Current Location: Coming Home

Anticipation

Planning for my trip, buying travel equipment, making plane reservations, saving money.

Sadness

Sitting in the airport in San Francisco with Jennifer next to me, my arm around her shoulders, knowing I wouldn’t be seeing her again for another month.

Excitement

Looking out the window of the airplane and seeing Dublin for the very first time.

Stepping through the portcullis into Edinburgh Castle.

Exploring the Natural History Museum in London.

Happiness

Sitting in a pub in Westport, Ireland, listening to traditional Irish music with a good friend and a famous Celtic flautist.

Wandering the streets of Tain and enjoying the quiet and the scenery.

Sitting in the theater and watching Hamlet performed by some of the finest actors in the world.

Loneliness

Watching A– pack up her belongings, and knowing I’d be spending the rest of my trip, nearly three full weeks, on my own.

That night, taking out the lock of Jennifer’s hair that she’d given me before I left and re-reading the notes that she’d left in my bag, and knowing that it would be three more weeks before I could hold her again, and wondering if I could arrange my flight to come home early.

Frustration.

Wandering Glasgow, looking for a bank that would let me do a cash advance so that I could afford the train ticket out of that town, and knowing that I’d be stuck at least one more day there.

Awe.

Exploring Inismor off the west coast of Ireland and looking at geological formations and tide pools.

Visiting the Holy Trinity Church in England and realizing that the church where William Shakespeare is buried is still, after 750 years, an active parish and that people have been worshiping there for longer than the United States has been around.

Annoyance.

Dealing with a cold while trying to explore the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum.

Sadness.

Knowing that I’m going home now and will be leaving this wonderful place behind.

Happiness.

Knowing that I’m going home now and will be seeing Jennifer again for the first time in almost a month.