Our trip so far has been a whirlwind of adventure and busy days. But in August we’re taking a breather and savoring the simple joys of everyday life. While our travel schedule has eased up, it’s given us a chance to reconnect with family, tackle to-do lists, and enjoy the quieter moments that often get lost in the whirlwind of globetrotting.
Then, we’re gearing up for another busy month in September. I can’t wait.
This week we explored the breathtaking landscapes of the Lake District, where rugged hills meet serene lakes, and then ventured back towards London to visit some of the cities most iconic landmarks (dinosaurs included!).
- Wednesday 2nd August
- Thursday 3rd August
- Friday 4th August
- Saturday 5th August
- Sunday 6th August
- Monday 7th August
- Tuesday 8th August
Wednesday 2nd August
The weather is still soggy. After being in England for a week, I’m wholeheartedly joining the British Club of Weather Grumblers. I’m starting to wonder if all you do here is complain about the weather while waiting for a sunny miracle!
Instead of venturing into the storm, we gave ourselves a leisurely morning to recuperate after our adventure up Scafell Pike yesterday. It sounds silly, but I woke up feeling like a champion, and my body is my new BFF for getting me up England’s tallest mountain. Even though we didn’t have the best views (or, rather, any view at all), we’ve both agreed that we’re so pleased that we were mad enough to chuck our raincoats on and climb up anyway.
This morning we took full advantage of our free schedule and popped into Keswick for another walk around town – this time without tea and cake (boo !!). On Monday, when we were in Conquer UK, we were both eyeing their Scafell Pike climbers badge. We almost added it to those we bought, but we didn’t want to make a premature purchase in case we jinxed efforts. But now it’s going straight into our basket, ready to hang on the wall when we get home.
Back home, we cosied up inside (remember what I said about Mathew’s obsession with being cosy?), and I got into some work. I’ve got severe writer’s block at the moment. It comes and goes in waves, but I can’t figure out how to get my brain into gear right now. Usually, words flow from my brain to the page like it’s a walk in the park. But right now, it’s more like a marathon. I’ve tried ditching deadlines, setting them, changing my scenery, and even threatening to quit, but nada. I’m hoping it’s a bit like the hare and the tortoise, and if I keep chipping away, my creativity will resurface.
(Hi, it’s me from the future – 27/8/23 – just coming back to say that the writer’s block did fix itself, but good god, it took a bloody long time. We went camping last week, and as if by magic, I woke up one morning with newfound inspiration and have been able to write as easily as breathing ever since. So, if you are struggling too, keep at it. Keep doing the good mani – it’ll get easier soon!!)
This afternoon, we left the warmth of our cottage and headed out to the Langstrath Inn for lunch. It’s only a short walk from where we’re staying and one of the most beautiful small village inn/pubs I’ve ever seen. However, I seem to say that a lot these days – everything is so sweet and quaint. A smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwich is on the menu today, and it’s delish (as all pub food seems to be).
Instead of heading back home after lunch, we saw a break in the rain and Mathew, and I decided to brave the weather and keep walking to explore more of Borrowdale.
And now, we’re back home, cosied up in front of the radiator, ready for a quiet, wholesome evening. See you tomorrow!
Thursday 3rd August
Hold onto your hats and make sure you’re sitting down. I don’t want to alarm you, but in a never-before-seen revelation, the clouds have parted, and SUN is streaming through my windows this morning!!!! Clearly, spending time with Mathew, who’s the reigning champion of dramatic reactions in my life, has rubbed off on me. But hey, a rain-free day in the Lake District is worth a little celebration.
Without wanting to tempt fate, we suited up for our hiking adventure faster than you can say ‘split’, dashed out the door, and headed towards Penrith. Today’s mission? Conquering Helvellyn!
When planning our hikes, I had my heart set on climbing Blencathra via Sharp Edge. Out of all the hiking stories my dad’s shared over the years, the adrenaline-pumping grade 1 scramble of Sharp Edge, requiring nerves of steel, has always stuck with me. However, the wind is blowing a gale, and although I really think I’m getting a better head for heights, I don’t fancy being swept off the side of a mountain to my inevitable peril today; thank you very much.
Still, we’re up for a thrilling challenge. Helvellyn via Striding Edge, which stands at 950m (3,117 ft) tall (making it the 3rd highest peak in the Lake District and England), has our name written all over it.
