We’re pretty much at the two-thirds point in our trip now. Six months down, three to go. We’ve got a couple of weeks to go in Spain/Portugal before heading back to the UK for a bit, then the US, New Zealand briefly and then home. My thoughts keep turning, more and more often, to how much I’m going to enjoy getting home and doing all the things that I normally take completely for granted, such as being able to flush toilet paper down the toilet (thanks for reminding me of that one, Toni!), not to mention not having to carry a pocketful of toilet paper everywhere. Heck, I’m going to enjoy just knowing where toilets are. I’m not even one of those people who needs to go to the toilet every five minutes either – it just continues to irk me on a very minor level that the second I start needing to go is probably when I should start trying to find one, just in case.
Of course traveling is still proving extremely enjoyable and has far more ups than downs, it’s just that I tend to always post about the ups and, I’ll be honest and probably reveal something less than admirable about myself when I admit that I like reading travel posts by other people that are about the down sides of travel too. I think that’s why I fell totally, head-over-heels for the Ricky Gervais series ‘An Idiot Abroad’. If you haven’t seen it, do.
So yeah, there’s definitely a part of me looking forward to home – and I like being able to travel for long enough to miss home. That way when I get back it’s almost another adventure in itself, a rediscovery of life’s other pleasures. Like cooking and knowing you have all the things you need right there. Like being able to wear clean socks every day. Knowing exactly which aisle of the supermarket to head for. Being able to spend a whole day on autopilot, not having to make basic decisions about where to go, what to eat, how to get anywhere. Being able to see all the friends who I’ve barely communicated with this year because our lives don’t seem to intersect online and, even more importantly, seeing those people who’ve made a real effort to keep in contact, fill me in on gossip or just say ‘hi’ occasionally. Those people will be getting huge hugs from me.
I also hope I get to meet some of the people who’ve been reading this blog and who I know of via friends (like Deb!), or see people who I feel I barely knew before but have so much to say to now (Leanne!). Connecting with people via the blog has been a strange and wonderful thing and not something I’d expected at the outset. It all makes me want to find some way to keep it going when we get back.
What else do I miss about home? My dog – currently being spoiled to death by my housemates. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here but Penny now has her own facebook page and I spent far too long yesterday on facebook talking to her (Luke an I might have accidentally spent most of the day in the hostel bar drinking sangria) – well, talking to her via Jess, my friend, housemate, secretary, responsible adult, and all-round-life-saver. This trip may well not have been possible (or at least certainly not as easy) without her on the home end, sorting my mail, receiving my packages and sending me photos of my garden to reassure me that everything is ok without me. Which of course isn’t true – everything is *much better* at home without me because I am a messy pig and the house is far better off without my piles of fabric, clothing and junk everywhere.
So while we’re having a great time I don’t want anyone at home to think that I won’t be full of smiles and happiness the day we land in Sydney and I’m already looking forward to Christmas at my brother’s house (they’ve just finished building it) with his beautiful family and my mum and dad, seeing Luke’s family again and then getting back to my house, my garden and my friends. Luke and I both miss you all.
Here Comes The Planet 
Oh no, only 3 months of enjoying travel vicariously through your lovely posts and photos. I’ve been enjoying it so much! I think everyone should travel for long enough to look forward to their everyday life, we are so very fortunate and sometimes we forget it. Having glimpses into other ways of life is a great reminder. Especially going somewhere like the townships in South Africa and seeing how happy the children are despite the desperate conditions they live in. Until next time
Take care of each other and have fun every day.xx
By the way, you and Luke are very welcome to use our home as a base if you want to explore this beautiful region
Thank you! I’d love to come up some time:).
Naw miss you too! I got a tear reading that one. LLP4E xx
We have really enjoyed following you both on your travels, the photos and stories have made Danni want to travel after school.XXX
That’s great to hear! I love hearing other people’s travel stories – we’re already thinking about where to go next time!
Travel is such a great thing to do, especially while you’re still young. Gives you great perspective on life. Hopefully Danni will want to blog about all her travel adventures too! 🙂
Aww that’s nice 🙂 i have really enjoyed your blog, Luke’s videos (sorry Luke, I know that word is sooo out of date) make me smile as I love watching people in “real life” on the other side of the world enjoying themselves – is that weird of me? And Amanda, you write so beautifully so as to put everyone right there where you are. Funnily enough when you embarked on this journey I expected to be filled with jealousy (maybe just a tad resentful even) of your travels, but can’t say that I have felt that at all, just love reading about everything you are experiencing… hmmm (yes, I’m one of those weird people who enjoy other people’s holiday photos)… Keep on keeping on and we look forward to seeing you both home safe and sound a little later on 🙂
I love seeing other people’s holiday photos too! I think it’s probably because we’re interested in travel. It really doesn’t seem like it’ll be that long until we’re home and it’s all over…. and time to start planning the next trip in about 8 years!;)
I’m not sure what else you would call them – they’re videos to me, and everyone else I know. 🙂
Living vicariously isn’t weird, I think it’s pretty natural. I always enjoy knowing that my friends are off enjoying their lives and having adventures. It inspires me to want to do the same! 😀
I just got back from Japan on Saturday and I have been thinking about how coming home from a trip to Japan is like coming back from another world, but my experience is almost the opposite to yours. Granted I was not gone anywhere near as long, but I didnt want to come back, real life seems to mundane and normal by comparison to the weirdness of Japan
I felt like that after the Cook Islands trip – 10 days of paradise then back to boring Melbourne. I kept thinking about it for weeks – how much I wanted to go back. There’ll be none of that next year!
Do you think you can see yourself living over there during any point of your life?
I know that feeling….I’ve already felt travel fatigue a few times during this trip and you’re at least two months ahead of me. While I love being on the road, and love so many things about travelling, every so often I dream of just sitting in the sun in my backyard drinking tea and watching the chickens (or something equally as mundane but familiar). One of the best parts of being away is realising how much you love home 🙂
Absolutely! Today I was thinking how much I’ll enjoy knowing which switches turn on which lights when I get back.
Yup. I was pretty excited to get back to the UK because being at Andrew’s is the closest thing to being back home – it’s fantastic! 🙂