Wow. It’s strange how normal it feels to wake up on the day of travel. Bag packed by the door, clothes for the plane laid out and the last meal of fresh food (aka. many mangos!) for the next 24 hours pre-planned and ready to eat.

I think I have always been a traveller. Since leaving my home at 16 for some months to live abroad in France, the idea of immersion into a new culture, the way of thinking and doing that are enraptured by it… it has all been so integrated into my personality and way of seeing the world. There is so much that we think of before these big changes and journeys, particularly to such a far away destination. The feeling of ‘excitement’ was not so much present as this air of presence and acute concentration on the here and now demanded my attention.

The last time I had travelled, it was not the going away that had phased me but the coming home. Each moment of our lives changes us in some way and to have left all that I knew behind in one state to expand in an area completely separate from the people, places and lifestyle that I knew… it was exciting to be living each moment away (though I must stress here that it was not easy!) but it was such a culture shock to return ‘home’.

This was all playing on my mind that morning I got out of my bed for the last time and prepared for the next few weeks of thinking, experiencing and of course… finding delicious cake to share with wonderful people! The adventure of a lifetime was about to begin. The stresses of planning melted away. I had all the documents, passport, noise-cancelling headphones (a MUST for long-haul travel) and I was ready to go! I knew that I would change again in some way… although how much this would ripple into the rest of my life only the way I chose to live in this pocket of time abroad would tell.

For now… I was off to share some time under the trees with my wonderful family before heading off to the airport and toward somewhere that had already begun to feel like home 5 years ago. My goodness how time flies. All the more reason to enjoy each moment and if this feels impossible to do something about it, make a change, and see dreams become a reality under our own fingers.

First stop… Paris!

The three steps of travel: home – aeroplane (24+ hours…) – new home!