Back on home soil

So last night, I arrived back in Chicago, safe and sound. I treated Friday as a very long day-- eating breakfast in the air somewhere over France, lunch on the street in Amsterdam, and dinner in Detroit's airport. I was pretty disappointed with my planning in Amsterdam-- I arrived back at the airport after heading downtown an hour earlier than I would have needed to so I could have spent more time seeking a nice sidewalk cafe. As it was, I ended up eating a sandwich on the go as I made my way back to Amsterdam's Centraal Station to catch the train to the airport.

I should should mention that on the plane ride home, I had a lot of time to think. The product of all of that thinking was the realization that I have been going through separation anxiety. Looking back further, I think my posts and private journal writings prior to departure have some of the same elements. I don't know what to make of that realization yet, although I think it's positive that I have learned a little something about myself on this trip. As I sat in Kilimanjaro International Airport on Thursday evening, drinking my last Tusker beer and watching some World Cup, I felt relatively at peace. I was leaving this "other world" behind but I felt like I was able to accomplish something productive while I was there and so I guess that relaxed me.

If my previous trips have taught me anything, it's that once I get back, I have a difficult time staying awake past 6:00 pm for about a week, so I'm not going to be getting bent out of shape to make sure I get everything posted this next week. I'll be posting another entry about the fun times with the kids closer to July.