Musings of an Eagle-Eyed Coder & Designer in the Making
“Journeys, like artists, are born and not made.
A thousand differing circumstances contribute to them, few of them willed or determined by the will – whatever we may think.
They flower spontaneously out of the demands of our natures – and the best of them lead us not only outwards in space, but inwards as well.
Travel can be one of the most rewarding forms of introspection…”
– Bitter Lemons by Lawrence Durrell
I was so worried about returning home after my stint in Canada.
Was I going to see it with a new pair of eyes or was I going to be bored in the same-old-same-old way? Would things for me to discover or was I going to be frustrated and restless being in my home country again?
Thankfully, it’s been the former.
Having had travelled around North America, it has made me aware of how little I go out to discover the UK. I’ve been very fortunate living in various parts of the United Kingdom: in York, Brighton, and Bristol. But due to not having my own mode of transport, I wasn’t able to roam far.*
Now I am armed with a new car – weather and energy permitting – I have been gifted with the opportunity to discover new places, such as Painshill Park:
Since I’ve returned to the UK, people often ask me why I left Canada when my visa was up and didn’t apply for PR (Permanent Residency) instead.
My answer is always the same: “there is so much of the world to see!”
Working in Canada, I learned so much more about other countries: I made friends with Syrian refugees, I ate at Korean Tofu Houses (including Chinese dumpling spots and Vietnamese Pho cafes), and I met Iranians who had fled the Islamic Revolution. In the States, I adored the Mexicans and met many people from El Salvador, which was new for me.
All my life, I’ve been very fortunate to travel to many places, but something changed by being in North America… Continue reading “Travel Tuesday: There Is So Much of the World to See!”
I miss roaming.
That amazing feeling of just going off and discovering something new in a different place.
Upon returning home, it felt like my roaming days were to be on hold for a while. At least, until I found the next abroad programme. Since I had gotten into travel photography when I was in Canada, I was worried my hobby would stall big time being back in the UK.
But Instagram helped me keep it up; it suddenly made me look at London with a different perspective. From experience, I know that there is more to England than the Big Smoke. I decided to implement my roaming skills from abroad to my home country.
Luckily, my father kept my old car, Louie, for me while I was away. Since it needs to run regularly, I have taken my days off from work to jump into the car and drive to someplace new with the aim of a something interesting to photograph.
Now that I’ve ceased travelling for a bit, it really is time to write about all my experiences in North America.
Writing, while travelling, is soooo much easier said than done…
On the road, I always wanted to be out there experiencing all that my new cultures had to offer. Not sitting inside writing about it. Plus, by going out and exploring, I would get the inspiration…
The Eagle Eye View 