Back home

You're a very loyal reader to have got to this point, and I thank you for that. I had planned to do a signing-off post soon after I got back, and I've finally got round to doing that now.

Well, I was away for 303 nights, 35 of which were spent in a tent, 15 in mountain huts and 14 on buses, trains and planes. I read 36 and a half books and took 17 hitch-hike rides. I saw some astounding places and met some extraordinary people. I well and truly have the travel bug.

As I landed in to Heathrow just over a month ago, the weather was dreary and overcast and I was glad about this; it wouldn't have felt right to land back in to a UK blessed with good weather. I was pleased to be home, and this was exactly what home was supposed to feel like.

Since I've been back I've been trying to sort myself out. I have a job for the time being at the shop in which I used to work in St Albans, while I look for a more permanent job. In addition, I've worked on my CV, I've relearnt Java, I'm improving my Spanish, I'm doing some freelance web work and I'm applying for jobs. I'm hoping to find some charity work to do while I'm still here in St Albans without a full time job.

I'm having to make some serious decisions about my life now. Emma and I have both voiced thoughts about going and living abroad for a while, to learn a new language and do something worthwhile with our lives. We hope that over the coming months we'll consolidate these thoughts into a rational plan, but for the time being we will both be seeking jobs here in the UK. Emma arrives back here just before Christmas.

Some final news: though it's a bit late I've eventually got round to creating a custom domain for this blog. As you may have noticed in your browser address bars, the blog is now permanently situated at

www.rucksacmonologues.com

I hope to use this blog for any future travel escapades (there will be some) so stay tuned, and thanks for reading!