The last time I was in England we just dipped our toes into the country. We’d been touring Scotland and took a day trip through the borderlands to explore Hadrian’s Wall.

Today, we leave for three weeks in Britain, almost 10 days of that time visiting Celia’s in-laws in Surrey, then some adventures on our own. We’ve been planning this trip for months.

Now that departure day has arrived I feel again that mixture of awe and anxiety that precedes a trip: Did I check all the boxes? Have I packed everything I need? Properly printed off the train ticket QR codes?

I’m hoping those answers are yes because I’m about out of time. Tomorrow morning we land on “this sceptered isle.”

(From Brampton near Hadrian’s Wall)