Settled life and reflections

Adjusting to life in one spot has been a challenge.  We got so used to moving from place to place, that it became normal.  Not having a routine became our routine.  It’s an odd sensation to return to a town you lived in, after a life changing experience, to find that nothing much has changed.  And why would it?  Life goes on regardless.  Nevertheless, it’s still surprising to revisit the same old haunts.

It’ll get easier with time as our routines become more comfortable, and we’ll begin to forget that nomadic lifestyle…. And we will start to wonder how we were ever able to live out of backpacks for nearly a year.  But right now, while it’s still pretty fresh, and we are working, and opening bank accounts, and buying groceries, and paying electricity bills, it is an adjustment.

Now that we are back in familiar territory, it doesn’t even feel like we went on that trip.  It’s like it was a dream, or another life or something.  It doesn’t feel real; it feels far away.  The memories seem hazed and like they belong to a different person.

I know that what I’m saying sounds obnoxious to most people.  But it’s a reality for us.  Of course there are great aspects of staying stationary – like seeing friends.  And driving our own cars.  And chilling on the couch with our dog.

And having more than a backpack full of clothes.  And having a steady paycheck -that’s probably the most important.  Oh, and not having to take night buses once a week.  But honestly, right now, I’d swap those for the lifestyle we had.  I’m sure it’s not a lifestyle I will want to continue forever, but right now while I’m young enough and healthy and semi-adventurous, I want to keep seeing the world.

There are aspects of staying in one spot that I never realized were irksome until we took this trip.  Like, toilet paper.  When we were traveling, we bought 1 roll in nine months.  Now, I feel like every week I’m sitting on the toilet yelling, “crap! Paul we need to buy toilet paper tomorrow!”  Ok, maybe we need to start buying larger quantities of TP at a time, but still, it is one of those mundane tasks that drills home the fact that we are remaining stationary.

Being stationary doesn’t mean we aren’t going to travel.  About three weeks after arriving here, I had begun planning another trip.  Just a short trip, but it gives us something to look forward to.

It’s a sad thing, writing the last post of our epic trip.  I think that’s why I’ve waited so long to publish it.  Reflecting on what we did, we realize we were incredibly fortunate.  We didn’t experience any canceled flights, lost luggage, injuries or natural disasters.  Not once did we have to visit a doctor.  Some of the places we visited have been focuses of terrorism recently.  Killing innocent people is a horrible thing.  People the world over, regardless of race, religion and social status, are the same.  Clichéd as it is, we all just want to be happy.  There’s the unfortunate minority that doesn’t want others to be happy, and that leads to the horror we see in the news on a weekly basis now.  Our hearts go out to everyone affected by these attacks.

Seeing how so many people live in poverty, we are aware just how good we have it.  We don’t want for anything.  We never wonder where our next meal is coming from, and we have shelter, clothes, and loving families.  The fact that we were able to see so much of the world is an incredible thing that we don’t take lightly. We both know we had the trip of a lifetime, and are extremely grateful to have had the experience that we did.  The thing is, the more we see, the more we want to see.

On my last day in Prague, just before I moved to Australia, the first time, in 2005, I purchased a copy of Moby Dick.  I’ve been shuttling that book back and forth across the globe for over a decade now, as it is better than any sleeping pill.  Because I only ever accomplish about 3 pages of reading before I fall asleep, I’ve managed to read about 1/4 of the book, but have zero recollection of what has actually happened.  Thus, I recently figured I should start re-reading from the beginning.  It’s still as tedious and no more enthralling than it was when I was 22, but I am determined to finish it.  I guess that’s a bucket list item for me.  At any rate, I came across a sentence at the beginning that quite struck me as singularly appropriate to how Paul and I both feel.

I think that pretty much sums things up.  People say once you get the travel bug, you can’t get rid of it.  I feel that traveling is like a mosquito bite.  The more you scratch it, the itchier it gets.  And our feet are as itchy as can be.

We will keep the blog up and running, to chronicle our time in Australia and any countries we are able to visit while living on this side of the world. (Hint: Timor Leste is in the works!)