After 45 minutes in the car, we arrive in Penrith and begin our ascent. Today’s walk is not messing around; I can tell you that much for free. Jesus Christ. Scafell Pike, which we summited on Tuesday, is very friendly and meanders through farmland for a while whilst remaining relatively flat. And, I didn’t think the hills here were much to write home about if I’m honest. Helvellyn, on the other hand, welcomes you with relentless inclines that seem to go on forever. The views make up for the effort, but it’s a bit of a shock to the system for your already tired legs!
We continue to walk upwards through farmland for an hour and a half and on our way, pass other groups of walkers, more dogs than I can count and a couple of brave wild swimmers.
After a while, we arrive at our first stop – the Hole in the Wall. Before setting out this morning, Grandpa (a very experienced Lake District hiker) gave us a rundown of the walk. He told us that the hike up Helvellyn is unrelenting UNTIL you reach the Hole in the Wall. So, you best believe we had our eagle eyes peeled.
What would you think if I asked you to describe a hole in the wall to me? If you instantly thought of a circular hole in a wall, thank god I’m not alone.
I’m slightly embarrassed to admit (not only because I know that some of my hiking-mad family read this blog and will see that I have publicly outed myself as what my Mum would describe as a ‘noob’) that we were looking for, well, a bloody hole. I genuinely thought I was about to see some Penrith version of the Borrowdale Banksy (if you don’t know what this is, do yourself a favour and look it up – it’s incredible).
It wasn’t until we looked at the map AFTER our hike that we realised the photo above is, in fact, the infamous Hole in the Wall. I’m again embarrassed to admit that I only took a picture with it because I thought the rock wall was pretty hahaha – novices.
The ascent from the Hole in the Wall to Helvellyn Summit is about 2km. This seems like a walk in the park. 2km? No trouble at all. But during this time, you’re tasked with clambering over Striding Edge and The Chimney.
The trickiest part of Striding Edge is only about 400m long but rises and falls over a series of narrow, rocky peaks, making it a good test for my fear of heights. The arête is only two to three metres wide in places, with precipitous drops on both sides. You can imagine my heart was racing!
I thought I’d be scared out of my wits, but the views were so breathtaking that fear went right out the window. They’re absolutely insane, and I can’t recall ever being anywhere like this in my life. Even though it’s not the highest mountain we’ve tackled, this hike is easily in my top three ever, and I enjoyed it much more than our Scafell Pike trek the other day.
Halfway across Striding Edge, we spot two guys walking barefoot. Yep, you heard that right! Living and growing up in New Zealand has exposed me to more than my fair share of barefoot escapedes. Affectionately named ‘Kiwi Feet’, it’s common for Kiwis to go sans shoes. A trip to the supermarket, Mitre 10 (our local hardware store) or a day at primary school without shoes on wouldn’t seem out of place back home. It’s very ‘come as you are’ and I love it. However, this is extreme even by our standards hahaha.
After clambering over Striding Edge, we walk up over the top and then straight down The Chimney. Thank god Mathew suggested doing this walk clockwise because I would NOT have wanted to do this the other way around. The Chimney is less hiking and more abseiling!
After one last scramble, we reach the summit, and the views are out of this world. We’ve lucked out with the weather – you can see for miles! And to my delight, you can even see up to Scotland, which is seriously cool.
Mathew and I settled down for lunch and to take in the view. No time has passed before I can hear shouting in the distance. At first, I thought it must be a group cheering about making it to the top or yelling at one another. It’s not till I hear our names that I see, in a totally bizarre coincidence, that Giles and Maz are walking straight towards us. They were due to return home today but wanted to squeeze in one last walk in the sun before the long slog back to London. Who can blame them? I can’t think of anything worse than sitting in the car, drenched in sweat and getting home at 11 pm. But they’re better people than me, and the weather is too good.
We sat down and had lunch together, laughing at the one-in-a-million chance of running into each other. And then, as we spot storm clouds looming in the distance, we decide it’s best to keep moving.
