Home Sweet Home (21/12-02/01)

The end of the school term signalled the beginning of not only my host kids holiday but also (somewhat surprisingly) mine! My first homeward bound flight in over 5 months and it was 11 days not filled with sight-seeing but nonetheless well spent...

• Fresh, more like bedraggled, from my flight it was off to a friend’s house for a sleepover (although there wasn't much ‘sleep’). The following morning was spent back in the ever so familiar Harlequin Shopping Centre. 
• Sunday was a day with my best friend; baking Christmas themed cakes, listening to music and chatting to our hearts content. 
• Christmas Eve heralded my first (in-person) meet with my twin’s boyfriend, he came to our church’s Carols by Candlelight which was lovely. It was great to catch up with my Church family and see how all the kids had grown too.
• Christmas Day was a relaxing family one. A quick church service in the morning, poffertjes for breakfast, present opening, dinner, sjoelen, a film and some card games. Managed to squeeze quite a bit of Dutch into Christmas!
• Boxing Day (as is traditional) meant I got to see all the cousins at our halfway house, Birmingham.  
• Inevitability, although a day later, the Boxing Day sales were thoroughly enjoyed with my twin and good friend.  
• The rest of the day was spent with my twin and boyfriend; meeting his family and watching way too many Harry Potter films. In the following evening it was out to Watford town with lots of others for a friend’s birthday, a memorable evening. 
• Saturday I was lucky enough to go and see Matilda the Musical for free with a good friend of mine, it was sensational! The company wasn't so bad either.
• On Sunday there was a quick trip to a lovely dessert place along Pinner High Street with the bestie which resulted in a New Years Eve plan- just in time.
• I travelled into London on NYE to see my sister’s new (to me anyway) apartment with Ma and met up with my fellow planners in Camden to go out for a meal. Feeling very content we got ourselves a great spot on the top of Primrose Hill, home to a great panoramic view of London. Then all that needed to be done was picnic it out until the fireworks. A great 20 minute show.                               
• It was a bit of a mission but I managed to be awake in time to watch Watford play at Vicarage Road on New Year’s Day. It was a defeat but I still enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere with Dad which I hadn't done for too long. 
• Then it was a day packing ready for my afternoon flight back to Holland so here I am! 1 week into the rest of my stay...