It's been a fabulous three weeks, I got to do pretty much all I'd set out to do, and I've come home with a renewed appreciation of all that I've got going for me here, which can only be a good thing! America's culture is so very different from that of the UK, something I only realised on returning to the States to visit eight years after I'd moved back to the UK after living in Austin for ten years. There are elements of it that I adore, as well as my very dear friends there, and so it will always represent something very special to me. On top of that, there's something about living in another culture that everybody should experience, as it changes you forever, and you come to appreciate that there are myriad equally valid ways of living.
But the fact that it's so far away is a drawback to someone like me who simply can't bring themselves to like flying, and having to cope with five (in the end, four, but let's not go into that...) flights was a bit of a strain for those three weeks, I have to admit. A sudden severe turbulent lurch just after we'd taken off from Austin for Heathrow threw me into panic mode that it took a stiff bacardi and diet Coke and plugging my headset into BA's 'The Well-Being Programme' (lots of relaxing music and soothing words) to recover from sufficiently to cope with the remaining eight-plus hours of flying time, and now that I'm back home I ain't goin' anywhere that involves losing touch with the ground for a while yet, I can tell you.
Saying goodbye to my friends in Austin, as well as to Lynn, my lovely housesitter, was poignant, but seeing Silva and Chilli again was wonderful in equal measure. Now I have lots of work and music-related projects to get my teeth stuck into - as well as a touch of jet lag to get over and getting my body clock back into UK time. But it's very definitely been worth it! Yee-hah!
But the fact that it's so far away is a drawback to someone like me who simply can't bring themselves to like flying, and having to cope with five (in the end, four, but let's not go into that...) flights was a bit of a strain for those three weeks, I have to admit. A sudden severe turbulent lurch just after we'd taken off from Austin for Heathrow threw me into panic mode that it took a stiff bacardi and diet Coke and plugging my headset into BA's 'The Well-Being Programme' (lots of relaxing music and soothing words) to recover from sufficiently to cope with the remaining eight-plus hours of flying time, and now that I'm back home I ain't goin' anywhere that involves losing touch with the ground for a while yet, I can tell you.
Saying goodbye to my friends in Austin, as well as to Lynn, my lovely housesitter, was poignant, but seeing Silva and Chilli again was wonderful in equal measure. Now I have lots of work and music-related projects to get my teeth stuck into - as well as a touch of jet lag to get over and getting my body clock back into UK time. But it's very definitely been worth it! Yee-hah!
 $3 margaritas? You can't beat that for a cheap night out! ;) |  So long, li'l buddy! |
My last open mic on this trip, at La Sol y La Luna on Austin's Sixth Street. Photo courtesy of Amy Zamarripa.
RSS Feed