Today was the day I returned home.

I’ve been on the road for just over 3 months and although I planned on spending another 4 months out here, it was time to come home.

I have no regrets about not toughing it out and staying for the duration.   Rather, I’m happy I made the decision because at the end I was just going through the motions and not experiencing everything the cities and countries had to offer.

I’d rather come back when I’m refreshed and motivated to explore again!

So, let’s call this a pause to the trip.

I’ll be back to continue my adventures because there’s alot more to see and do (and eat).

Anyway – about that return…

After spending just 10 hours in Manchester, I checked out at 10am and was on my way back to the airport – this time for my 14th and final flight of the journey.

I once again booked Air Transat for my trip back to Vancouver, however, unlike last time I was flying with the rest of the shlubs in economy class.

Economy class actually wasn’t that bad except for the crying baby sitting in the row in front of me.   Seriously, the kid cried the entire flight!

Oh yeah and gone was the extravagant food I received in Club class on my way out.   Now there were the classic microwaved, plastic wrapped dinners.   Yum!

The flight was 9 hours and I passed the time by watching tv/movies the entire time (helped with the crying baby too).

So, I watched the rest of the season of Survivor – yay, Cochran!

We landed at YVR around 2:30 in the afternoon which was almost midnight for me.   I hadn’t really given anyone enough time to make arrangements to come to the airport so I headed off on my own on good ‘ol BC Transit.

BC Transit – bleh!

I had forgotten how much I hated it.   It’s funny – you would think with all the buses, trains, and planes I took the last 3 months a I would be ready for it but, alas, I was not.

From the time I landed to the time I reached the front door of my Mom’s place in Langley (a suburb of Vancouver about 50km away) it took 3 1/2 hours on 2 skytrains and 2 buses.

Ugh.   All I wanted to do was get to my final destination and it was taking forever!

At 6pm (or about 3am my time) I finally arrived at my mom’s front door.   I couldn’t wait to see her face when she saw me.

I rang the buzzer.

Hmmmm……

No answer!

Um, well, this isn’t going to according to plan…

I wasn’t quite sure what to do so I just kind of hung around outside for awhile hoping she had just run a quick errand to the store and would be returning shortly.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what she was doing as I saw her walking across the parking lot.   I quickly sprang into action, ran up to her and yelled “surprise!”

She was shocked and could only mutter the words “Oh my God, you’re home!   What?   You’re home”

Yes, I was home!