On my way home...

... here I am back at Jo'burg airport, where I've been sitting for the last 2 and a half hours. I left my hostel at 12.00 today and Namibia at 15.00. There's still over three hours until my flight leaves for Paris, and about 18 hours before I can expect to arrive back home.

Travelling through Walvis Bay airport was a nice reminder of how travelling ought to be - a small building, but enought to house 4 check-in chounters, a small tourist shop and a coffee shop. Passing through immigration to leave the country took less than a minute (with accompanying stamps - how I miss that "stamp, stamp, stamp" sound when I travel in Europe, and passing through the single X-ray machine was hassle-free (no removing of laptop from the bag, no separate bag of liquids, no taking off shoes, no taking off belts..... wonderful and fast!).

Arriving in Jo'burg though has plunged me straight back into my normal existence - the airport is packed with people, even the business lounge where I'm sitting is pretty much wall-to-wall, and full of noise and wheely-bags to trip over. I'm already missing my uncomplicated life out in the desert where I never even had to consider whether I was carrying any money or keys. I loved sleeping out under the stars and I missed it the last two nights back in the hostel. My group-mates who are staying out at EHRA for the next two weeks will have already had their briefing and will be getting ready to set out again tomorrow morning. My other companions are mostly staying in Africa and travelling further. I envy them!