While it's unclear if I took the long way home, the most complicated way home, or the perusual Jenny way home, I, in the end, am damn happy to be here. The 2 buses, 3 planes and 27 total travel hours comprised quite a final finish to this adventure, but in the end, I think it was the extra challenge I needed to feel proud of myself and my 60 day 'round the world journey.
On this trip, I've been blessed with excellent window seats and interesting seat mates. During the whole time in South and Southeast Asia, I did not get sick. Halfway over the Atlantic, Sweet Irony descended upon this fact, and while I don't know whether to blame the beef & vegetable dinner or the cheese pizza for breakfast, I statistically am now one of the 70% of travelers who experience food-related sickness abroad. The 8 hour London to Chicago flight, I again helped my seatmates, this time an old couple from Lyon, France headed to Lima, Peru via Miami (imagine that pronounced Mi ah mi). I tried as best I could to coach them through the confusing and crass Chicago airport as Amelie had coached me. Due to a bomb scare, gate-change and delayed flight, several members of my plane missed or almost missed their connecting flights. I ran, McCully Culcan style, through the Heathrow airport searching for my plane. Upon approaching gate H10, I saw a computer with Portland, OR printed above a little picture of a covered sun, which was pictured above the well-known PDX phrase, "Partly Cloudy". I smiled, for how else would this city welcome someone home?
My week long visit to Frankfurt was a nice transition from East to West. Amelie and Boris are very special, old friends of mine. After spending my first three days in Frankfurt enjoying great food, sparkling water and quiet walks throughout the city, Amelie and I drove up to Boris' hometown of Braunschweig. As photographers and sandwich/blueberry muffin makers, Amelie and I helped Boris host a bachelor party for his good friend. Prior to the sans-female late night events, the bachelor party involved a ropes course, go-kart races and giant mugs of beer. Back in Frankfurt, we had a wonderful Italian dinner to see off Boris' parents, who are touring Oregon and the Northwest this month prior to the big wedding next year. On Tuesday, Amelie and Boris had a dance lesson, my Frankfurt hosts sent me out with Boris' friend, a German banker, on the the kind of date only strange circumstances can bring about. The whole time I've been in Europe, I've felt that I've carried much of India with me, in the smell of my hair and clothes and purse and sandals. I've felt colorful and uncoordinated and distinctly out of place. While I was the only one not wearing a black suit at this swanky upper-story after work party. Letting it go, and I think in that moment letting all the haggled, tired, grimy, clueless traveler fears go, I had a great time in my surreality, drinking free Italian house champaigne, eating from the 5 euro buffet and talking about the Turkish lira.
So, this is the end of travel.jenny until my next journey. Thank you all for reading this blog-- your comments have given me motivation and validation for choosing this experience, and it's been such a pleasure to share it with all you. I look forward to catching up on phone or in person. Keep me posted on your own travel adventures, and take care. All the best,
--Jenny
