Travel. It’s a mixed bag of feelings being home, but the most overwhelming feeling I have is longing. It’s strange, since I just come back from a five and a half week journey, and I should be content with what I have experienced. And I am; I’m more than content. Through being on my own and seeing such a stunning sliver of the world, it feels as if I just discovered something new, something to keep in my heart, and discovered some curious lessons about myself and the world around me. But that’s the catch. I have only discovered it. And once one has discovered something, it’s not enough to brush through it and leave it as it is. One has to absorb and experience every corner of it to be satisfied. Thus is travel.
Life through a train window
Other than the act of travel itself, I miss the people I have met along the way. I’m not going to say I have completely changed as a person in a mere month and a half, but I can say I have realized a few important things I should have known before. One of these is: All that matters is the moment. This seems to be the most true and prominent for most people travelling, because so often one encounters amazing people along the way, and all you have is one evening with them. You have to make it count, or else it might be years until you see that person again… if ever at all. In the beginning, when I realized this, it hit like a hard, depressing wall. As time goes by, however, you just have to learn to accept it… and simply make the best of the time you have.
Just sit back, and enjoy the fireworks
The other is taking risks – personal risks. Related to the last point: All you have is NOW, so if you want something, get it NOW. Especially when you have NOTHING to lose and so much to gain. For some people this is second nature, but anyone who knows me knows this isn’t the case. One of my greatest personal victories in this trip was walking up, alone, to a group of travellers having a conversation and introducing myself to them. It took a walk around the block telling myself, “Goddamn it, just DO IT” before I mustered up the courage. It’s a small victory for someone like me, and I’m so glad I did it. It’s one thing introducing yourself to someone else who is alone, but a whole different kettle of fish when trying to introduce yourself to a group in the lonesome.
Finally, I’ve come to realize how amazing my home is. Sometimes it does take travelling far away to view your own life from an objective perspective. Calgary in the eyes of a newcomer has been a bit of a shock. It’s so clean here, with fresh air and wide open skies, and the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. The people are friendly with wide, open smiles; and as for home itself… Home is a clean bed and a family that knows how to love one another. There is nothing in the world that is more breathtaking or beautiful than that.
Last night's sunset in Calgary
Despite that, however, home isn’t enough to keep me here. After going out and seeing such a little sliver of the world, it’s impossible to not want to go out and see it all. Now, this is not a question of whether I will or not; I will. I have the whole rest of my life ahead, and I can’t imagine staying in one place for the whole of it. The idea is absurd. There are so many places see, things to do, food to eat, and people to meet that you wouldn’t even get close to whilst at home. The potential experiences are overwhelming, and as much as I appreciate this city, there are so many other places in the world to immerse oneself in.
Budapest: some places unexpectedly blow you away!!
Finally, a dedication to the amazing people I’ve met along the way. I miss them already – both the people I have met, and the people that I haven’t introduced myself to yet. Some of them I might be lucky enough to meet here at home… but for the rest, they’re out there, somewhere else in the world, with new stories and new perspectives to learn from and discover. I’ll end with a beautiful poem from Berlin’s East Side Gallery:
A final word, via Berlin
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