From the summit, you can walk straight back down to Penrith, which would take about an hour. Before you know it, you could be cosied up inside one of the pubs or quaint tea rooms, recounting your adventure. Or, if you’re like us and have an appetite for punishment, you can opt for the Helvellyn via Striding Edge Circular route, a solid 13.8km. As you can probably tell, we went with the latter option and were delighted to find that we were perhaps the only two adventurous souls crazy enough to do so, having the entire trail to ourselves.
The descent was relatively easy but hard on the tips of your toes and knees! We walked over undulating hills and, again, talked about everything under the sun. As I’ve said before, that’s becoming one of my favourite things to do these days ❤ We passed waterfalls that could rival those in Iceland, and then, before we knew it, we were back at the car (with much sorer feet than the last time we were here!).
This evening, after a heavenly hot shower, I was scrolling through photos on my computer. I stumbled upon this lovely one of my parents. I adore a trip down memory lane as much as the next person. A quick glance at the date reveals that they were here, in the Lake District, almost twenty years ago to the day. It’s such a heartwarming thought and makes me feel like, in some ways, my life is beginning to mirror theirs. I can only hope that mine is as wonderful as theirs has been.
Friday 4th August
It’s our last full day in the Lake District (boo!!), but we’re making the most of the good weather that has decided to stick around.
We kickstart our morning with a quick breakfast, which, for me, has become synonymous with chia seed porridge. However, I think that this is much to the disgust of my Grandma as she wrinkles her nose up at the sight of these “disgusting little things” for the 5th morning in a row – sorry, Grandma.
Soon, we’re all bundled up in the car and headed toward Lake Buttermere. I haven’t been to Buttermere before (or not that I can remember). I don’t know what I expected, but it blew any imagined expectations out of the water.
Butteremere is out-of-this-world gorgeous and boasts scenery that’s the quintessence of the Lake District: towering mountains, tranquil tarns, a mirror-like lake, abundant sunshine, and idyllic farm life. I had no idea this hidden gem even existed, which shows that there are endless beautiful places to discover.
The mere mention of tackling another mountain today sends Mathew into a sheer panic, enough to bring tears to anyone’s eyes. So, it’s safe to say his legs could use a break. Fortunately, the circular route around Lake Buttermere is mostly flat, winding through enchanting forests, past cascading waterfalls, and alongside fairy-tale-like glens. Before you know it, you’ve made your way to the other side of the lake, where the landscape opens up, revealing vast farmland and the charming Buttermere Village.
I think I’ve just about died and gone to countryside heaven. I’d love to have a tent here for a week in summer and spend each day lazing around the waterfront, walking and completely disconnecting from the rest of the world.
In the heart of Buttermere is a beautiful little pub which serves as our lunch stop today. There’s something so special about a British pub glistening in the sun. The weather doesn’t usually play ball, but when it does, it’s spectacular.
Lunch rolled around, and Mathew had a chicken quesadilla (unusual pub food but looked delish), and I had a ham and a cheese panini. My family is obsessed with toasties: ham and tomato, tuna melts, beans and cheese – you name it, they’ve slapped it between two pieces of bread and toasted it. But I haven’t had one in about a decade. I guess I convinced myself I didn’t like them. Well, consider me a convert! I’m officially on Team Toasted Sandwich and get the hype now.
After lunch, we continued our stroll around the other side of the lake, back towards the car.
The second half of our walk is even more breathtaking than the first. We’re treated to incredible views of the mountain ranges. It feels like I’ve landed in a place combining the beauty of Milford Sounds, Canada, and the English countryside. I’ve never been to Canada, but it’s right up there on my bucket list, so you can bet I’ll be itching to get there soon. Who knows, if the right opportunity comes along, maybe we’ll find ourselves there next year.
We wrap up our walk, and Mathew and I decide to take the scenic route home. Some of these roads are narrower than driveways, and with rush hour (plus a bank holiday), our travel time is doubled. But honestly, I’m not complaining one bit. The scenery on the drive from Buttermere, through the Newlands Pass, and back to Borrowdale more than makes up for the extra time in the car!
Tonight, we’re bidding farewell to our holiday with a dinner outing at the Lanstrath Inn.
