Wow – Back Home – Already?
I am not ready to write this last blog post. The thing about spontaneity is that I didn’t have a goal when I left, except to take advantage of a once in a life time opportunity. Sure there is the reflection on career and life, but if I am honest with myself, it is because several people I know have passed away unexpectedly. My cousin had a heart attack and died in a couple of months before I decided to go on the trip, Lee passed away a week after I visited her at home, Michele died while I was on my trip, and Willie died at the beginning of the year. Everybody seemed to have died unexpectedly, not that we have external clocks warning us of our pending deaths. My father died several years ago while we were planning a house boat trip with my extended family and he died several months before we left. I guess the point is that some times if you put off things to long, you may not ever get to them. So this maybe my only chance to leave most of my responsibilities with reckless abandonment and travel. Ok maybe not exactly reckless, I had to do a lot of delegation.
Coming back home is not difficult, everything pretty much seems the same, same house, same neighbors, same family, same taxes, etc.. Too bad I didn’t forget how to drive. My internal clock seems to be in another time zone. I am normally a morning person, but I am wide awake in the middle of the night and fall asleep at 6am. I am not ready to face my responsibilities, although all of my Dr., dentist, and hair appointments have been schedule. I am trying to finish taxes before getting in touch with my friends. I have to touch base with my family so I can do my Mom’s taxes, not that I don’t miss my family. I do, but it is nice not to have any familial responsibilities, yet. It is funny how it is easy to jump back into your previous life. It is also interesting how it is easy to jump into a different life.
I don’t know if I have gain any wisdom but I have gained a large appreciation for what I have and where I live. My friend Meg asked me what I was going to do when I am able to drink out of the tap again, well the obvious answer is to drink out of the tap, but the reality is that I have clean water, clean air, and I don’t live in a place that has mosquitoes that carry every known disease. I have to detox from deet, a type of mosquito repellent, and air pollution. I have freedom of speech and separation of church and state and those are interesting to see and feel when you leave countries that do not have these freedoms. The extent of the British, Spanish, and French empires are more real when I travel, the Queen is on the money, people eat fish and chips, drink high tea, people speak French, or every street and town has a Spanish name. I forget that America was a British, French and Spanish colony at one point in time. The influence of the Americans and the Japanese is real and probable not great to be either or both when it comes to the history of WWII in Asia. I guess that seems to be the common theme of human history, war. Every country has their version of it and the impact it had on that country and society. It is still going on today.
I do have to get back to my reality, finish taxes and meet my financial obligations by finding a job. In the meantime, I am going to savor the time off, vow to travel more in the United States, and enjoy and appreciate what I have. I will miss all the interesting people that I have met and countries that I have visited. A lot of people have been so generous and kind. I also appreciate all of my friends that traveled across the world to met me and the friends that live on the other side of the world. I will really miss Meg, it is funny how it is easy to pick up the friendship where you left off, even if it has been a couple of decades. At some point I will put up a reference page of books read and travel companies used. I hope this blog will not stop after April. There are a ton of national parks and states to visit, great road trips to take, and great cities to see. In the meantime, I guess it is back to taxes.
P.S. I am not sure where my pictures will come from without Meg. I hope you have enjoyed this blog as much as I have enjoyed updating it. It was a great way for me to reflect and document my travels!