There's No Place Like Home - 1 Week Back

  Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland
Wednesday, October 15, 2008

well well. can you believe i finally made it? and that its been almost a year since i left? well its true.

and so - 14 countries, 28 flights, 2 dive courses, 67 dives, 2 overlands, 1 nicked ipod, 1 broken mp3 player, 2 bouts of delhi-belly, 4 hospital visits, 1 taj sighting, 1 orissan survival, several tins of cheese,  1 wedding, 1 songkran and too many kilometres to calculate later my circum-navigation of the world is complete.

thanks to so many people....
* to mum, dad & the family for supporting me all the way through
* to steve & adam for transporting me safely around india & for hanging out with me in nepal!
* to pia, stormi, kasia, victoria, nikki & marcella for being super-good roomies along the way
* to sarah in watercolours and fabrece in dive'n'relax for introducing me to the incredible world of diving
* to andy, bex and esp ehsan for transporting me safely through pakistan (and ehsan especial thanks for letting me drive your jeep on the KKH!)
* to mike for accommpanying us safely around china & organising breakfrast (though i still think your thoughts on some things are outrageous!!)
* to paul, paula & brian, shane, stormi & cora for putting me up in your respective houses/apts - it made such a difference - never underestimate the joy of a washing machine and a telly.
* to all the gang in kathmandu (my favourite place probly - its a question alot of people ask me) - everyone in sam's (deepak, kumar, verena, nabaraj), ram from RBC thanks for everything, my lovely safety guy raju in arcadia, shomika my incredible yoga teacher & all the guys in the parcel shipping place in arcadia who must hate my guts by now!!
* to absolutely everyone ive met along the way - ive made some really really good mates and i hope we all keep in touch - (rich, kirsty, ben, till, pia, stormi, victoria, maureen, jerri, miss annie, shomika, alison, joe, diving steve, fionn & yvonne, kasia, richie, jasbir, sharon, mitch, mary, jen, nikki, marcella, jeanette, bowie, everyone in tovutovu, marianne, everyone in all the places ive dived......ive not left anyone out on purpose and im sure theres someone but its not intentional).

but especially to everyone who read my blog and sent me texts and emails and messages throughout the year - it made the world of difference to know people were thinking of me at home.

and so as i struggle to settle back into life stationary in one place and tackle the nightmare of unpacking the gazillion boxes in my attic, ill leave you all to get back to your lives. im afraid you'll have to find something else to do now while you drink your tea at your desk (!) and im just glad i was able to share all my experiences with you.  kim gave me a great quote in san francisco that i thought would be a good way to sign off. its from a dude called warren miller and he said "If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do" which i think is a good way of approaching taking some exciting risks in life like i just did.

until my next intrepid adventure
namaste
nic x

Breathe, breathe in the air
Dont be afraid to care
Leave but dont leave me
Look around and chose your own ground
For long you live and high you fly
And smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be

Sunset on Manhattan Beach, LA