You will never be completely at home again

last week i rekindled my love for solitude in ivalo and just yesterday, in the most unlikely place, i found the answer to all the questions of why i cant just follow tours or just go overseas with my partner or friends.

3 days into helsinki and i've met the most interesting people, had the most interesting of conversations that lasted for hours late into the night.

i met a divorcee taking a break from his wife in a hostel
one random lady told me out of goodwill and concern that finland has the best water in the world when she saw me buying 1.5l bottled water.
i met 2 au pairs, french, and spanish, one of them just came back from a mushing in lapland, writes books as a side line as has gotten 4 books published in her name already. we talked for about 2 hrs plus abt how she dressed up as a viking for a viking boat launch and how she was trying to find her way and her life goals despite the pressures she feels from society.

and there was also the tw retiree and her daughter who has visited sg a few times for APEC. we met once from mushing in lapland and of all places in helsinki in some atas coffee n cakes place.

the list goes on, and this is not inclusive of the lapland hotel owners, one who has met the king of belgium before.

maybe people try to reach out more when they are alone. as we wanderlust, some primal part of us still yearns for some sort of bond or stability. so we hold on to any kindness extended or a simple smile.

and here in our bunks, with our valuables locked in tiny lockers, we are vulnerable. we have nothing else to share but a common space, stories from our wanderlust and dreams and aspirations for the future. and as we shared little snippets and details of our lives,we exchanges contacts and promised to keep in touch and fell to sleep. this afternoon when i came back, the beds were empty once again. it was like yesterday's conversation never happened. i would prolly forget their names 1 week down the road. but their stories, i would never forget.

“You will never be completely at home again, because part of your heart always will be elsewhere. That is the price you pay for the richness of loving and knowing people in more than one place.” 
― Miriam Adeney