It’s the same pub where we had lunch earlier this week, and rumour has it that the dinner menu is even better (lucky me). As I get older, I can’t help but notice that I’m becoming more and more like my Mum. Sometimes, I catch myself and think, ‘Whoa, Mum could be here.’ Things like my appearance (I’ll be lucky if I look as good as she does at her age) and my mannerisms are becoming more like hers by the day. In my book, that’s a good thing. But it also means that as I age, I’m becoming increasingly partial to her favourite meal on the planet: chips and egg. Since nearly every pub dish includes onion and garlic (my nemesis), ham, eggs, and chips are on the menu for dinner, and it hits the spot. I snapped a photo to send to Mum back home – I reckon she’d be proud. Haha!
Saturday 5th August
Good morrrrrnnnnning, Borrowdale! Today, we’re in no rush to bid adieu to this picturesque place. Instead of scurrying around like headless chickens, we fully embrace a leisurely morning before our check-out time at 11 am.
We know the drive back home is going to be a bit of a marathon. But after being on the road for almost three months, we’re seasoned road trip experts. We’ve got a packed lunch, a playlist that could rival the length of my arm, and an impressive stash of elite road trip snacks. You can tell this isn’t our first rodeo.
We decided to do a couple of stop-offs on our journey to break up the drive. After a measly amount of time in the car (what, 45 minutes?), we ended up in Windermere. I think (but am willing to be proven wrong) Windermere is the largest town/village in the Lake District, and the number of shops that line the streets proves that point. There’s everything from quaint tearooms and takeaway joints to boat rental companies and souvenir stores. In my books, you’d be hard-pressed to beat a morning aimlessly wandering around town, popping in and out of shops, so this is my idea of heaven. We called National Parks Print Co., and I (once again) dropped our life savings on some easy-to-carry souvenirs. This is getting out of hand!
Wandering around town might be my idea of heaven, but I’m not sure it’s Mathews (sorry, love). So, after taking more time than I probably should, we high-tail it back to the car and continue our drive back to London (this time armed with a little “I’m sorry I took so long” beverage for my personal chauffeur). The rest of our day passed in a blur of “Timber” by Mr. Worldwide and traffic jams before we pulled into Grandma and Grandpa’s driveway at 8 pm. We’ll tackle the mountain of washing tomorrow – see you then!
Sunday 6th August
Clearly, we’ve waved goodbye to the good old British weather. This morning, the skies have donned their usual shades of grey and clouds. But we’re determined to get out and about. We decide on a leisurely walk into town, punctuated, of course, by the obligatory coffee stop at Cafe Nero (hey, you can’t blame us; this once-a-week coffee is basically free).
Mathew has been talking about having a roast dinner since we touched down on UK soil back in May. We eat a roast dinner in New Zealand once every other week, so it’s nothing new. But there’s something undeniably novel about having a roast dinner in the land of roast dinners. Today, Grandma has heard his pleas loud and clear and has prepared an exceptionally impressive spread, complete with roast beef and all the trimmings. Boy, is he a lucky lad?
Never ones to shy away from lending a hand, we roll up our sleeves and dive into helping out. Lunch turns out to be utterly scrumptious (and those green beans are trimmed to perfection, thank you very much).
Post-feast, Mathew and I embark on a little date night adventure toward Bracknell. We haven’t hit the cinema in what feels like aeons. In fact, I think the last time we actually PAID to watch a movie was with my parents, seeing ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (you can tell how much quality time we spend together, huh?), or maybe it was pre-COVID when our best friend worked at Event Cinemas and had a seemingly endless supply of $2 movie vouchers. Talk about a score.
But Cillian Murphy is my Matt Damon, and I’ve had my eye on seeing the new Oppenheimer movie ever since it was announced. Fast forward an hour, and we’re settling into comfy recliner chairs with our laps loaded with movie snacks we may or may not have smuggled in under our jackets. The Oppenheimer movie turned out to be a good one, though it did stretch on a bit. If I’m brutally honest, I haven’t read the book, nor was I an expert on the whole ‘invention of nuclear weapons’ thing, but I found it genuinely interesting.
However, I must say that although I love Cillian Murphey and he’s a phenomenal actor, I think he’s one of those people (like Daniel Radcliffe or David Schwimmer) that will always find it difficult to break out of the character he’s most famous for. I loved seeing him play Oppenheimer, but I felt like I should be watching Tommy Shelby march across the big screen, haha. All the same, it was so nice to get out of the house and do something that made us feel like we were back at home; we’ve been missing it recently, and I think that 3.5 months is well and truly my cut-off for ‘home sickness’.
