Not that it's a big feat when you're living out of just one bag, but the bag is packed. The flight has been booked. Even the shuttle ticket for the airport has been purchased. This is it. After a month and a half the trip is coming to an end.
In some ways I've never been more ready to be back home, especially for the holidays. And yet, there's a gentle tug. I haven't lived in the US for almost 28 months. This is all I've known for quite some time. What will it mean to be back in the US, to be back home?
This trip has been a whirlwind tour through Central America. We traveled just long enough to see all the countries in Central America, but not long enough to feel like we did a county justice or that our time hadn't been rushed.
That's the rub with traveling. The world is huge and we're lucky enough to have the means to experience pieces of it, but you can never see it all and it takes a long time to really get to know a place.
Coming from two years in Panama, traveling as we have has been somewhat disconcerting. We knew Panama and because of that, we weren't really tourists. We knew the schedules and how much to pay for buses and boats running in the middle of nowhere. We knew the cool places to see, the best places to eat, where to stay.
This trip through Central America has been the opposite. We have the language but little else and that becomes exhausting. There were many times where I felt like cattle being herded to this hostel or on this tour or to this restaurant.
Our travels have added another perspective to the time in Panama. Even though we were working, we had the time to enjoy Panama. At times I literally stopped to smell the flowers. It's not something you necessarily get to do while traveling, but I think it adds a lot to the experience and can make traveling more fulfilling.
So.... After a few years in Central America, I can certainly say it's a wonderful place. There will be times of frustration, but you'll be rewarded by generous people that don't ever seem to be hurried. There will be times you miss the conveniences of home, but instead you'll experience the adventures of getting off the beaten track.
I'm rambling, tired, and excited to be heading back to the US. It's been a great run. Thanks to everyone who's followed along.
-Austin
(and Dan, Dan, Jon, and Derek)
