Trip home

[duckponds]

I'm coming back to the UK for the first time in four years in June with DH and our two young children (aged 2 and 3). We will be staying in Middlesex for 6 weeks and have a car.

As I haven't experienced the UK with children I'm looking for suggestions of activities to do as a family?

Hi there, both my children were born abroad and were both toddlers when we went to the uk last year. It was their first trip abroad and my first trip back to the uk for 8 years.

We were there less than a week. Stayed in a caravan in Dorset. They loved how the seaside was so different, they loved the caravan itself and they absolutely loved the drive down from Heathrow through the New Forest.

Loads of tourist attractions in the area but we only had time for one big day out and did a farm park with tractor rides etc. I was just constantly thinking of things we don't have here but they seemed to appreciate the novelty of everything.

I wish we'd done Sea Life and next time a steam train ride will be top of the list. I am glad we didn't attempt London.

Thank you that's good to know! How did you find the UK after being away for 8 years?

Well it was strange. It didn't feel like home but it hadn't really changed.

Little niggly things annoyed us.We had a night out in one town and you can only park with an app which wouldn't work on our phones. Not used to that!

Dh was expecting a heroes welcome. Wanted to reconnect with lots of old friends and colleagues but a lot of people were reluctant to do so. He also found the atmosphere on nights out was quieter and he was disappointed. I wasn't bothered and noticed more high end restaurants instead and that suited me as we don't have many posh eateries near us.

Our relatives live everywhere from the home counties to south devon and I didn't fancy spending the whole time driving about so it worked really well for us basing ourselves in the middle and giving the dc a proper English seaside holiday at the same time.

I thought the weather would bother me but it didn't. Dc coped with the flights better than I expected too. It was the most stressful and least relaxing holiday I've ever had but the dc still talk about it 6 months later. I wouldn't make it a regular thing but I do wish we'd had more time but I'm not in a rush to go back either.