It is taking me quite a lot of courage to continue on writing this bog. Back at home, in cold Brisbane, rugged up in a blanket in my bed.. not so inspiring as the turquoise waters and endless ocean.
On my last evening in the Maldives, I enjoyed some BBQ fish on the beach with some of my pals. What would it be without a final midnight swim and making the most of the last hours I had left. It didn’t seem real, that I would actually walking away from Paradise and not coming back. I think I was in denial. I avoided saying goodbye as much as possible and when I did depart, it was with a ‘I’ll see you somewhere around the world in the next few years’. It was the type of place which attracted travelers. People who would work there for perhaps a couple of years, before moving onto the next. I can’t imagine not seeing my closest LG friends again, and I know that we will keep in touch and catch up along our way; or, at least that thought gives me some condolence. The last few days in the Maldives have proven to be very memorable. When I close my eyes, all I see is the blue seas, starry skies and glowing plankton in the sea. I still feel like a part of me is there, that I haven’t completely left. I think I will carry this forever.
Tuesday morning I was rudely put on a 6am staff charter seaplane, which meant i had 17 hours in Male until my flight! After some stuffing around, I ended up spending from about 9am - 7pm at a nearby hotel and sleeping by a swimming pool in the cool and overcast weather. It ended up being an expensive day, long and very tiring. Reality was starting to hit. Though I wanted the transit to be over and for me to be home already, I was starting to feel a hole in my heart, knowing I wouldn’t be going home to LG.
After a few hours at the airport, I headed to board my plane. Unfortunately I couldn’t make the most of the inexpensive cafe Patron (Tequila), as I was changing flights in Kuala Lumpur - where it happened to be more than double in price. After a rough flight to KL, with little sleep, I was worrying about collecting my bags and checking into my next flight in enough time. Thankfully my transit went quite smoothly and I was immediately making the most of a great wifi signal. The final leg home and I had a spare seat next to me, so I alternated between watching an hour of a movie, and sleeping for an hour. We arrived earlier than planned which was nice, but as per usual, the airspace in Brisbane was congested so we had to circle for 20 minutes before hitting the ground.
It was a quick walk through immigration, bag collection and then slid smoothly through customs. A teary arrival at the gate, before the long awaited drive home. The air was cool and unfamiliar, and I started to feel quite emotional about not being on my island home.
Thursday through Monday have been a flurry of social activity. Plenty of partying, napping, and eating far too much food. A few more days to catch up with the closest friends in my life, before kicking back and spending it with the absolute nearest and dearest to me, preferably by the beach! All the while, trying to figure out where the next step is going to be to.. There are plenty of ideas, but nothing really grabbing.
Each day my heart is a little sadder for having left the Maldives. I could nearly cry at the thought of no longer being there, but whether I like it or not, it’s time to move on. I had the most beautiful experiences of my life, in location I could only ever dream of existing. It’s time to give thanks, and release.
K xx
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