland, but the English adore them.

In the days to come, we bought a very deep frying pan with a lid and a crock-pot. We have a stove top, but not an oven, so these are essential. Yes, we are eating normal food including Chicken Piccata, Beef Stew, and Pork Chops Tikka Masala (which I invented).

Next up: We explore the small villages around Cambridge!