Around the world, in 12 hours.

As the sun woke, so did I. I heard the chirping birds and sipped on my morning coffee, I thought of my trip to Addis Ababa, and there was a feeling of serendipity that encapsulated me. As the cars drove past, one by one, I reflected on traffic on the streets of Saigon. Being home alone today, in the company of my thoughts, took me back to a time in Grahamstown, my university time, where I spent my days alone and wonder what will be life be like when my time here is over.

I paged through my Korean book called “Nunchi” and it almost felt like I was on the streets of Seoul (where I haven’t had the opportunity to visit yet). After a while, I headed to the kitchen to prepare a traditional Saturday meal for most Indian families, chicken curry and rice. As I wander, the more and more I appreciate being home in Durban. I then went on to Pinterest, and listen to some African beats that reminded me of being with my friends in Johannesburg and Nairobi. Those trips are some of the greatest memories I have, till today.

As the afternoon quickly embraced the night, it took me back to Istanbul where I got to witness the most magical sunsets through Turkish architecture. Although Turkey was one of my least favorite places in the world, I still reflect on the good moments I did appreciate.

Whether your passport has an extra stamp or you took a literary adventure, it’s still your experience and you can go to a place you haven’t been. You can appreciate the duality, the fact that you can physically visit there and if you choose to, it’s perfectly fine to also stay at home.