The Calling

I'm sure you've been on holiday somewhere and said to yourself at some point "I could live here". For me, I usually do it every time, about three days in. However, by day seven, I usually say "I'm ready to go home now".

It was exactly on the three day mark, as I stood on the beach pictured at the top of the page and took that sunset shot, that I had what I call The Calling; that moment when you feel completely at home somewhere and say those words "I could live here". However, unlike on all my previous journeys, this time I knew it would stick. Virtually the last thing I did before I got on the plane to head back to the UK was to walk again on that beach. I was thinking of everything I could do to avoid getting on the plane, including feigning illness! I realised that that would be silly, of course! But when I finally took off that evening, and looked back on the beautiful City of Lights before I sped across the immense black of the Indian Ocean, that I really would go back there and live.

I'm very glad the AHC agreed with me and have given me the visa I so wanted, and I literally can't wait for April to come so I can get back there.

So the next time you travel somewhere and feel The Calling, perhaps you should think carefully before you say the words "I'm ready to go home now"...