It’s an odd feeling coming to the end of a trip like this. I’ve been travelling for 8 months, and I’m going home in 5 days. It’s weird trying to understand what is happening.

Berlin was great, I caught up with a friend I met in Sao Paulo. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t great, but I still managed to see new parts of the city. Its a great place, very easy to get around and had an easier time finding English things this time around. Was just a bit of a shame that I didn’t go out at night there, but it’ll still be there for next time.

Ile de re was a really nice place to be. The island is populated by bicycles, with everyone cycling to go anywhere. It was great to be back on a bike again after so long, didn’t forget like the expression says. It was also the first time I saw my sister in 8 months too. Good to see her, but I think it helped me to realise how much I have changed, seeing something from home to use as a point of comparison.

I was off to Amsterdam after, where I was spending more time with my sister too. Its a nice city, but just doesn’t really do it for me. Plus I had horrible heartburn going in, ended up seeing a doctor to get some tablets for it and its finally subsiding over a week later. Spent most of my time walking around in some of the quieter streets outside of the centre, which was very nice. And my last two days were spent at Dekmantel, which I went to with my sister. Was pretty fun, the first day we sent to was more experimental, artsy, music with the second day being more of a normal festival thing. Surprised me how good it was to go with my sister, being not the most normal person to go to a festival with, but is was great.

Then I was back in Le Havre for a week, hanging out and starting to prepare things for going home. I think it was here that the reality of my travels coming to an end started to crystallise. It is very weird to find this, as you’re simultaneously still travelling but also trying to understand what is coming next. This is particularly relevant for me as I am only home for a little time, before moving on to my next thing. Yet there’s still so much to do at home, I still need to get around to seeing people there and making sure I have everything ready to move to a new country. It’s all such a looming challenge, what I need to do now. Also needing to bring and establish new social networks, also have to see about bringing my girlfriend over.

I’m writing this on the train to Zurich, where I’m going for the last big event of the trip, Street Parade. It sounds very cool, yet I’m also dealing with everything about leaving. At least I’m seeing my sister in Zurich, and still have a night with my french exchange family in Lyon after. But its all coming to an end. At least this stage is.