Home is half a world away

Our suitcases were closed and locked for the last time as we checked out of the hotel and made our way to the terminal to run the gauntlet of security checks.  Thinking there might be a Qantas Club there where we might avail ourselves of some breakfast (silly!) we came to the rather rapid conclusion that Qantas is very much the invisible partner in the Emirates-Qantas ‘partnership’ and ended up breakfasting at Starbucks instead. 

For a nation of hypochondriacs which literally sees a pharmacy on every street corner, I was amazed (and a little despondent) at the lack of pharmacies inside the airport terminal.  With nothing to settle my stupid stomach it instead meant a tour of the Charles de Gaulle public facilities before boarding the plane with fingers crossed I’d get home in one piece:(

* * * * * *

Somewhere between the northern and southern hemispheres in the pale light between night and day, where the credits to the third consecutive movie were creeping up the screen, aching with fatigue and muscle cramps from sitting for 11 hours and no longer knowing whether it was night or day, came the time for a little circumspection.  

The bits of the holiday I enjoyed the most?

• Catching up with family and friends
• The nice little surprises along the way like the Portmeirions of this world
• All the funny, kind, and inspiring people we met
• Walking the trail and not having any other thought in the world except the next footstep

My kind of wonderful

Oh and did I mention how important it is to travel with a buddy?  (Also helps if your best buddy never goes to Jamie’s Italian ever ever again.)

Me and my travel buddy