The Return.

G' day gang.

I am home, back in the US of A, tucked up in my little apartment in Boston.  It's been a whirlwind of a return, as I started a new position within my company on Wednesday after just arriving home late, late, late on Tuesday night.  I'm swimming in a massive sea of jet lag, going to bed all sorts of early only to wake up WIDE AWAKE at 2 or 3 am each night.  My luggage remains packed, ceremoniously dumped on the floor of my living room to be attended to...later.  Emails are piled up, bills need to be paid, mail needs to be sorted.  I'll be catching up on sleep and all the rest of it this weekend.

Please do not be fooled though.  All of it, all of the jet lag and playing catch up that needs to happen after a long true vacation on the other side of the world was absolutely 100%...nay, 1,000% worth it.  Australia was everything I'd ever dreamed it to be...and so much more.  We had the best time, truly, the. best. time. and while no one ever likes to see a holiday end, I can't recall a trip I was more upset about coming to a close than this one.  We just had so much more to do!  to see!  to experience! to eat!

When I landed in Newark in the wee hours of Tuesday morning, delirious with flying fatigue and a body that was beyond confused about what country - let alone time zone - I was in, there was a banner strung across the top of the hallway leading to baggage claim.  It was an advertisement for United AirMiles and the picture was of the stunning, gorgeous Sydney Harbor.

"I've just come from there," I thought to myself.  "I stood there.  I saw it.  I breathed it.  I lived it." 
(And now I know for sure it is as beautiful and stunning as every photo will lead you to believe.)

Traveling means a lot to me, of course, but one of my favorite things about it is that every experience, every trip, feels like a glorious, generous gift to myself; one that I will have that for all the rest of my days, no matter what happens I get to keep it.  The trip, the adventure, the experience.

I cannot wait to share my stories, my photos, and the whole of it with you all.  While Australia already feels miles and light years away in some ways, it also feels even closer to my heart than ever before.

So I suppose the secret is out then...that I went and fell in love while Down Under.  With a massive, sprawling, unique and yet utterly familiar land; a country I've known and not known for years; with a place more than 10,000 miles away from the spot I call home; with a travel wish and dream utterly fulfilled.

Oh, Australia.  You were just as wonderful as I'd hoped you'd be, mate.