What would a one-week trip to the UK cost?

I live with my aunt and my grandfather is in UK and he has just died and my aunt wants me to go to UK and attend the funeral and it's gonna cost me $1000 for a round trip airplane ticket, should I go? It's too expensive. What would you do?

• Answer:

  If attending this funeral would cause you financial hardship you obviously can't go. What a friend of mine did when she was in a similar situation was to go with friends to a quiet place in the country at the time that the funeral was taking place and have a couple of minutes silent contemplation. She then left a very small posy of wild flowers behind, so she now has a place where she feels a connection with her late relative. I was one of the friends that accompanied her and it was a very moving occasion and it seemed just as relevant and respectful as going to the funeral in person. I'm sorry about your loss and I hope you manage to sort this out to cover your and your aunt's needs.