The Journey's End

Trip Start Jun 19, 2008

Trip End Jul 28, 2008

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Where I stayed

My house!

(Mesa hotels)

Flag of United States Mesa, Arizona
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

So here it is. The final entry. The final words to describe my summer adventure to Europe. I'm home now and officially back to life in America. The 10 hour flight from London to Houston was smooth and my legs didn't fall off despite the fact that I only got up once in the 10 hours to use the restroom. (So I totally wanted to say "toilet" rather than "restroom" there cuz that's what I'm used to calling it now...) They checked my passport and asked me the usual questions they like to ask when you enter a new country. I didn't seem too evil so they let me back into my home country and I retrieved my luggage. I rechecked it for the last flight home where a rather irresponsible looking young man took my luggage. Not that I would judge by looks...it just seems like when he is sitting there chatting up a storm with his friends and didn't even respond when I stood there waiting with my luggage, you don't always want to hand all your things over to someone like him. Anywho, this is where Beibei and I parted ways. She went off to catch her flight to Wichita and I went off to catch my flight to Phoenix. It wasn't exactly a sad goodbye since I'll be seeing her in like 3-4 weeks for school again anyways. The layover was short, and before I knew it, I was on my last flight home. The Houston to Phoenix flight took under 3 hours and I was soon walking off the plane, down the familiar Sky Harbor walkways, and towards my parents waiting for me by security.

We drove home on the much-more-easy-to-understand-than-England roads, and I came to my home once again. When I walked in, there was Jordan and Matt waiting with a "Welcome Back Kristen" sign all decked out with English and French flags! I was rather impressed with their thoughtfulness! It's nice to know that close friends and family don't forget about you even when you leave them all summer!

Once they left, I sat down at the piano for about 20 minutes before even putting my stuff in my room. I had not touched a piano in nearly 6 weeks. I've been playing the piano for over 14 years and have never gone that long without the piano. I felt like a recovering addict that should be saying "Hi, I'm Kristen and I've been clean for 40 days." However, the temptation of finally being in the presence of the great black piano and shiny white keys was too much. I sat down and went at it. I had started to forget the feel of the keys beneath my fingertips. I had started to forget the beautiful sounds that come out when each string is hammered. I took in how it felt as the weight of each key was pressed down and I loved the sounds swirling around me that I had gone without for so long. Once again, I was reminded of why I've been playing the piano all these years.

Then what though? Sure, I relaxed, looked at all the loads of pictures I took, had a homecooked meal, unpacked a few things, slept about 11 hours that night, etc. But how do you adjust to life at home again after spending nearly 6 weeks traveling and having a new adventure every day? It'll come I guess. Soon all the European things will be sorted out, and one by one, life's real responsibilites will be thrown at me again. All my excursions of the summer will be in the past locked in my memory and documented in photos. But though I now go back to being a poor college student, every dollar, Euro, and English pound spent was worth it. The memories will last a lifetime, the good times I had will still bring smiles, and the appreciation for new cultures will stay with me. I now go back to the friends and family I love at home, the school work that never leaves, the jobs and gigs that support my adventures, and all the other things that come with being home. I sometimes wonder how I can be so blessed to have amazing adventures all over the world, yet come home to the routine of life that is just as important and wonderful. Yet now it's time to leave my adventures and once again, return to those blessings that are always here at home. So here I am, signing off, as my France and England adventure of summer 2008 has come to an end!

England Pictures:
6/27/08 - 7/1/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5892&l=d4548&id=1022010001
7/1/08 - 7/9/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5895&l=4db83&id=1022010001
7/9/08 - 7/12/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5902&l=70663&id=1022010001
7/12/08 - 7/16/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5905&l=962b3&id=1022010001
7/16/08 - 7/22/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5909&l=c56b8&id=1022010001
7/22/08 - 7/26/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5914&l=74de8&id=1022010001
7/26/08 - 7/28/08 http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=5916&l=2f8ca&id=1022010001

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