travel
Leaving
d e v o L Ones As a famous Tumblr quote once said, “Being apart teaches us to be together.” Therefore, it is no surprise that spending time away from loved ones provides us with the space we need to not only concentrate on ourselves, but also cherish the ones we left behind. After all, it is not until we truly know ourselves, that we can honestly know another. Flashback to 2018, when I was a meagre 19-year old. I had never been away from home for an extended period of time and the mere thought of it absolutely terrified me. Despite this, a childhood friend and I somehow managed to book a six week tour of the Eastern coast of Australia. It wasn’t until I was at the departures gate of Heathrow airport that the reality of leaving my family, friends and boyfriend for the first time really hit me. After two planes and twenty-two hours of travelling, I was totally exhausted and slightly emotional. Nonetheless, just a few days into our trip I felt amazing, as I had beaten jet lag and was soaking in the Queensland sun. Although the ten hour time difference made it difficult to contact home, I ensured that I woke up early or stayed up late to fit in a Facetime call (or two). For me, Facetime, Skype or any form of video chatting platform is the key to staying in touch and maintaining healthy relationships at a distance. Once you get over having to see yourself on screen, from some of the most unflattering angles, you realise Facetime is a true gift. It gives you the ability to chat, catch-up and hear the voice of a loved one, all from the comfort of your bed – or in my case a not so comfortable bunkbed in a shared hostel room.
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The 5-week expedition down the East Coast of Aus was just the
