My trip to the UK is booked; three weeks in September – sandwiched between the big T’s work travel and the boy-child’s exams. Eighteen days to visit all the archives, libraries, churchyards, ancestors’ houses, etc that I can squeeze in. Plus a visit to the National War Musuem in Edinburgh to see the Arctic Convoys exhibition, another to Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield, the Tate Modern, a couple of trips to the theatre … oh and a chance to see my Mum, brothers, cousins and friends.
Not sure if I can achieve all of this, but I’m taking a leaf out of my friend Alix’s book and PLANNING, PLANNING, PLANNING.
Shaking the tree 
Yay!! So glad you’re going. When you have such a short time it’s best to plan to make the most of every moment. 🙂
WOW!!! I don’t need to tell you to enjoy every moment… 🙂
Thanks 🙂
Exciting! im pleased for you and not a little bit jealous….ok maybe a little ive not been back to England in six years say hello for me. =)
Thanks. It’s seven years since I was back and the last trip was for my brother’s wedding – so three weeks of visiting relatives and trying to find the right dress and shoes ( 🙂 ) and sight-seeing based around what we thought our seven year old would enjoy.
Reblogged this on Alan Tek Deepcha Information Overload.
Wow, that’s a lot of ground to cover, but I’m sure you’ll have a ball. Very exciting 🙂
Yes; nothing if not ambitious!! Traveling alone will help I hope.
A true journey of exploration. So exciting.
Thanks; it’s going to be brilliant. Blogging about has made it seem more real somehow.
Brilliant! Yorkshire Sculpture Park not too far from where I am, and the National Coal Mining Museum is very close to it.
Thanks for that. I’m descended from generations of miners (Fifers though). Since I did some archives papers at university recently, I’ve become a much greater fan of museums. But very excited about visiting sculpture park; first time since about 1997!!!!
How exciting and perhaps we might be having some summer by that time.
I hope so. Last time I was in England – June-July 2006 – the weather was gorgeous. Not at all what I remember of 10 years living there.
You’ll have a ball. But, of course, you’ll think of us and collect a ton of family info and photos – right?
Absolutely! I’m so hoping to smash a few brick walls and to collect some family photos so I don’t have to keep re-hashing the same ones all the time.
Thanks for your wishes; I’m feeling so connected to my blogging whanau* today.
*whanau is a Maori word that I love. It means family, but not merely or necessarily in a biological sense. It’s about the communities of care that we build, and I feel very connected to this community as we share the sometimes painful stories of our families’ past.
What a wonderful sentiment, expresses my feelings as well. Could you please write out whanau out phonetically so I can learn it?
Thank you. Phonetically, I guess whanau is far-now, without too much emphasis on the “r” – more a long “a”. Wikipedia has this to say: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wh%C4%81nau
Thank you.
You’re welcome.
July 2006 was the last time it was nice here!
I keep meaning to make the reverse trip you are as I have an Aunt in Auckland (but mainly use it as an excuse to do all the LotR stuff).
🙂 Exchange rate is working in my favour at the moment – but I guess that will change. I must be the only person in the world who’s not a LoTR fan. I think it’s because hobbits remind me too much of past work colleagues.
You must be sooo excited! I am planning my trip back with two friends and it is not until 2015! I have been looking at all the different genealogy sites that have special things on around then
I hope you will be able to fill in some of the gaps. How long since you have been?
Thank you; I getting more excited by the day. It’s seven years since I was back in the UK and that trip was with my partner and son for a family wedding – not much “me” time there. I hope you and your friends have a great trip too.
Wonder how you can go without sleep while you’re over there? Maybe only sleep on the plane to and from 🙂 Then you can make every waking moment count!
Great idea. I’ll have to do something like that cos I just keep finding new places I “need” to go!
Planing is the exciting part of travel! Happy travel.
Thank you . I’m getting really excited about my trip as I get more and more organised for it.