or: Leaving Isn’t Easier The More You Do It

Today I leave Mauritius again and right now, I should be packing. I still don’t enjoy it so, since I always blog on a Sunday, I figure I can do this first so it’s not technically procrastinating, it’s prioritizing things I need to get done today before I fly this evening.

It’s no secret. I enjoy travel. There is one downside to travel that not many talk or write about (aside from packing) and that is, leaving.

Leaving a place which gives you the same sense of home as your more traditional style home is difficult. You are connected with the people, the environment, you’ve potentially been working and you are somewhat integrated into the community and day-to-day living.

You have voluntarily chosen to stay and generally / hopefully are voluntarily choosing to leave.

If you are are going to another new place, there is the excitement of that to look forward to and focus on. There is still the packing though.

If you are going to a place which you are already familiar with, it’s looking forward to reconnecting with what you know and going to your favourite places, eating your favourite foods etc.

For me, I am going back to Hong Kong after not having lived there for three years. This length of time in a place like that is a mix of both new and old since it’s fortunate a restaurant lasts longer than a year at times.

I am looking forward to seeing my HK-based friends again and slotting into various groups of people as well as making new friends. It’s HK, that’s what we all do as foreigners there as it is such a transient community.

I even have a visitor from overseas visiting in my first weekend back. Definitely looking forward to this.

I’m looking forward to finally living in my own place and decorating it since I’ve never lived there. I will also be able to get my things out of storage and downsize further.

I’m looking forward to finding some contract work, doing more writing, setting up some other websites and various other projects I have in mind.

It’s the flip side of this that is impacting me right now.

I am leaving people behind who I would like to spend more time with or have them travel with me. This is not possible.

Every night this week has been catch-ups with my friends here and I haven’t organised any of it. I am so touched by what they have done and said along the way. Even when trying to teach me rude words in Creole and trying to trick me into thinking they mean something else.

I’m leaving helping out in the dive centre and diving almost every day. I’ve enjoyed this immensely. It combines multiple passions of mine – what’s not to like about meeting new people, learning something, teaching others and diving in a beautiful location with generally great visibility?! To top it off, for winter, it’s fairly mild though I am laced in about 16mm of neoprene…

The people part is the hardest.

Leaving one person in particular.

Apparently this is why it’s a good idea to have a date set for when to return – so you both have something to look forward to. This time I’m vague though since it will depend on the work part in HK.

No point dwelling on this now though.

It’s time to pack.

* Thanks to Money Heist for having two characters sing this song on the show and thereby providing the title to this post.