Once the credits rolled, we made our way back home for a late dinner (shoutout to eggs on toast for being the world’s best staple meal) and to fall into bed, ready for another big day tomorrow.
Monday 7th August
This morning started bright and early, and I woke up to my alarm going off at 6 am.
Mathew has been talking about going to the Natural History Museum since we began planning our European travels. We go to the Auckland Museum a fair bit (fair, being about twice a year, which seems more than average), but that seems small in comparison to the museums in London.
When I was little, my Dad (and Mum, too!) used to take me on day trips to the big city. We’d leave home at the crack of dawn and spend the entire day together. Dad would treat himself to a latte (and sometimes go all out with a bacon sandwich) from Cafe Nero. I’d slurp melted chocolatey marshmallows through my takeaway cup lid, we’d split a blueberry muffin, and Dad would spend hours talking to me about everything under the sun. We’d chat about school, weekend plans, Dad’s own childhood, what we’d do if we won the lottery, and even what we’d name our imaginary future dog (her name is Cookie, just for the record).
Some days, we would wander around the city and visit my all-time favourite place, Borough Market. On other days, we’d visit the Natural History Museum. Years ago, visiting children would get given a little red backpack full of activities and scavenger hunts to complete around the museum. Looking back, I’m pretty sure we had to pay for those backpacks, but Dad always did so with a smile. It became one of my cherished childhood memories. We’d roam the museum together, gazing at dinosaurs and marvelling at the Dodo exhibit, contemplating how tragically it went extinct (the Dodo, that is; if dinosaurs still roamed the Earth, we’d be toast).
We figured out that a full day of parking at Westfield was MUCH cheaper than two train fares (top tip for anyone coming to London with a car!), so this morning we hopped into the car and drove into the city.
Parking at Westfield was a really good idea because the walk to Kensington is bloody beautiful. I played the role of tourist, and Mathew played the part of the photographer (all this travelling has turned him into quite the pro), and we arrived at the museum just as they were opening their doors for the day. I had pre-booked our tickets online; they’re free (don’t worry, our backpacker’s budget is still intact). But booking ahead means you get to cut the line, and dear god, what a good idea that was. I had forgotten that it was still the school holiday, and by the time we arrived, the line to get in had already wrapped around the block.
Once inside, we spent two hours exploring and admiring everything from dinosaurs to geodes, exotic birds, and reptiles until we reached my favourite exhibit – Space. Oddly enough, I didn’t find space all that interesting as a child, but as an adult, it’s the most fascinating thing to me. The vastness of it all is mind-boggling, and if I was better at science (and didn’t want to be a writer!), I’d have liked to have become an Astronomer.
Mathew seemed to love the museum. But I’ve got to say that it was a lot smaller than I remember. I thought it was colossal, way bigger than Auckland Museum (which, in comparison to a small country, is very good and gets bonus points for the Earthquake Room – if you know, you know). Still, I suppose that comes with visiting as an adult and not a three-for-zero munchkin aged six.
After learning about everything under the sun (and including the sun – literally), we headed out, walked through Hyde Park and towards Notting Hill. The sun was BEAMING, and the day felt glorious. England doesn’t put on a good weather show very often, but when it does, it’s spectacular. I can’t remember ever visiting Notting Hill before, but I am an unabashed fan of the movie (well, mostly, I just adore Hugh Grant…who doesn’t?) and seeing everything in person was a real treat. We also did a trip over to Portobello Road Market, which sells everything under the sun. That’s where I picked up the latest addition to my ever-growing collection of travel souvenirs: a gold signet ring with a sun and a wave reminiscent of Mount Maunganui Beach in Tauranga, New Zealand – my favourite place on the planet. The stall vendor was to die for, the epitome of a girls-girl, and made the whole experience delicious.
After a big day sightseeing, our legs started to give us (27,000 steps around the city is fairly normal these days), so we made our way back to the car. On our walk back to Westfield, we stumbled upon an international food market. It had everything from Kinder and Pop Tarts to Polish delicacies, and to my amazement, pineapple lumps and Whittaker’s chocolate (!!!!!). This is the first time we’ve REALLY seen things from home since we left in May, and it made me miss all the little comforts of home.
