Goodbye Europe, Hello 6,000 Miles On the Trans-Siberian

Originally, I had planned to visit Europe for only a couple of weeks, but it's been two months now and I still don't want to leave. I am now on a train from Riga, Latvia to Moscow and am comforted by the warmth of the Russian people on board. Upon boarding, the 40-something stewardess sat down next to me to explain the entry paperwork and began to softly pat and rub my leg. For a second I thought it was a bit weird, but then realized the customs in Russia will be the most foreign I have experienced so far on this trip. But what may be a common gesture for her reassured me that I would be taken care of here in Russia. I think I'm in for a heck of a week...

It has been incredibly difficult to say goodbye to the many friends I have made over the past two months. Gut-wrenching actually. And for some reason, it's getting harder and harder, the longer I'm on the road. I'm not sure why that is, and to be honest, the only way I can continue to move forward is to believe that I will cross paths with many of these wonderful people again someday. I hate feeling a pit in my stomach. And I admit, on occasion, to avoiding this by guarding my feelings. But in doing so, haven't I just avoided my life?

So from London to Krakow to Edinburgh to Glasgow to the Highlands to Barcelona to Aosta to Milan to Tenuta Mazzolino to Paris to Rotterdam to Amsterdam to Munich to Berlin to Riga, and now to the greatest wide-open space on earth - Siberia.....

It has taken two months, but I finally am ok with having nowhere to be and nothing to do. I'm actually thrilled about it. And, most importantly, I now realize that having nowhere to be and nothing to do is the exact same thing as having everywhere to be and everything to do.

Comments

Anonymous said…
"It has taken two months, but I finally am ok with having nowhere to be and nothing to do. I'm actually thrilled about it. And, most importantly, I now realize that having nowhere to be and nothing to do is the exact same thing as having everywhere to be and everything to do." Just be careful what this "everywhere and everything" you speak of entails. Gotta go thru hell to git to heaven.