I packed my bag and got ready. I usually hate packing. This time it was easy. Take empty backpack. Bring laptop, book to read, snacks for the plane, and a couple of souvenirs for back home. Done. I was going home. This time I didn’t need to use my Tips on How to Pack Smart.
Now I could enjoy my weekend.
This post is a continuation from Deciding to leave paradise…
My roommate and I have always talked about going canyoning in Sydney. So we found a place and booked it for Sunday, the day before my flight. It was amazing, simply breath-taking and exhilarating. If you’re in the Sydney area and are looking for something exciting and different to do, don’t hesitate looking into canyoning trips here. Check my full post here.
Sydney Canyoning.
The next morning I made my way to Sydney Airport. I walked in as if it was my home airport and I already knew my way around, even though the last time I flew out of the international terminal was more than a year ago when I almost missed my flight home. But I digress. It’s a very easy airport and in no way difficult to navigate. I grabbed some breakfast from the terminal and took a seat. It was the first time flying coach for such a long flight.
As much as I want my friends and family to visit, I wouldn’t make them take this flight in coach. It’s long. It’s cramped. It’s uncomfortable. The reason I bought this flight was because it was relatively cheap (under $1000USD) and last-minute. Otherwise you better believe I would have flown first in a flatbed seat or even business. Now I’m not a tall person but I even felt cramped with the limited leg room, especially on a 16 hour flight from Sydney to LAX.
11 hours into the flight and just now flying over Hawaii
After a delayed lay-over in LAX I finally landed on the east coast. I was picked up by one of my best friends where we went to a local pub to catch up over a drink before he took me home to surprise my parents. I had just had an Amazon package shipped to my parent’s house then called them from the pub telling them it was for my friend Jimmy. I also told them that he would be going by shortly to pick it up if that was alright. They said of course and the stage was set for the surprise.
We finished up our drinks then surprised mom and dad. Even though their reactions were priceless, I’ve decided that I won’t be surprising them anymore because honestly they were scared shitless. Nonetheless, it was a success. I’ve never seen them so happy as that night.
Surprising mom
The next day began the task of surprising all my other friends. One friend was due to have her baby over the weekend but was still waiting to evict the baby. I drove over to her house to try to ‘surprise’ her into labor. Of course she wasn’t home. After surprising a couple of other friends, I later found out she was actually in the hospital delivering her beautiful baby girl.
The next day I picked up a shift at my previous job. It was like I never left. Six months away traveling the world and I show up and feel like I’ve just been gone for a week. It all feels to comfortable. All the familiar faces at work, the building, the morning routine. It just felt natural, it felt routine. As excited I was to be back, I was excited to know I was going back to Australia soon enough.
The day had finally arrived
It was finally Thursday. March 17th. It was finally St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re not from the U.S. you might not understand the importance of it. Even then you may not understand why I’m so excited about it unless you’re from NYC. Still having never yet been to Ireland, I’ve only been led to believe that the New York City’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the largest parade in the world. Everyone is dressed in green. Everyone is wearing shamrocks. Everyone is Irish today.
I’ve been going to this parade for the last 9 years. I really never had any intention of missing this year just because I was halfway around the world. The reality is, it’s the easiest chance to see all my friends together in one place. Everyone takes off for this day. It’s usually a warm spring day and everyone is just happy-go-lucky and comes together that day. There’s no other holiday like it. Think about it. The winter holiday’s people are usually always working to save up or either spending time with their families. Valentine’s Day, Easter, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving. It becomes increasingly difficult to get all your friends together for one day when everyone is living their own lives. St Patty’s Day is different. Everyone in the city wants to wear green, drink, and celebrate. Perfect!
Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on a green New York City bagel. Heaven
We start the day off early. By 8am I’m meeting with friends in Hoboken and instantly get interviewed by a local TV station for who knows what. Probably for being dressed all in green. We grab some bagels. Oh how I’ve missed good NYC bagels. Bacon, egg, and cheese. Obligatory. This one is dyed in green though. Even the bagel gets in on the St. Patrick’s Day action. We go to a bar in midtown, Johnny Utah’s, and meet up with even more friends. The place quickly gets packed. It’s only 10am. I’m now with 12 of my closest friends and having a drink with them before it’s even lunch time. We go bar hopping to a couple of different bars around the city. All of them packed. All of them flooded in green. We even make it on the international Snapchat storyline just for being all green. Plus. we may or may not have sung Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On while walking down a Manhattan street and having strangers join in.
Catching up with friends
I then leave to find some other friends. One more green beer to catch up with a friend on a lunch break. Then I go downtown and hang out with even more friends. There’s no single day I know of where everyone is out and able to socialize. Absolute the greatest/most fun day of the year.
By now most people know that I’m home. I’m now just catching up with all my other friends. However, the following week I surprise yet even a couple more people. I go to dinners, watch a movie premier at Radio City Music Hall, and get to experience snow one last time before I have to board a flight and go back to the land down under. For someone who’s usually on social media, I managed to pull off quite the surprising feat. All in all it was a success and I’m happy I came home.
The moral of the story is sometimes even being in paradise is not enough. You need to have your family and friends in your life for true happiness and be willing to do whatever it takes. Even if that means green bagels and flying coach.
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