It Took Me Only 2 Hours to Fly From Cairns Back Down The Coast It Took Me 28 Days To Get Up To.

Leaving Cairns, I am really happy. It's just a 2 hour plane ride back to where I (kinda) started a month ago. I'm absolutely delighted with the trip I've just had up the coast, as with the entire past eleven months in Australia.  I honestly can't believe it, but it feels a bit as though my time in this country is done, even though I still have a little over a month left here. Although I don't want to leave, especially leave the down-under weather, I feel as though the year can be completed whole-heartedly contently. I know I said before that if I could do it again, I would have done everything differently, but regret none of it. Knowing that now is all part of the traveling adventure and self enlightenment.

I have experienced a tremendous amount; I have seen iconic and stunning places; I have endured and persevered, emotionally and physically; I have grown up; I have made necessary sacrifices and worthy splurges; I have been blessed with the utmost kindest generosity and welcoming hospitableness; I have more confidence and am not only more comfortable with myself, but proud of what I've done to get there; I am still as indecisive but maybe a bit wiser; I have learnt things about myself, other people, other places and cultures and how to travel; I have seen places I have wanted to check off an invisible list of places to see, but realised that it is all about the people you are with who make the memories you will remember about the place; I have eternally grateful, appreciative, and indebted for having all these opportunities; I have met so many incredibly wonderful people that I truly feel grateful to have in my life and make me want to continue to travel - not only for the thrill of meeting new friends, but to travel to where these new friends are now to meet up again; and most importantly, I have fulfilled my 3rd grade dream. All of this with no plan except a one way ticket. The year at UNISG might still be my favourite, but this past year has been solidly the best one for me personally. It makes me excited and want to travel more, to see more of the world, to meet new people and visit friends around the world, and test more of myself in new situations to see how it will mould me into who I am supposed to be.

Since I know my time is coming to an end here with just a few weeks to enjoy the warmth of summer and spend the remaining time with my friends, I think I have nearly checked-out. When you know something is within your grasp, even if you don't want to leave, you start to look towards the future, to what's next, and get excited to go home to bask in the little things that have become luxuries to the backpacker. Despite everything I just mentioned from the last year here that I am going to honestly miss, and even though I still don't know where home is, I cannot wait to see my family.

So, as I fly over the Great Barrier Reef again (not as cool as my Whitsunday trip, but still really amazing to see from so high up) with my window seat overlooking the same coast I just traveled by ground up, it feels like the perfect ending.