When I got back from my last trip a little over 2 years ago, I took a break from traveling, from normal life as I knew it. My last trip I funnily enough labeled as my 'goodbye trip', in which I was saying goodbye to that part of the world not knowing it would be a goodbye from traveling abroad for a while. And so my 'reversed sabbatical' began.
I adapted to the situation quickly and just went along with it, taking things one day at the time. I wanted to stay safe for myself and the (vulnerable) people around me (and it did give me an excuse to not always be so busy). But it hasn't been a life that I am particularly proud of, yet I am proud of myself for doing it. I found happiness in the little things, glad I've always been able to do so. And I lived a happy, well balanced life, quiet but peaceful and focussed on work. I could get excited for buying a new piece of clothing which I rarely did unless I needed to or spend money on something else that I normally wouldn't because I saved everything for my trips or other outings. The complete opposite of what my life used to be, but all needed to adapt.
Having said all that, it brought me a lot of good things and so I wouldn't change any of it. I bounded a lot more with some of my friends and familymembers, I made home improvements that I wanted or needed to for years, I developed new skills and took on new hobbies, I learned how to keep my energy levels up when working from home, I started walking everywhere instead of always taking the car (just like I would do abroad and so I saw my walks as small adventures), I never set an alarm unless I absolutely had to (still don't), I didn't plan much ahead because there was no need to. "Let me know that week or day, I'm pretty sure I have time" was usually the response if somebody asked haha. I lived a very happy day-to-day life :-)!
The one goal and also my first priority was to go see my brother and his family again and I kind of planned it but not months or weeks in advance. And even on the day I left I wasn't sure of it, of leaving my house again for a few days, of going on a trip again, of driving all the way until I just decided to go and I left within minutes. It had been 2 years since I saw him and 2,5 years since I saw the kids but it never felt like it because of all the shared pictures and conversations. Until I realized it and it was safe to go again, and so I had to and I definitely wanted to! And so there I went, in my powerrrfull Nissan Micra, on the road again. It was a looooong and beautiful drive and I was reminded of all these countries/parts of the world I visited and some I hadn't even been to; Australia, US, Canada, Asia. And so I was very emotional when I arrived, not just because I finally drove all this way (I've been wanting to do that for years!!) and arrived safely, and not only because I could finally give my big brother, the kids, his wife a hug again, but also because it kind of ended my sabbatical and gave me back a little piece of me.
And a few weeks after that, and a little over 2 years since my last flight, I was getting on a plane again for a Christening in the UK. I met up with a travel buddy and her husband and finally met her little girl for the first time. This was the same travel buddy that got me to go to Bali for the first time and I ended up extending my time there because I felt like I was home and now that same friend was the reason I was getting on a plane again, 'coming home to the world again, back where I belong'. Thank you for giving me a reason! I also met up with another travel buddy that took me on an unexpected 2hour hike, great fun though, cheers! I must say that, even though I thought getting on a plane again was going to be such a big deal, it felt completely normal, as if it was only the day before that I last got off a plane. Having said that, it was only a one hour flight. Took me longer to get home by train haha. But again, it gave me back another little piece of me.
And it wasn't too long ago, I somehow, in an unrelated conversation I had, realized that I hadn't been myself the last few years, not really, not 100% and that kind of made me sad for a moment. It's almost as if I hid a part, a huge part, of who I was. I just adapted to a new situation, a new world and made the best of it and I guess that part I couldn't use went into 'lockdown' as well, safe and sound. And ever since I realized that, and also with the small steps I took into traveling again, I started getting back out there, slowly with Covid still in my rear view mirror. Still there but at a 1,5m distance ;-).
And I have noticed that I am still a bit out of balance when I do go out again or have a lot going on again in a week, I go overboard, I plan too much, I do too much and I get tired. The kind of tired I used to balance out with my travels. Or I don't want a night to end because I finally feel like I'm me again and I overdo things. And it sometimes makes me want to go back into my quiet bubble. But I just have to re-adjust, find a new balance, combine the old with the new and fit all the pieces back together again. And they will! And then I'll be like, "Hey world, knock knock". And the World will be like "Who's there?". And I go "I am". And the World says "I am, who?". And I go; "I am báck baby!". Haha sorry, have a great sunday and no matter the circumstances, make today a good day, as best as you can and one that makes you smile. And if that is doing nothing, do nothing! Because true happiness comes from within!
Cheers,
T.