Long time no see

Been travelling in faraway lands for months, even years and getting ready to come home? Blighty is calling, and no doubt your friends and family, and you’d love to plan a big bumper gathering to celebrate your homecoming. But there’s a hitch – you just don’t have the space to fit everyone under your or your parents’ roof, so what can you do?

Well there are a few options. If you’ve cash to splash (but chances are you haven’t!), you could check into a hotel and book the function suite and DJ. At the other end of the scale, you could kip under canvas and brave the elements – but you’d need an oversized bell tent to have that party. Or what about a holiday cottage – a big one, of course, with loads of bedrooms, a great big lounge and kitchen, even a games room or swimming pool? If you split the rental price between everyone, chances are it would be an extremely cost-effective way to get everyone together and enjoy that party!

A typical day
Let’s get you in the mood a little more and describe a typical day. Morning brings an amazing fry up – a proper cooked breakfast laden with sausages, bacon, black pudding and brown sauce – the whole works. And it’s such fun preparing meals together, even if you’re relegated to the washing up! Then it’s time to burn off a few calories with perhaps a walk in the countryside, followed by traditional pub refreshments like a ploughman’s lunch or cottage pie, not forgetting a pint of real ale. Evenings bring more food, more drinks, possibly a few board games – and plenty of catching up with everyone exchanging tales of the past months/years. And let’s not forget that party (see below).

Finding the ideal cottage
Have a think about where all your nearest and dearest live and try and pick an area that’s centrally located for everyone – a shorter journey time means more time together – and that means more fun! If you choose someone like Sykes Cottages (and they have absolutely heaps of big, quality properties across the UK, from rambling farmhouses to spacious townhouses), you can use their map facility and search by a particular location, highlighting any other preferences you have like pet-friendly, near a pub, hot-tub etc. You can also book securely online, around the clock – from anywhere in the world!

See & Do Swap
So you’ve got everyone together and now you need something to do. If you’re after adventure, the UK is jam-packed with all kinds of activities from walking and mountain biking to 4WD safaris, abseiling and deep sea diving. Or you could give your friends a taste of a few South East Asian activities, UK-style of course, and swap elephant riding for horse-back riding on Dartmoor or llama trekking in the Lake District.

If sightseeing is more your style, fill your boots with historic treasures and swap Buddhist temples for Gothic cathedrals like York Minster, golden pagodas for ancient stone circles like Stonehenge and ornate royal palaces for equally ornate royal palaces and so on.

Or perhaps you’re more concerned about getting the setting right – somewhere spectacular scenic-wise. Well the UK can do that too. Swap palm-fringed beaches for dune-backed shores and spectacular coastal paths – North Norfolk, Cornwall, Dorset, Northumberland – the list goes on. Swap lush, tropical jungles for sweeping, evergreen forests and snow-capped peaks like those you find in the Scottish Highlands.

Or what about planning your get-together around an event connected to your travels and giving your loved ones a real insight into the South East Asian culture? The UK is home to many Thai, Vietnamese and other Asian residents and there are some fantastic celebrations dotted about such as the Bournemouth Thai Food Festival and Warwick Thai Festival.

Party time!

But what about that party? Wasn’t that the whole point of arranging this homecoming extravaganza? Then why not check out the local restaurants and see if you can arrange a delivery, a Thai banquet would work well – then again, you might fancy fish and chips. As long as the bubbly is chilling and you’ve got all the right people with you, even jam butties would be good! Then once you’ve dined, simply chat ‘til you drop, it beats shopping any day and when you’ve got a wonderful cosy bed to look forward to, chances are you’ll enjoy a perfect night’s sleep. Sweet dreams…

What next?
Sort out your guest list (courtesy of your favourite social network site), book your big holiday cottage and have an unforgettable reunion!