back in London
you know how nice it is when someone comes to pick you up at the airport? especially when that someone actually parks the car and meets you at the arrivals gate, wearing a look of anticipation as they watch for you to appear from the terminal?
there was no one waiting for me when i got into London today. there's something lonely about dealing with two 12-hour flights and a rather large pile of luggage on my own. it hits me when i walk through the arrivals gate and see all those faces waiting for someone else. it hits me again when i get home to the empty apartment. it hits me again when i cook up a veggie burger for one, and again when i can't decide what to read while i eat my veggie burger, because the truth is i'm too tired to read and i just want someone to enjoy the goofiness of jetlag with.
i got back to London today, leaving Tim behind in NZ. he'll be back in a couple weeks, but wouldn't it be nice if he were around today to keep me awake?
instead i'll drink yerba mate and listen to Faith No More and kick it in the apartment wearing pajamas and a warm pink robe.
in the thick of sudden solitude, i'm also happy to be back, a feeling aided by short queues at the airport and an unusual amount of sunshine for a London winter. in the cab ride home, i stared out the window and watched all the old stuff go by and realized how much i like being surrounded by old buildings. even the relics that are in dire need of a bath remind me of the grittiness that gives London an edge. i guess i'm just glad to be back in a real city again.
and speaking of the city, i start my new job tomorrow!
