A Relaxing End to My Trip

I have spent the last few days in Moscow, staying at Yasha's flat with
his girlfriend and roomates. This has been a time for quiet
conversations with friends and reflection on my adventures.

Traveling is a time for adventures and new experiences. It is also a
time for introspection and reflection. I joke with people here that I
do good things now to balance out all the bad things I do at other
times. In all honesty I think the bad things I do are limited mostly
to my thoughts of action and not to the realization of those impulses.
I do seek balance in my activites and endevours.

I spent several hours with a good friend yesterday, one who I am not
able to connect with as often as I would like to. We cought up on the
last year over 4 hours of sushi, coffee, and cake. It is times like
this that replenish my energy for moments like hoping in a cab at 3 AM
to head to a club to go dancing after a day full of drinking.

On this trip I have had quality moments with so many wonderful people.
I have heated whine on the frozen Finnish marshes. I have eaten kabobs
outside, in -20 degree weather. I have watched people juggle fire. I
have walked through a torrent of water careening down the middle of a
street. I have taught people to trust each other I little more than
before. I have made friendships that will last a life time. To me this
means I have "lived" and I will continue to do so in the future while
encouraging other to partake in their own lives.

As I write this, a very dear friend of mine is about to embark on an
epic and life changing journey of her own. She will spend the next
three months on her own in South East Aisia, touring the land and
meeting new people. I wish her the best on her journey and look
forward to reading her posts at http://sumsumterp.blogspot.com I hope
you too will enjoy what she writes about. I like to think that in some
small way I was an influential factor in her decision to uproot her
life and make introductions to the world around us.

Tonight is my final night in Moscow. I am meeting friends for a
farewell dinner at Nina's house. I will be sad to leave all these
wonderful people but they like I, must return to the semi-normalcy we
call our lives. I have already begun to schedule myself for work and I
feel the weight of responsibility looming over me like a piano being
hoisted to the second floor. I know I can bear it and I know I will be
successful, but still it is slightly unnerving to stand underneath.

I have a 14 hour stay in Frankfurt on my way home. I have already
arrange for a hotel very close to the airport. I will attempt to find
"something" to occupy my time. The last time I was in Frankfurt I
ended up in a flat of strangers with no money and no battery on my
phone. I had to walk to my hostel over several hours...it was a good
time.

-Dana