I’m not going to lie, the first few days being home were probably the hardest. I’ve read blogs, talked to people, came back with with pretty low expectations but it was still hard… A feeling of being completely lost and that you’re not meant to be there… Unable to identify with the general, random, day to day conversation…. You’ve been away… Not heard of the things being spoken of… You’re unable to relate, unable to join in… You feel like you are watching the conversation rather than partaking in it. Your mind is still on a beach somewhere in the sunshine… The change to being somewhere familiar certainly takes a little while to get used to…

You’ve done so much and things are so different, it’s hard not to say “in Australia…” over and over without seeming dismissive. It’s not. It’s trying to relate. To compare and reconfigure in your head… Generic, general questions which are an easy opener for the asker feel a complete brain teaser as you search your brain, zipping through all the memories; trying hard to remember the many places you’ve visited and what they were like and working out if there is an answer to that question and what it might be. Then in that moment remembering the story attached to the question… “Where was your favourite place?” “What was your favourite thing?” The word ‘favourite’ hard to explain… The complicated layers ‘favourite’ unfolds. Many favourites. Many different reasons… Then when you finally start to feel settled, know that you’re not going anywhere for a wee while and have the time to talk, you can start to tell some of the many stories you have to tell… 🙂

Sharing much, I feel like I only scratched the surface with all my Australia tales. Somebody also managed to steal my thunder ;-). One friend wanted to see all my photos! I warned her there are quite a few thousand of them! Where to begin ;-). It was so nice to settle right back into where I had been with my mates before I left. So good to see my besties. It’s been a busy schedule though! Two weddings, birthday celebrations, making sure to visit my sister’s new house, fitting in some of the Edinburgh Festival and catching up with as many people as possible, I have done very well with making use of my time in Scotland :-). Revisiting some places I’ve not been for a long time, Gullane Beach and North Berwick captured me for a day; new places of Banbury and Stratford Upon Avon let me learn about Shakespeare and catch up with Australian friend and travel companion Sarah and reunite with the real George! My visit also involved finding Yoda on the Royal Mile, sword fighting at weddings, Hitler singing Frank Sinatra (not the best festival show…!), ice bucket challenges, hen parties, new babies and nearly due babies, two pizza suppers, becoming a tourist in my home city and managing to spend a lot of time with my family.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

With much laughter, many drinks, much food eaten (have to have gained about a stone!), it is a big big thank you to all those that made my time at home so enjoyable :-). A sorry if I didn’t manage to quite catch you… Hopefully at Christmas :-). My flight back to Australia coming around very very quickly, compared to how I felt initially after I got home, I was more than a little bit sad to get on a plane! The timing perhaps then just right, as well as the sunshine (Scotland has been colder than expected!), I am looking forward to seeing what the next chapter holds :-).