Time to go home... Reflections

Wow, I cannot believe it has been over 4 months since I left home. Now, tomorrow afternoon I fly home to Edmonton. I am so excited to see my family and friends again.

The past few days have been very relaxing. I spent Sunday doing absolutely nothing - well, I posted pics on Facebook which took hours (if you have access, check them out) then went to church in the evening and then off to the pub.

Today, I went into London and did a sightseeing bus tour of the city. It was all I really wanted to do... or all that I had left to do. It has been a great time the past week. I have had the comfort of "home" and the ability to travel into London when I wanted. A great arrangement - thank you Sasha and Jimmy! I LOVE Sasha and Jimmy! (they said to say that!)

So, reflections from my time away.

Travel is a gift. I know not many people have the opportunity to travel so I feel truly blessed. I have had the gift of 4 months on the road. I know that I was destined to do this. I needed to take the time to leave home and see the world, or at least a part of it. My mission was to leave the comfort of home and embrace the experience of travel. And I truly feel I have done that.

Travel strips the complications of life away and forces a person to acknowledge what is truly important in life. Backpacking in particular makes a person realize what are the necessities of life and what is just for comfort. For me, I am content with a roof over my head, jam and bread, water and a good pair of hiking boots. Everything else is for comfort. That's not to say I don't appreciate comfort every now and then, but it is not necessary. And I feel stronger knowing I can get by with only the basic needs. My life on the road felt less cluttered and more simple - my sole purpose was to ensure I had basic needs daily.

Travel forces a person to learn about themselves and provides the perfect opportunity to define who you are. Being alone on the other side of the world has made me spend time in my head, identifying my wants, needs, desires, beliefs, values, goals, dreams, fears and everything else. I have had hours where I have been completely alone with no distractions. And home is a distraction. Regardless of how hard you try, a person is always influenced by their surroundings and the people they associate with. This is not necessarily a bad thing but it can delay a person's discovery of their true being - who they were destined to become. Everyday, I feel like I am getting closer to becoming my true self: the person I was meant to be right from the beginning.

Travel exposes a person to beauty. Sometimes you have to look for it but there is beauty and excitement in everything. The moss covered tree stump. The shy child who can't resist a look at the foreigner. The grafitti covered monument. The completely packed subway of all types of people. An empty street at 2am. Museums. Monuments. Churches. There is beauty everywhere: sometimes it just doesn't fit into the conventional description. But I have found something in everyplace that was beautiful and unique and exciting. And surprisingly, I have found things that remind me of home everywhere I go. That could be why I have found them beautiful, as I do love my home and its surroundings.

Travel is exhausting and pushes a person to their limits. It has been particularly difficult to travel on my own as there is no body I can rely on to make sure details are taken care of (accommodation, transportation, food). Despite the daily exhaustion, I feel stronger and more independent than I have ever felt before. I have had to rely on me and only me: my weaknesses have strengthened and I have learned new strengths. Along with travelling alone successfully come feelings of invincibility which I know I must not heed. I have been a conscious traveller aware of my surroundings but not being afraid or weary. I have embraced the situations I have been presented with and learned from my mistakes. My motto for the year was "Travel with love not fear" and I feel I have done just that. And the best part is I still have 6 more months ahead of me. Phase 1 (Europe) is done, now it is on to phase 2: USA & Canada over the summer. I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for all the support and encouragement.

Love, Lisa