Leaving

The Art of Running Away

Do you ever feel it in your bones? The feeling of being able to drift away with the slightest wind. An empty pang deep inside of you, longing for something, longing for anything. Then you get this idea, this idea of 'away.' It is a magical idea that captures you, it holds you steady. Suddenly you feel something real, the feeling of hope, of absolute certainty that this is what you need to do.

Now unfortunately most of us can not just leave with a moments notice. Well maybe it is a good thing because I would be running all the time, to everywhere and no where all at once. This is when you start the planning, the researching; the loving of an adventure. You begin to plan your escape, but the big question in front of you is: "how?"

First, I did the research. I looked up the places that were in my top five and I made a choice based on which ones were in the same area. Then because I knew my mom might have a small panic attack if I told her that I was leaving to travel the world, I applied at Oxford university for a summer course. I got in and then I began to really save money. I have always saved money for travelling in a little jar but then after I got in, after it became more real; I really began to save each pay.

The toughest part of the planning was deciding officially where I would be going before and after Oxford.

1. Newfoundland (because I had an eight hour layover)
2. London, England
3. Paris, France
4. Oxford, England
5. Inverness, Scotland
6. Edinburgh, Scotland

Once I had my plans all down on paper I told my mom of my plans, I could see the panic in her eyes. She did not try to stop me, she was horrified but I think she knew it would be good for me to escape; plus she couldn't stop me because I was 22.

I could barely contain my excitement, I packed weeks in advance. I got leave from work and I was practically bouncing up and down. Then came the morning of. Despite the fact that my flight was at 4 AM, I could not sleep at all. I was up all night pacing and pacing, making sure I had all that I needed.

Then before I knew it we were at the airport, under the night sky, it was a full moon. We got my ticket and we processed my luggage and said our goodbyes, I was through the gate and sitting in my seat sooner than I had expected. And then I finally felt it, I was full, so full of everything.