THERE'S nothing like going on holiday to make you realise how much you take your home life for granted.

You miss friends and family and can’t wait to tell them everything you’ve been up to.

But equally, there’s nothing like a fortnight away to make you realise how rubbish real life can be.

After two weeks of sun, sand, and tequila cocktails I came back to reality with a bump this week (and I’m not talking about my new ‘all inclusive’ belly).

To be fair, the real world was always going to be a come-down after getting married and then going on honeymoon.

But it still came as a shock walking through our front door (after an eight-and-a-half hour flight seated next to a screaming baby) into our freezing living room.

With the cold November light streaming through the window the house seemed stark somehow, and it was only the note and gift my sister-in-law had left that lifted my spirits.

Holidays are a great chance to get spoilt and get away from the daily chores. But the rule is the better the holiday, the bigger the shock when you get home.

Where’s the maid to make the beds? What do you mean I have to go shopping and actually cook my tea myself? Washing up? I don’t think I remember how.

It’s probably a good job we were only away for two weeks — It’s frightening the rate at which you get accustomed to being waited on hand and foot.

Any longer and our routine of ‘Miami Vice’ cocktails (half strawberry daiquiri, half pina colada) at 11am could have spiralled out of control. But now we’re back to the real world.

And the heater on my car has broken. And my mosquito bites have re-emerged into angry red bumps.

And there are a million and one jobs to do on the house.

Let me tell you, driving to work with the heater blasting out cold air in a vain attempt to de-mist your windscreen is not enjoyable.

Especially when you’re using one hand to scratch your mosquito bites and the other to wipe the condensation from your windscreen.

Equally unenjoyable is the prospect of the bill to fix the problem.

The seasons seem to have sneakily changed while my back was turned too.

All of a sudden it’s winter and it goes dark before it’s time to leave work.

But married life so far is good. And you know what? Despite all of the bits of problems and the little irritations it’s great to be home.

Even paradise gets a bit boring after a while.