Moving on

Our lives are defined at the moment by moving and constantly seeing new places and yet when it comes time to move on it is always the bitter in bittersweet that lingers. The excitement of new adventure is suppressed by the overwhelming feelings that come with good bye. Although I know it is time to move on and I don't want to change the motion of things, I am hit with the necessity of opposition. The flip side of every coin will show its face and with a sad good bye the coin has been flipped yet again.

After 60 hugs and awkward words we make our way towards the exit of the gathering hall, taking our last glances around the room. Some are sad, some seem to not care, the little ones are trying to physically bar our way from leaving while at the same time fighting for extra last hugs. Of course I am moved by such an event to feel loved and missed already at a gathering who's purpose is to evoke exactly that. I don't kid myself that I have really done anything lasting here or that I will be missed after more than a few weeks when the routine adjusts and other visitors come and take our place. But for right now I am paused in idealism with love and positive connections made; the residual of a good experience which has come to an end. i let this feeling be, not trying to change it. It is easy to create a false existence trying to define every new thing or uncomfortable feeling, concocting rules to make the high moments last. But we are gone and it is what it is. Good byes are said and then forgotten, but I know there are parts of me that are changed and I know that will last.

So we are off again, Europe as our next destination. Three days later (day layover in Uganda, two day layover in Kenya, and an overnight layover in Qatar) we will arrive in Zurich. Not the most direct route but that's what happens when you plan your trip a year ahead of time and then have two flights canceled and have to re-book them while abroad and on a budget. Once we arrive in Zurich we will purchase a Eurail ticket and head out on the train to our first stop in a little Swiss mountain town called Gimmelwald, near Interlaken and the famous Jungfrau and Eiger peaks. We have a workaway lined up for Southern France near Toulouse with a woman who's pig just gave birth to piglets as well as having a fine array of other farm animals (baby bunnies and donkeys to name a few). We will then be taking the train to Paris, Frankfurt, Luebeck, Berlin, Venice, Siena, the Cinque Terre on the coast of Italy, and lastly Dublin, where Jessi will catch her flight back home, and I will continue on to England for a week and then back |to Germany until my visa runs out to practice my German and help out my old landlords with their farm work. There are several stops that we are considering along the way if time and money allow, namely; Barcelona, Prague, Amsterdam, and Copenhagen. There is much adventure ahead and we are free birds with the last leg of out long trip ahead of us. This is the play portion of our trip so bless our wallets endure and we are ready to go!

Sweet looking layover in Qatar

Then arriving in Switzerland. Quite a dramatic change of scenery.