Departure Lounge

So here is a picture of me, drinking a G&T at the airport, on my way on an adventure. I've been fortunate to have done my fair share of traveling....but you know what? I hate it when people tell me how lucky I am. I know I'm lucky in comparison to some folk, but to those people who usually say that - not really lucky compared to you.

All but my immediate family live overseas, so instead of holidays to the coast or really any trips away growing up, my parents worked two jobs each to make sure every 4 years or so we could go back to the homeland. I was really fortunate to grow up and experience the world from a young age. I have memories of flying over the slums of Mumbai, the smell of caraway seeds cooling with roasted pork,my grandmothers secret stash of lollies for me, and car trips past fields of wild poppies or slopes of snow (depending on the season). 

I think in a way because of this, I've made sure I've travelled regularly since I was old enough to hold down a part time job. I do have a connection with the country and culture of my parents and theirs, but I think travel to new places is such an adventure - the new sounds and smells, but also the reassurance in a way that even new things can at times feel and seem familiar? In making travel a priority, I've forgone other luxuries - so luck it aint...it's just spending money on what is important to me. 

So I've left my yellow house in the U in very capable hands, and am on my way to Thailand! I'm excited about catching up with friends there, but I'm also feeling a little anxious about the unknown. It is a hard thing to put into words, but after spending the last few years traveling with my partner at the time, there comes a little lack of confidence in going solo again. I think it comes down to a whole mess of emotions I've been going through at the moment...and typing this in the departure lounge I'm kind of filled with a mix of sadness, that I know will give way to excitement. Usually I'm an optimistic person, but sometimes I over analyse and by stopping my normal life and going away, I now have extra time to look at where I am and where I thought I'd be, and still wonder how this big old rug was pulled out from underneath me?