Tuesday, July 10, 2012

A Journey of a Thousand Miles...

Home
In less than 24 hours, I'll be boarding another plane.  This time though, it won't be a globe-trotting adventure, but a journey to my own past: Windsor.  Those of you who knew me as a teen or young adult know how much I hated Windsor.  I complained about the air pollution (but Hong Kong has that beat), the public transit (ok, that was justified) and anything else I could think about.  But now, I just can't wait to get back there.  I will walk the same streets I did for the first 27 years of my life, eat at all my favourite restaurants and, most importantly, reconnect with my family and friends.   


It is funny how travelling the world can change a person.  As it turns out, my way is not the only way... often, not even the best way.  With each new place I explore, I find myself taking my mental travel photos with a wider lens.  The contrasts between different cultures, communities and countries make for a beautiful world photo.  The past two years abroad have been fascinating... beyond my wildest dreams.


The Highlights Reel
-getting married to the love of my life
-watching a Great White breech on the side of our shark diving boat in Gansbaai, South Africa
-sleeping in the desert under the stars with Kaitlin and camels on the India/Pakistan border
-waking up at 4am to climb a sand dune and watch the sunrise
-watching the sunrise on the way home after long nights out in Lan Kwai Fung
-getting hopelessly lost in Yangshuo, China and wandering through tiny villages and trails as night closed in
-going on safari in Mosselbaai, South Africa with my dear husband for our honeymoon
-getting my scuba diving license
-having a beer at the highest bar in the world for Kate's birthday
-food everywhere (always with the food, right?)
-flying to Taiwan for a girls' weekend with Shannon, Elaine and Susan
-eating pad Thai and drinking coconut shakes on the beach in Thailand
-diving in the predator tank at the Cape Town Aquarium
-riding an elephant through the jungles of Thailand
-seeing the amazing shows in Macau
-the countless junk trips (with sharks!), girls' nights and karaoke sessions in Hong Kong


The Heart 
They say home is where your heart is.  I feel like I've left a little piece of my heart every place I've been.  But, in place of my heart, I take something from each destination: joy, humility, discovery... My heart has become a patchwork globe.     

For five glorious weeks, I will be home in Windsor.  Then I'll fly back home to Hong Kong.  And then onwards to see the other places I might call home.  I love my nomadic life.  I may not have put down roots anywhere in particular, but I'm rooted within myself and growing strong.