Most travellers are well aware of the risk of taking awesome trips. The coming home part. Travelling can be an exotic journey of the senses, meeting new people, constant new environments, and then suddenly and quite rudely, we are back where we started.

For me personally, there is always a mixed feeling about coming home. And don’t get me wrong I live in a great city, and love what I do. But returning home spells the end of adventure, the end of the dream trip and the end of complete freedom. Until you let yourself off the leash to do it all over again in the not too distant future, this is the only way around it! Plan the next trip!

Returning home after my 6 weeks galavant around Europe was mostly bewildering this time. I felt really disorientated and completely out of whack for a good 3 days. Whether it be from my persistent jet lag or the fact that I was meant to feel familiar at home, except I didn’t feel like that any more. Everything looked odd, I had taken off my rose coloured glasses, and I was seeing things from a less detached perspective. Travelling allows you time to distance yourself from your things, to grow less dependent on everything and perhaps everyone, and makes you realise you really do not need all that stuff after all. It is nice to have pretty personal possessions, but it is mostly unnecessary.

My garden had gone from lush greenery to weedy and unloved. I felt like all my faeries had left my garden. That sounds weird, but the energy in my garden had changed. I know once I get my hands dirty and my green finger on again I will bring it back to its neat chaotic but loved state again. I had put all my indoor plants outside to receive rain, now the pots had filled with rain from the incessant wintery weather I had gladly missed, but sadly reeked of stagnant water. Leaves were yellowing from the flood like conditions, weeds sprung up everywhere and a few things had simply died off, neglected, death by winter. One consequence of travelling, our gardens become very sad.

Travelling makes me feel so free. I love the randomness of it all. I love the freedom and spontaneity and the options and the possibility of it all. Returning to normality, and back to my little box of routines and patterns is such a contrasting emotion, almost anxiety provoking.

Contradicting everything previously written right here, I am also in love with routine again and being back in my pretty little city called Perth. I am sleeping well, eating balanced meals again, and exercising happily. Earning money is great, it is fun to be back at my job again; and it is really nice to catch up with all my friends again.

I generally feel this way after most trips. I am elated from all my travels, equally happy to be back in routine and equally gigantically confused about what I want to do next in my life. You see, I could do anything! Options are open and opulent and opposing. Quite true. You see I want to travel, and I want to work, and I want to live here, but I want to live there. Oh, it is very confusing. I am sure the dust will settle again and things will become clear. I am craving a sounding board, even though it all sounds completely ridiculous, alas, this is why I write. Lucky you.

After taking some very enjoyable long walks and jogs in my neighbourhood and surrounds of Perth, I realise pretty quickly how magical it is to live in this city. I am a nature lover and here nature abounds. I love the ocean and find myself an easy 10 minute walk from a beautiful coastline. I have 3 swimming pools nearby, all clean and heated and outdoors, I can swim in at my leisure; I love to swim, and this is one thing I missed while travelling. There is much to be grateful for since returning home. I know I just need to take a deep breath, not think too far ahead of myself and know it will all work itself out, somehow.

I need a plan! The problem with my plans right now are they are all contradicting themselves. In time I am hoping my path becomes less confusing and things will unfold naturally as they are meant to.

In only the last few days these places have peaked my interest…more Greek Islands (the ones on the west and east of the mainland), Maldives, Fiji, Hawaii, Iran, Phillipines. So many places to visit. So much fun to be had! So many new trips to plan.

Hope you are well. Thanks for reading. Would love to hear from you!

Anita xx