A Solo Travellers Mind

1005 days after leaving the UK, I boarded my Avianca flight from Guatemala City, to Bogota, and then on to London Heathrow. The 23 hours travel day, seemed fitting, giving me many moments to reflex on the last 3 years of my life. The reasons for leaving the UK, the reasons I’ve travelled this big land we call the world, and unpack my feelings about my return.

A little part of me was nervous. The anticipation to see how things had changed? Had I been left behind? Had I moved forward beyond the place I use to call home?

Coming home was so weird for me. When I left england I wasn’t the happiness I’ve ever been in life. I wasn’t unhappy, but I was still running from my past, and I was still battling with so many demons that had followed me through life. So to return, by choice was so wierd to me but I was so excited to see my friends and family after quite some time.

When I made the choice to cut my travels (a few weeks) short, and return to the UK earlier than expected, I was very excited to start the next chapter I’d written in this book of life. Par-take in the much over due catch ups with all my friends and family and create some really sweet summer memories (British weather permitting of course!). And yet, in the moments of leaving Central America, I was so sad that this chapter was now over. And slightly scared that the last 7 months had flown by quicker than a blink. A bitter sweet moment.

I’d planned with the help of many a week of surprises. Recruiting family, girlfriends and parents to help me pull off these surprises was key, and these people are owed a big thank you! For they are the ones that have made my return so smooth.

The first surprise in store was my dad.
Clare had managed to pull off a bbq at home with my dad, my God father, my grand parents and family friends (who admittedly at this point I didn’t know), and I arrived mid way through to surprise my dad. I think it’s fair to say he was very surprised. The evening progressed with good food, tasty drinks and conversations ranging from my past travels to my future plans. The topic of life before I was born came up, and this was really lovely too. I still don’t know too much about the life my parents lived before I came along, and suddenly we were all sat around talking about it, and how my parents met, and how my god father met my parents. To most, this is normal, but it’s a notable occasion over here. I headed to bed belly and heart full.

The second surprise in store was my mum. Which in turn resulted in a surprise for me. I arrived, knocked on the door, jumped out shouting surprise expecting to see my mum and instead was greated by angel! All three of us were just as shocked as the other. The day continued with a salmon and veggie dinner, a couple of drinks in the garden and a good chin wag about life, travels, and plans of the future. A few cuddles with the puppy dogs also took place!

My next surprise was for Nic! Her mum come to collect me, and I rocked up at her door unsuspectingly. This lead to her being completely shocked, semi annoyed she wasnt able to prepare for my arrival and us all having a giggle. I got to meet one of the little ones that I’d not met yet, given he’d come along mid way through my travels. And also got reacquainted with my old pal Roo. The evening was very wholesome, involving either entertaining small people, or us sat round the sofa chatting about life, past and present. It was really nice! On saturday, we headed to a market, where Nic has a bakery stand now. Big business changes had occured while I was gone, and I was now friends with a marvellous baker (I might get fat now though…). In the evening we headed to the pub, where I spent most my time playing with the little people once again, clearly they are more my style…

The final surprise in store was for Dan, whose fiancé had managed to pull off the planning behind our surprise. After all getting reacquainted we headed out for some food in town, the first time I’d been in town for years and it’s fair to say, it’s not changed much!

It was really sweet to see my friends and family again. Not much has changed on this side of the pond, but at the same time, everything has. The following two weeks were spent working my new summer job. I’d managed to convince my god father to employe me as the newest marquee erector (lol) in the clang of workers they have. I won’t lie, it’s the hardest graft I’ve done in my life, and I think I actually got sick from the physical labour, however, it has been nice working with family, and also getting to work outside for the first time in my life! A sweet deal if you ask me.