AN EXPIRATION DATE

My favorite bridge is not Tower Bridge. It is the Golden Gate Bridge. Because it represents home and is incredible. But Tower Bridge is my second favorite bridge. So I paid it a visit this weekend.

Many people assume that Tower Bridge is actually London Bridge. Cue Fergie –

How come every time you come around
My London London Bridge want to go down
Like London London London

But this is actually London Bridge.

Ehh, not nearly as visually appealing as the image below. Amirite?

As I walked across my second favorite bridge, I thought about how excited I am to return to my first. Before we all lose our marbles, I am not neccesarily homesick. I do not wish to be home instead of here in London. Of course I miss my parents and my friends and would give anything for a weekend of wine tasting with the bunch of them.

But I love London. And I love traveling. And I am only at the beginning of my travels this year.

I have four months of full blown, hostel sleeping, train catching, city walking, photo snapping traveling ahead of me starting in August. London is just the appetizer.

But I do miss the comforts and company of home.

As always when I am away from it.

Knowing that I am going back to California at the end of the year allows me to completely enjoy my time abroad. My year of traveling the world has an expriratoin date. I get to go back to my parents, and my friends, and the Sonoma County wine. And I hopefully bring back with me some extra baggage in the form of a handsome Kiwi.

I am lucky that I can think about home fondly, without resenting my current situation. I assume most of us that have left home to travel overseas, have experienced homesickness. I have on multiple occasions in the past. But not this time.

I am having the time of my life.

I am living the dream this year.

So yeah, maybe I’ll get a wave of homesickness one afternoon. It’s only been four months. Only… Ha. There is still plenty of 2016 left.

I think an expiration date is important to have. It removes permanency. Knowing you will not be in the same place a year from now. Six months from now. It gives you a change of pace, a chance to check in with yourself, and reflect. We all need change in order to move onwards and upwards.

But let me tell you, it is a pretty perfect situation I’ve found myself in folks.

I am so excited to see the Eiffel Tower, the Colosseum, the Berlin Wall, and many other famous landmarks around the globe this year. But it’s because I know I will eventually find myself driving back across the Golden Gate Bridge at the end of it all.

Heading to Bath this weekend!