Journey Home – Part 1 – Where is home?
Leaving Qatar for a 3 week break I was excited, nervous and almost trembling with excitement. Most of this was generated by the prospect of heading back to Melbourne and seeing my friends and family, some of whom for the first time in a year. Getting on the plane at Doha wasn’t all that hard – it was hard to say goodbye to A (she’d only just got back from England the previous day) but other than that, no worries. Flying out of Arabia was an exciting experience, especially seeing the mountains of Oman where I’d been only 3 months ago!
Whenever anyone tells you that Australia is a long way from anywhere, believe them. It took 3 flights, 36 hours and the usual travel mishaps to get me through the gate at Melbourne Airport to see my mum. As I was sitting in the slightly familiar surrounds of Sydney Airport, all of a sudden I noticed something slightly awry in the way I felt. It wasn’t euphoria at being in a familiar environment, more a sense that I know I used to belong here, but I’m not so sure any more. This made me nervous about Melbourne, and how I’d feel when I was back in my home town. I realised that I now have two parallel and separate lives, one there and one in Doha. Now its not the streets of Melbourne that I know (I used to know their stories, secrets, feelings, whispers), but the streets of Doha. And even then, I don’t know them very well. This was reinforced on the flight from Sydney – looking out the window I struggled to make out familiar landmarks and know what was what.
After arriving in Melbourne, having lunch with my mum and doing some shopping, I spent the first ‘alone’ time at home in a long time. On the walk through the suburban streets to my parents’ (and my) home I felt uncomfortable in the silence and among the leafy green trees. Where was the banging and jackhammering and dust of Doha? Silence. One of the first things I had to get used to. I’ve walked those streets a thousand times, but this time it was different. It was a different person walking there, soaking it up, looking through fresh eyes. Even the view from ‘my’ window was unfamiliar when I eventually arrived ‘home’. Nothing had changed, but everything was different.
Dan, I do indeed believe you, Australia is a long way from anywhere. Now please believe me that New Zealand is even further! Done the round trip from the UK three times to visit my sister there, and it’s an absolute killer. I’m an occasional visitor to your blog and Flickr photos – they’re interesting and thoughtful.