I’ve got three weeks left until my trip home to London. To say I’m excited about it is a slight understatement; every so often I start doing a stupid dance and singing ‘three weeks till my holiday’ to Vince in an annoying manner. Particularly as he isn’t coming on the trip with me, I’m sure it’s extra irritating for him.

I’m extra excited because this trip is all about catching up with friends. Almost every time I go home, it’s Christmas/New Year and I have to do a mad dash to try and see anyone other than family. It always becomes a frustrating exercise, as everyone has commitments at that time of year and the time goes by all too quickly. The end result is that there are very good friends of mine from school and university who I haven’t seen in close to four years. This is wrong.

I also haven’t been home in the summertime since 2006. To see London in full summer bloom is glorious when you can sit outside in a green space with a cold drink and enjoy it (plus I’m missing two of the hottest weeks in New York, when it gets into ridiculous temperatures and humidity. London will seem breezy in comparison). I have plans for a nice long walk around town by myself one day, pottering in the shops and enjoying a gluten-free beer at the Jerusalem Tavern, one of the only bars I can find in London that serves GF beer (seriously, London, NY has you beaten on this one. Get it together). I get to go to one of my best friend’s weddings, which I was sure I was going to miss, and I’m also doing a few family things, so in all it should be a really fantastic couple of weeks – my longest in Blighty since I moved. I’m gutted that Vince can’t come with me, but he has to star in a show, so I guess he’s off the hook.

Between now and then, I just have to earn enough money to cover all my bills while not working for two weeks – which luckily it looks like I will be able to do – and write endless lists of what I’m going to pack and what I need to leave space for in my suitcase to bring home.