Almost nine months later, and here
we are. At the dreaded return to routine. Or the much anticipated return home. We feel sad, somewhat nostalgic. At the same time, it's exciting to see loved ones, and we're ready to experience the comforts of home.
At home. The emotions varied from
moment to moment.
We arrived at the KL airport early,
and spent the last hours discussing the necessities of a return to the
regularly scheduled programming that is life.
P’s flight to Poland left hours before mine, and I kept myself busy by browsing
the expensive shops. A girl can dream,
although that dream was quickly smashed by the stink-eye of a perfumed sales lady,
who refused to recognize my 9 months old backpacker gear of ratty shirt and Ali
Baba pants as trendsetting. Oh,
well. What does she know. A final turn in the ubiquitous squat toilet,
for old times’ sake, and it was time for a grand departure from Asia.
We didn't leave unchanged. Along with the mandatory souvenirs, we took
back so much more. So, a few of my
thoughts after this surreal experience:
-
We learned to yield chopsticks like pros.
-
The local approach: fight heat with heat, both
of the temperature and spiciness variety.
I’m still not convinced that it works, although it does quench thirst.
-
We learned to accept things as they are, not as we
thought they ought to be. It’s an
elusive concept, and I hope we can still practice it back home, as its
application is truly universal.
-
No English?
No problem. You’d be surprised
how effective sign language becomes. Conversely, locals become very attuned to your
body language, so check what you may be inadvertently communicating.
-
Curiosity is a major common trait of every
traveler.
-
I prefer nature-made landscapes to man-made
ones.
-
You may not know their name, but you've learned
their life story. Simple, with so little
time at the crossroads of these common travel paths, people tend to open up
more. And more quickly.
-
Man, jungle insects make some weird noises. I spent many a night awake, imagining what
the creepy crawlies are doing. And, more
importantly, where they’re doing it. Well, not IT.
-
Sometimes, food is best enjoyed while eaten with
hands. For some unfathomable reason, it just tastes better.
-
Check and recheck everything. And I mean everything. The smallest detail can stunt your plans.
-
Freshly laundered clothes are a luxury
under-appreciated back home.
-
My new favorite perfume: mosquito
repellent. No, not really.
-
I nominate the gecko for the least fussy pet
award. Feeds itself while taking care of
those pesky insects. Makes debatably
cooing sounds, perfect for sleep. No
need for artificial white noise.
-
Smaller meals and an intense exercise regimen
(up and down hotel stairs with a 10 kg bag, a few times a day) make for a
healthy lifestyle. Except maybe for the
tons of dust you tend to swallow on local rides.
-
The proverbial “they” say that “getting there is
half the fun”. Yup, the “getting there”
part makes for some really funny stories.
-
Get a thick skin. As necessary as the fore-mentioned mosquito
repellent, but for different reasons.
-
Skype rulez.
The end.
Most importantly, don’t lose sight that you are there to
enjoy yourself. Look. See.
Quest with all your senses. Trip
of a lifetime and all that.
See you on the road!
