We’ve started saying goodbye to people. I suppose this means that we’re leaving soon. Proper goodbyes always hurt just a little. They are such double edged swords. On one side they’re an acknowledgement of the exciting future, on the other side they’re an acknowledgement of how sad it will be to leave. I’ve been lucky enough to travel a fair bit, and I’m sure the things we’re seeing will overshadow our home sickness, but it will always linger. I’ll miss things like cricket on TV and the guy at the videoshop who tells me when a new season of Scrubs is in. I’ll miss my friends and the people you bump into around town, I’ll miss my brother complaining about his knee after football on a Saturday. I’ll miss Triple J on my radio.

Yes, I know that the experience gained outweighs any losses, but just because you’re seeing amazing things doesn’t mean you’re not missing the little things that make your life ‘yours’. It’s just a little scary to leave something behind that you know so well. I suppose I’m kind of saying ’see you soon!’ to myself. Or perhaps I’m just feeling the wrong side of the sword…?

Our driving itinerary has been rejected by China. Lucky dad was well organised and didn’t leave things to the last week… The government is not very keen for tourists to wander around Western China’s mostly muslim Xinjiang province. Apparently there’s political turmoil that will make it unsafe.

This problem now seems to be solved. We have redrawn our itinerary. We miss out on Kashgar and Western China which is dissapointing, but we will now get to Kazakhstan via Mongolia and Russia. Hardly a second-best option.

Jack

I dreamt of us leaving last night. We were getting in the car as dawn broke. Mum was there crying alongside a few blurred faces. Dad and I got into the car and I looked over my shoulder and squinted at everyone waving as we started driving off . I remember looking across at Dad and I woke up as he turned to me with a huge grin and said “Here we go…!”.

This trip has been like a tumour in Dad’s head for years. Benign, but there.

Read the rest of this entry »