Time serves as the dimension of change. Simply put, we gauge the pace of change using time. For instance, motion—changes in position—is measured in units like miles per hour. The miles quantify the distance, while the "per hour" (time) calibrates the rate. A rough estimate indicates I covered approximately 25,000 miles in the last 12 months, translating to an average speed of 3 miles per hour (just under 5 km/h). Fascinating statistics, don't you think?
There's a notion that extended travel alters one's personality. While change is constant, there's a belief that prolonged journeys induce more profound transformations.
I ponder if this connection between travel and change echoes the motion factor, akin to the concept explored in the movie "Interstellar." During one of the scene, the film illustrates a water planet where time behaves differently due to its proximity to a supermassive black hole named Gargantua. This celestial body creates significant spacetime curvature through its gravitational fields, causing extreme time dilation. Every 1.25 seconds on the water planet equates to a day on Earth. The characters return to the spaceship after just three hours, finding their friend aged by 23 years.
"Interstellar" is a cinematic masterpiece. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend adding it to your watchlist.
As I reflect, I'm uncertain about my feelings. Did leaving behind my normal life for 12 months age me, or did it feel like merely a few months had passed? If forced to choose, I'd say I resonate more with the person who stayed on the spaceship.
Last flight before returning to the starting point
Seated at the Budapest airport, awaiting my London flight, a sense of mellowness and fatigue envelops me. I've completed the most significant adventure of my life thus far. The final leg involved an eight-week visit to Hungary, reminiscent of the extended stay during the pandemic lockdowns.
While waiting for departure, I attempt to craft narratives, elevator pitches, and conclusions about my current life, yet it feels too emotional to encapsulate just yet. Recognizing the need to regain strength and health after neglecting my body in recent months, I commit to reading books and playing the keyboard—a source of joy. I've pledged to gain confidence in playing, ensuring I can use public pianos without hesitation.
Though I have numerous small-scale goals, none seem compelling enough to propel me out of bed each morning as the anticipation of the preceding adventure did throughout 2021-2022. I possess residual energy, but sooner rather than later, I'll need to discover something that moves and inspires me—a quest for the next few weeks to rediscover myself based on the experiences of the past year.
Completing a yearlong, around-the-world travel adventure
Thoughts remain in travel mode, creating a sense of unsettlement yet accompanied by enormous pride when recalling the incredible places visited and experiences gained. It's astonishing how perspectives shift after such an adventure, fostering an increased hunger for knowledge about life.
Once resettled in the UK with a structured workweek, I plan to adopt new habits: investing more time and effort in relationships, avoiding taking those who care for granted, minimizing my carbon footprint, consuming less meat, appreciating comfort and safety, and continuing my journey toward self-awareness and acceptance.
The list of countries and places visited is extensive, but here are the key locations:
UK
France
Spain
Portugal
St Lucia
Colombia
San Blas Islands
Panama
Ecuador
French Polynesia - Marquesas
French Polynesia - Tuamotus
French Polynesia - Society Islands
Niue (New Zealand)
Tonga
Fiji
Vanuatu
Australia
Indonesia
Singapore
Vietnam
Malaysia
Hungary
UK
I often find myself studying maps of my route, daydreaming about the feelings, food, landscapes, and people encountered.
"I am not one and simple, but complex and many." — Virginia Woolf, The Waves
We all undergo various phases and chapters in our lives. My pursuit over the years has been to comprehend why I do what I do and establish goals for my actions and behavior. Consciousness of my actions aids in change and adaptation—ceasing certain activities and embracing new ones. The Beatas of five and ten years ago differ from the "now-me."
I've also dispatched a message to future-me. An email will reach her with the following. Let's see how it works out.
"Hi future Beata. How is 2028? I hope you are even more confident than in 2023 and still hungry for adventures. It's okay not to be single, so I hope you've found true love, or at least you're in pursuit. Did you move to Australia to experience life down under? How was your debut as a keyboard player? I'm sure you look and sound cool randomly playing songs on public pianos in train stations and airports! Do you still love your job and have you published your first book?
Best wishes from me to me."
Wow, what an adventure.