A GREAT REVERSE migration is happening the world over. Instead of big cities, youths are now seeking greener pastures in the countryside, and the great outdoors.
"There's one pub, and a small shop that's opened till noon on weekends..."
That was all my husband, D, had to say about Tackley over the phone; a village in the UK that he had just visited to view the house that we could be renting. I must admit, I was sceptical at first. What about shopping malls, restaurants or the gym? In Penang, everything is a convenient walk or a 5-minute drive away from where I live.
"It's OK, we'll just have to be more organised, write a list and do a big weekly grocery shop at Tesco if we can't find what we need in the village shop."
I gulped. Only shop once a week? What if I had sudden cravings for Starbucks? Or I ran out of milk! As an urban girl who grew up in Penang, lived for over 10 years in London, and then moved back to Penang (because I'll always be a true Penangite), moving to a remote place seemed a little daunting. Was I truly ready to give up city living for the quiet countryside?
