Home » Argentina » And I'm Spent!

Ummm, where did the year go? One minute I’m swinging an all-too-indolent backside in a hammock, next thing I know I’m home and dry. So what about the last two weeks? Well with little under a fortnight left, finally I flew out of Colombia - with virtually no doubt, the most phenomenal place I will ever go - and flew straight to Buenos Aires for one last stab at becoming the youngest man in history ever to contract gout.

And I'm Spent!

Graham Perkins
2006-10-07 12:27:32

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and down the land would have become by now.

My smile widened upon seeing Mike and Mel who had surprised me by joining my folks to meet me at Heathrow. I’d been well informed that before long at home it’d feel like I’d never even gone anywhere. I couldn’t help notice things happening even quicker than I was expecting, my smile slowly fading somewhere between junctions 12 and 13 of the M25...

But bullshit things are all the same; six months ago the dishwasher broke down, didn’t get replaced and no-one even informed me! I’m sure I’ll find other examples in due course but now, a fortnight after arriving home, rattling around a large, empty house almost like an honorary third retiree at least I can appreciate better than ever why they never bought a new one.

No, in truth it feels great to be home. Firstly because it’s given me an opportunity to compare myself now with a year ago and really surprise myself with how much more I’ve developed, emotionally and in confidence but also because of the excitement I have with regard to the future. Once I’ve got through my long to-do list and got this little bitch written I can really sit down and assess my options. I may end up deciding that the long wait I’d endure before teaching in Japan leads me to look at alternative ideas; attending university in Medellin, Colombia (“FARC off.”) to study something relevant and interesting (so err not maths this time), cheeky applications for ideal careers perhaps at home, perhaps in Spain, Brussels or Australasia or, after much encouragement from various directions, even push for eking out a living as a travel writer or journalist as apparently this blog’s alright.

And Gawd bless that Anti-Age Discrimination Bill passed this week. On paper, there's never been a better time to go another 26 years without thinking about starting a real job!

Above all, though I’m just quietly proud to know the friends I’ve made - many of whom could never have got to England to find me here - and also of the traveller that I’ve been for the last twelve months.

I really hope you’ve enjoyed my trip - thanks for reading!

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