The world from my window

So we joined a convoy of cars, hooting and tooting down from the village, out along the main road to Corfu. We passed the hospital, honked the car horn loud enough for great aunt to hear and wound through the narrow lanes, tooting as we passed joggers and receiving waves and shouts from people in their gardens. We were part of a wedding - a real, big fat Greek wedding - and it was the experience of our year. We've been lucky enough to have been 'adopted' by a wonderful family in our Corfiot village and for this we'll be forever grateful.   During these past twelve months on this grown-up gap year, we've missed two big weddings of friends back home in the UK in Lush Places. But we made up for it at the weekend. First, there was the traditional party on Thursday, where the newlyweds' bed was strewn with rice, rose petals and, more importantly money, to the sound of gunfire outside. And then we danced. And then on Saturday we put on our...

I can't believe how quickly the year has gone. This time twelve months ago we were stuck in the mist in Jura, France , waiting for a spare part to arrive to mend a broken-down car. I argued with my insurance company which claimed I had no breakdown cover and I argued with my husband. I felt like I was on the road to nowhere. I hated my car, I hated my husband and, most of all, I hated myself for ever thinking a grown-up gap year abroad could ever work. I was homesick as anything from day three and I hadn't even gone through the Mont Blanc Tunnel. Still, after a few glasses of local wine, a nice meal and a good soak in a hot bath, I was ready for anything, particularly when VW Heritage came through with a new dynamo and the insurance company admitted it was in the wrong. Since then, Mr Grigg and I have continued to argue with each other, patched things up and struggled with our lack of Greek. We've made friends and no enemies, we've laughed, cried, swum...