BIG DECISIONS. BIG DECISIONS.

Dear friends, family and loved ones,

BIG DECISIONS. BIG DECISIONS. It is time to put a halt to the travel. I have laughed, cried, and well, it has been much better than CATS, but I need to go home. I am not a nomad who has no connections. In fact, I am an amazingly lucky soul who has a gigantic number of family, friends and loved ones. Because of this I am going home a month earlier and will be arriving April 15, instead of May 15. I still intend to go to Latin America for 7 months starting in July.

Some important notes:

AFRICA: I also decided to skip Africa. I am not sure if I can fully explain why. I can say that it was the right decision. Since I made it, I have not looked back. Other than not seeing a couple of great friends (Anston's family) I really feel Africa will be there when I am good and ready.

ASIA EXTENDED: I had originally planned on going to Africa March 3. I am still in Thailand. The extension was the right decision. It allowed me to enjoy and outstanding two or so weeks with Reny (mother) and now I am having a great time with Nicole in Chang Mai, where she has just finished her massage school. The ability to make these changes has been one of the amazing gifts of this trip, and the importance of leaving ourselves open to the changes in life.

EUROPE AGAIN: Well, yes. I am passing by Germany and Rome on the way home. I read a lot about "re-emergence" when I left the States and apparently the process can be pretty brutal. You know, going from having total freedom and 2 outfits to the important KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES in Los Angeles can be a bit shocking. I had planned on my Capetown time as a 3 week transition into the Western world. With that out of the calendar, and invitations to return to Europe I decided it would be the perfect solution. i can return be in the Western world without actually understanding anything.

I leave Thailand the 21st on a plane with Nicole. We split up in Taipei. She goes to the States and I go to Frankfurt. I will be in Munich, Aachen and Berlin, as well as Rome for about 3 weeks and then back home on tax day.

WHY IS THIS ALL IMPORTANT?
Choice. It is what I wrote my college essay on. It is why I have done activist work for so many years. It is why life is so precious for us humans. We can choose to do or not do things. At first I felt guilt - OH, but I had an Africa plan? Oh, what will people think, those of you following my travels? Have I failed? Am I going home too early? Am I a true trekker? Final resolution. All bullshit. Beautiful. Human. And, manure. I took off to see what the world had to offer and to grow deeper into myself. What I found (among many things) is that the values I so cherish are what keep coming through me more and more. Therefore, I love and miss my people and I am going home to see them/you. I feel very, very happy with what I have done. If it were all to end today I would have done an amazing thing. I have an amazing peace of mind about where I am and my choices, and that, my friends, is worth everything.

PLANS? INTENTIONS?
So, again, my intentions are to be in the States 4/15 to 7/15. Then I will go to Latin America for 7 months. I love this idea and am looking forward to its realization. Could it change? Of course. And, again, that is the beauty of it all. So, I will stay tuned to my own life as it evolves, and if you wish, I invite you to do the same. That is, be in tune with the blog...but MORE IMPORTANTLY, MUCH MORE IMPORTANTLY...be in tune with your life and the amazing challenges it brings to you so that everyday you can discover and rediscover the amazing person that you are, the outstanding way with which you survive everyday.

FINAL NOTE: This is not the last entry for this phase of the trip. More to write on -- eating 19 chilli pepper and the morning after, dancing with ladyboys on a popular Thai stage, riding elephants, and drinking cappucinos in a Japanese bakery in Thailand.

"Into the Woods to Find the Giant..."
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