CULTURE SHOCK COMES AS A SHOCK

So I'm gone, and I’m back, depending on where the story begins. I’ve been “home” about a week now. With some teary goodbyes I left the UK. After 10 hours in Heathrow airport (entertaining myself with a little lift riding) 2 hours to Munich. One hour plus 2 hours delays in Munich and then 12 hours to LAX and then 5 hours in the most confusing non sensical airport in the world before my final 16 hour flight to NZ.
I arrived. It was hot, I was wearing half my winter wardrobe – including but not limited too one coat and two jackets. I stood sweating In line at customs with my three bottles of gin and 5 carry on bags weighing at least 20kgs – how I got away with this I don’t know I had amazing luck with my overweight luggage.
I get home having not slept in about 50 hours probably more because of that last wild night in London.
Its weird everything’s changed. My mum’s hair is blonde and our cat got really skinny. My rooms a different colour and Wendy’s frosties are vanilla not chocolate. I had been craving that frostie and the discovery almost reduced me too tears.
I came home to find out you have to pay for most clubs now – I had complained bitterly of club prices in London only to discover my own countries jumped on the bandwagon that is ripping people off. We have sharks now – more shark sightings this summer than ever before. I cant go anywhere for fear of getting sunburnt. I had defiantly been suffering from culture shock symptom #5 idealisation of the old country. Its ridiculously hot I’m sure it must have always been this hot but its come as a shock. It freaks me out to discover its 9pm and still brightly sunny outside when it had been pitch black by 3 30 in UK. I’m freaking out! Some sort of major culture shock is going on here. I don’t feel at home in my own country. I’m pretty sure everyone is getting sick of me saying “ in Italy…” or “when we were in Paris….”.The one good thing is seeing my friends again, I went out to my friend Scots 21st last night and caught up with most of my friends who believe I've joined a cult due to my new hair band obsession. Tonight ill catch up with my high school friends at a picnic my friend Frankie is hosting in my honour. A picnic? When my mind is in the middle of winter? Seasonal madness.