To Foreign Lands

In just a few days time, I’ll be looking down at the world again from the tiny window of a large jet. I’ll soar over the Pacific, make a pitstop in Hawaii, and continue on to Oceania! I’ve been waiting for this flight for months, and I could not be more excited. I’ll be in the summer sun, escaping the New England cold (which I’ve done already by being in SF. Everyone is talking about how fridged it is here, and I laugh to myself, imagining a snow covered Vermont with icicles hanging from rooftops). I don’t need to worry about packing and fitting everything in my bag because I’m always already packed (the joys of traveling light!) and I feel ready to just zip up my bag and get to the plane. 

I’ve been thinking about this next trip, and I’ve been looking at maps and globes, tracking my route of travel, and I know that I will be the farthest I can possibly be from home. I had similar feelings when I went to Japan, but then I knew I would be gone for just a few weeks, but with this, I will continue to travel. It’s true, that after Oceania my route of travel will bring me closer to home, but I will still be an ocean, several time zones, and many hours by plane away. It’s a strange feeling to get used to, to know that I will be on the other side of the planet, in terms of both the N/S and E/W hemispheres, but that I will also be on an island, so removed from everywhere else; although, I suppose it’s not the most removed island that exists. Anyway, I’m starting to understand just how far away from my friends and family I will be; but that aside, I’m still beyond excited to go and travel there.

I never really anticipated going to New Zealand, and it wasn’t until recently that it was put on my list as a place I would like to go to. Not because I didn’t like it before, it just never really passed through my thoughts. But now, it is the place I am most excited to see on this trip, It will be warm, there will be glow worm caves, beautiful trees, ocean and beaches everywhere you look, and people I’m excited to meet!

This will be the first year that I won’t be home for winter. I always thought it would be great to skip a year of snow and cold, but every time I see an image of snowflakes falling and winter scenes, I get just a bit nostalgic, and a longing to make snow angels and build snow forts. But, then I remember that I’ve done that every year and when a winter lasts as long as a New England winter does, I think I’ll be fine sitting this one out. Besides, I’m sure I’ll experience a bit of snow in a mountain range somewhere along this journey.

To San Francisco:
Thanks for hosting me and letting me see and experience different parts of the city. You’ve shown me how much a little space can really pack in, and just how diverse that can be!
Perhaps again, I’ll see you another time!
Thanks for the friends, thanks for the sights, and thanks for the things to do.

**This video is having some technical difficulties. I will get this fixed...
It will be on Facebook in my San Francisco Album as well.**