Oh, by the way, before we returned to England, I had no idea how great New Zealand’s food regulations were. Yes, our food is astronomically expensive, but it’s also NOT loaded with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or glucose-fructose syrup. HFCS is in everything over here: biscuits, crackers, candies, bread, cakes, ice cream, ham, chicken, chips, drinks. You name it – if it’s packaged, it’s not friendly to hot girls with stomach issues. The thing I’m looking forward to the most after our travels is going to the supermarket and NOT having to scrutinise the ingredients list on every single package.
This evening, we raced back to Grandma’s for a quick shower, then darted right out the door again. Remember what I said earlier today about sticking to our backpacker’s budget? Yeah, that lasted all of five seconds. Tonight, we’re going all out for date night. I’ve been to the Leftbank Restaurant at the Runnymede Hotel a handful of times in my life. It’s certainly not a place that fits our budget, but I wanted to treat Mathew to something truly special for being my rock lately (well, always, really). I’m starting to think that emotions and feelings come in waves as you travel. I’ve experienced such incredible highs, but lately, for no apparent reason, I’ve felt like I’m in a bit of a low. A bit of a rut, if you will. It feels strange to admit because, by all accounts, I should be on top of the world. I have the most incredible life – the best boyfriend and the freedom to pursue my heart’s desires, and I’m living my dream. I guess it goes to show that your environment doesn’t entirely dictate what’s going on in your head, and everyone has their down moments, regardless of how picture-perfect things might look on social media. Anyway, things are back trending UP, and I think Mathew deserves recognition for being wonderful – he always is.
We arrived at Leftbank ahead of our 7pm reservation, and the team of waiters and waitresses greeted us like we were their most important VIPs of the evening. I love it when that happens. To Mathews’s delight, we’re ushered through the restaurant and seated next to the window. We had a front-row view of the River Thames, the sun was shining, and in that moment, seeing how excited Mathew was, I felt like I might just be the happiest girl on the face of the Earth.
Obviously, in true buffet dinner fashion, we stay sat in our seats for approximately 0.2 seconds before we jump straight back up in order to survey the options on offer. Mathew beelines for the appetisers, and I for the chef to ask him what I’m able to eat. Instead of lazily pointing out a few options, he asked me to give him a minute. Then, he came out from behind his station and patiently walked me through every single dish in the restaurant, listing the ingredients in each one and explaining exactly what I could and could not eat. I’ve experienced good service before, but nothing quite like this. It didn’t take long, and it probably didn’t require much effort on his part, but I was so touched I could have cried.
We spent two and a half hours sitting with each other, eating and talking and planning our travels for the next few months. Then we left with full bellies, and my heart was just about ready to burst, driving back home to Grandma’s, bringing a perfect end to a truly perfect day.
Tuesday 8th August
Despite what it looks like online, it feels like we’ve had a lot of agenda-less days recently. We’ve been doing odds and ends here and there, exploring a bit, spending time with my family, and catching up on work. I’ve spent more time glued to my laptop writing than I’d like to admit (like today, as I’m writing this to you!). While slowing down is absolutely necessary, it’s quite a departure from the two-plus months we spent gallivanting around Europe with schedules so packed we had to schedule time just to sit down. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed the chance to slow down (and catch up on the mountain of writing that was piling up faster than I imagined – oops), but I’m really looking forward to getting back to the whirlwind travel life next month.
Today was another one of those days with not much on the official agenda but about seventeen things on our to-do list. I dedicated a good chunk of the day to pre-planning my work schedule while Mathew tackled the task of planning our upcoming holiday around Scotland, set to begin next month. Ahh!
By 4 pm, we both realised that we’d been cooped up inside all day. So, we decided it was high time to venture out and make something of the day. We’re staying near Bracknell, a town in Berkshire, which happens to be home to the house that was used in the Harry Potter films as 4 Privet Drive. I’d seen a model of it when I visited the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Watford back in 2015, but never the real thing. It’s only 15 minutes away from where we’re staying, so we decided to swing by and see what all the fuss was about. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I can’t help but chuckle because, well, it’s quite literally just someone’s house, hahaha. It does look the same, though, and it was cool to see it in person.
Now, we’ve got a big day planned for tomorrow, so we’re spending the rest of the evening catching up with Grandma and Grandpa over dinner at home. See you in the morning!
Notes to Home 