James and Christine's Big World Tour: New year with family and friends

We miss our families and friends so we are going home for a week, this is the genuine reason, not that it was our cheapest option...honest. It's just a lucky coincidence!

Arriving at Stansted close to 11pm we are kindly picked up by James's parents and whisked away to the luxury of a 'big comfy bed' and a good cup of tea. We're not down south for long as we need to go up to Manchester to see Christine's family and also rearrange our luggage (We don't need these bikinis and shorts where we're going). We say farewell to Philip and Sue and go north in Sue's speedy automobile (thanks mum - it made everything so much easier). We're a bit later leaving Stortford than planned but it's worth it for the yummy breakfast, so we don't get to Manchester until early evening (and of course there's the predictable traffic jams on the M6). Christine goes to surprise the kids at Jenna's house and James goes on a play date with Metters.

The next couple of days are spent catching up with Christine's family and our friends, it makes us really homesick! We have our New Year party a day early too as Tom & Laura are visiting from Hastings. It's brilliant catching up with them, Nat, Sarah, Phil and Metters but unfortunately it's a bit tricky to find open places on 30th Dec when it's a Monday. Thank goodness for Font and it's cocktails!

We want to treat the kids to a day out so on New Years Day we go for a trip on the East Lancs Railway...a proper steam train, choo choo! The kids are very excited and we have a great day with the Barnes clan and thoroughly enjoy our English pub grub. Back at home it's time to exchange Christmas presents with Mama Sealey and Daddy DVD and Christine models her Christmas hat from her dad as she missed out on posing on Christmas day.

Time to head back to James' parents for a couple of days where we are treated to Sue's delicious cooking and Philip's cocktail skills (Tom Cruise eat your heart out). We even manage a bit more planning for the next leg of our trip...Macedonia? Why not?

All too soon it's time to set off again, it's a good job Philip has the sense to check the departure time as arriving at the airport at 10am for an 8.30am flight wouldn't have been very useful! Luckily James's parents are still willing to give us a lift to the airport even if it is silly o'clock, thanks guys!