Can't Hardly Wait

Yesterday afternoon at Tottenham Court Tube station I passed a busker playing an almost perfect cover of Sweet Home Alabama. I wasn't the only one enjoying it, a group of women, seemingly rather intoxicated for four in the afternoon, had gathered around him and were singing along, dancing with enthusiasm. I don't know what it is about that song that is so appealing, even on another continent, but I started to miss home as I waited on the crowded platform.

I can't lie, I am starting to feel the slight twinges of homesickness on a regular basis these days.
I love everything about where I am right now; the people, the city, the nonstop flow of chocolate digestives into my stomach, but there are some things which can never be replaced. As the weather creeps back to sunny and warm I feel an unstoppable yearning for crackling Nationals games, languid backyard barbecues and frenetic dollar pint nights at Rock Bottom with the Friendship. And Spots, my sunny brown-eyed puppy dog. Arlington is calling to me, which means soon it will be time to head home.

But not without a few more adventures first!

I have a month left in London. A really exciting month including a visit from my Dad and Lorry, a weekend trip to Wales, and possibly a chance next weekend to go gliding. Then of course there are all the loose ends to tie up, people to say goodbye to and final London sightseeing tasks to cross off my list.

May 14, exactly 1 month from today (and exactly 6 months after leaving home), I catch a flight to Sarajevo and begin a whirlwind tour of the former Yugoslavia. A month exploring war torn Bosnia & Herzigovina, the sunny Adriatic coast of Montenegro, fierce imperial Serbia, the lakes, caves and Alps of Slovenia and Mediterranean Croatia. This is all capped with a week long cruise off the Coast of Dalmatia. Whew. I'm exhausted just typing it all. The Balkans have gotten a bad rap I think, if you want a taste of where I'm going (and to be impossibly jealous) check out these pictures from Balkanology.com.

I will then be taking my exhausted self back to London to rest for just a few days before it's off again- to Spain! I'll be visiting my dear friend Andrea who is working in Madrid this summer before spending another week or so in Andalusia. At this point I am thinking Cordoba and Seville (but I would love some suggestions).

I'll be taking advantage of the cheap fares in Europe to come back to London, and- if all goes according to plan, I will hopefully be home before the Fourth of July!

It's going to be so hard to leave London. This place has become a true home to me. I feel more connected to it than cities I've actually lived in much longer (I'm looking at you Atlanta), and on some level I don't think I will ever be finished with it. The fact that I have so much to look forward to does make it slightly easier though.