As you all know, I have recently returned from a two week adventure in Europe. It was amazing to get the opportunity to submerge myself in a different culture and enjoy the patterns of everyday life in a different country. Now, I'm home and trying to figure out how to integrate the lessons I learned abroad into my somewhat crazy life at home.
I have always loved travel. I was on a plane before i can remember, my parents tell me, and I have hopped on them whenever I have had the chance to since. A discounted ticket and friends going home to visit family in London was all the excuse I needed to go this past month. I was a bit nervous about the exchange rate and horror stories I had heard about how expensive everything is there, but was quickly able to see that, while eating out costs quite a bit more there, other things are reasonable and no problem:
- Knitting needles. I'm serious. Addi Turbo- beautiful needles that usually cost $16-20 in a states per pair were only four pounds fifty ($9) there. The shop owner couldn't believe how much we were willing to pay in the states. iI you knit, stock up there.
- Tea. Obviously. But really good tea that I brought back from Marks and Spencer ( nice department store with specialty food and clothing) had 200 tea bags that are way better than you get here for about $5 or $6. Much better than the $7 or more you can pay for specialty tea here and only get 100 bags or so.
- Underwear. Stay with me. Stores like Primark and Marks and Spencer are a goldmine. I am alarmed to say I came home with 36 pairs of new underwear. It is all well made and cute- plus I got pairs that said things like "cheeky monkey" and had monkeys all over them at Primark. How can you say no to that? At $2 a pair? I think not. Bras are also a revelation. Marks and Spencer's has good sales on well made comfortable bras that make them about $9 each and they are much more nicely made than anything I have seen in the states- even those bras that are $30 or so in department stores. Don't miss it.
- Chocolate. Where do I begin? I am told that the reason their chocolate is so much better is that it is not pasteurized in the same way- or at all. It is creamy delicious and a total delight. Even chocolate you get in a gas station will taste better than Godiva. If you have a serious taste for chocolate, it is worth the trip just for that.
- Skincare. Boots pharmacy made headlines this past summer with its no. 7 line. We decided we had to try the "Protect and Perfect" serum that everyone claimed was outperforming La Prairie. I have never sprung for La Prairie or similarly priced items, but I can tell you that this serum is the best one I have ever used. It is available in the states- yay!- as Refine and Renew I believe and is sold in CVS and Target for the reasonable price of 22$. Along with the serum there are some wonderful products not yet available here- the Protect and Perfect day, night and eye creams are truly fantastic. I am already planning who I can beg to buy me more when they travel to the UK. The calm skin redness relieving gel is also amazing if you tend to have skin that gets hot and flushed roascea-style. Since using it, I have been able to have a glass of red wine with no rosy cheeks- amazing. I bought several bottles while I was there, and am considering putting the extras in a safe deposit box. Even if you are flying through Heathrow, There is a Boots in the international waiting area and duty free- make sure to stop in.
- Television. This one is a little bit harder to import. Katherine and I got hooked on the show "Mistresses," which is a bit like the UK's take on "Sex and the City". It is a 6 episode season, and we got through episode 5 before having to leave. Unfortunately, the website for BBC knows if you are in the UK or not and it isn't possible to download from here. BBC America offers a limited selection of programming, but not everything, and Netflix didn't help me out either. so... www.220-electronics.com was able to provide a region free dvd player to replace my dying 10 year old one for only $150 and guarantees that it will play any dvd from anywhere. Amazon.co.uk sells most programming from the UK at extremely reasonable prices- the Mistresses season one set sells for about 30$ with the exchange rate, so it is comparable to US prices for tv seasons.
- Butter. And jam. And marmalade. Sadly, the last on that list was the only thing I was able to bring home, as butter doesn't travel well. Their bread is pretty outstanding on top of all that. A slice of toast with whatever butter and jam is on hand should make you a very happy camper.
So with all these new discoveries, I have been inspired to clean house and get rid of things I don't love: a garbage bag of clothes that don't fit or would be better used by someone else, books I am finished with, and other items I have yet to purge.
And along with that, seeing a lifestyle where people take time out for lunch with loved ones and sometimes only work 4 days a week (albeit sometimes very long days) while still doing difficult and very involved jobs makes me wonder about this pace we keep trying to achieve in the states. Is it really more virtuous to work every single day? Are we really getting more done, or just burning out faster? I have watched myself move from a state of fairly zen calm and reassured confidence upon my return to a frantic mess who feels behind and overwhelmed in about one week flat.
I will make it my special task to do better in this area in the future. If you have ideas on this front, please do let me know!
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