TRAVEL NOTES::DAY 19 | THE JOURNEY HOME

Travel. We travel to see places. To meet people. To experience a life different from our own. Travel is not met without hardship. It is not always comfortable but it is the challenge of travel as we are forever on the lookout for something new, something different. With eyes wide open, we embrace each new adventure. When we return home, we are different people - the sum of all our experiences - as in the movie 'Queen' which I saw on the flight today.

I left Ireland this morning five days before my intended departure. The three weeks travel turned out to be too long a time for me to function properly anymore. It was beginning to affect my thoughts and my health. I needed a familiar place. Familiar food. A return to routine. I needed to be home albeit there were more things I wanted to do before I left. Sometimes life doesn't work out exactly as planned but we make do with what we're given. We adjust accordingly.

At the airport, the ticket agent succeeded in changing my ticket. There was a flight available to Newark. However, a flight from Newark to Austin was not available for today. I pleaded with the lady to find me something. Anything. She found me a flight from Newark to Houston to Austin. I arrived home by 19,30h.

Once home, I first checked on my plants on the patio. They all died due to the broken irrigation system and not knowing any neighbours well enough to ask them to water my plants. I noticed the temperature inside my home was at 68F (20C), having left the thermostat on the 'cool' setting. My home is not perfect but has been my home for the past six months.

We should travel to see new places. Travel to experience a life unlike the one at home. We should leave our comfort zone every once in a while in order to appreciate what we have as we make our journey home. 

P.S. I realise this should have been DAY 20 and the 'Berlin Bound' post should have been DAY 1. Perhaps I will change it or maybe I leave it as it is.