Those of us who were around in the 1960s may remember the 'Ten Pound Pom' scheme where British citizens could apply to emigrate to Australia for just ten pounds. There was a lot of take-up for this offer because people were still recovering from the effects of the war, and it seemed like a good way to make a fresh start. In the book, Charlotte and her husband Henry make the trip from their home in Cambridge, but the move isn't really what Charlotte wants, and her misgivings are compounded by the fact that she finds she is pregnant with their second child before they set off. Henry has Indian heritage and was bought up in a much warmer climate, so the rain and the cold of English winters upset him and he worries that the constant damp is making Charlotte and the children perpetually ill. He is the one who drives the move and Charlotte only agrees to give herself some breathing space, but before she knows it, everything has been arranged. Having another child brings chal...