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Back Walking on Sunshine Save as PDF
Chapters (46)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. By the same author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. Three Months Later
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. Epilogue – Five Years Later
  44. Acknowledgements
  45. An extra note from me …
  46. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘Come on then,’ Scott says, walking over with his arms as wide as his grin.

I walk into them and enjoy the squeeze.

Just as I’m letting go he keeps hold of my elbow, his mouth turning to my ear.

‘I would totally shag you,’ he whispers.

I look up at him open-mouthed. In that one sentence he has confirmed everything I don’t want. Scott and sex – not with him anyway.

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33

Mike

Pia and I always had this thing about every trip changing us in some way. They moved us forward in life, refocused our attention, and somehow taught us a new way of being. Whether it was locals who lived at a slower pace than us or the realization between us that we needed more focused ‘us’ time when we returned – whatever the lesson, we’d come back and changes would be made. Sometimes they happened without us even talking about them, just a subconscious part of us knew to adapt. I spoke about it on the trip with Vicky and Zaza, and I’m really feeling a shift within me now it’s come to an end.

Growing up I was terrified of change, of changing; it always seemed like the biggest insult to be told ‘you’ve changed’. Like you’d forgotten who you were and had turned into a knobhead who’d forgotten their place in life, causing you to appear above your station. No one wanted those words uttered to them. It was the worst.

Nowadays I’d have to argue that if you walk through life unmoved by significant events – birth, marriage, death, loss, joy, love, connections, success and failure – then that is when you should actually be classed as a knobhead. I would now argue that to be told ‘you’ve changed’ should be seen as one of life’s better compliments. My reply to it would be a great big thank you. ‘Yes, I’ve changed. Thank you for noticing. Life not only gave me lemons, but it gave me limes, apples, pears, strawberries – and even some dragon fruit for good measure because even though it looked scary it was actually really tasty. It gave me a fruit salad to work my way through. There are sour moments, parts that are bitter and unripe, but now I make sure to take the time to fully enjoy the sweeter offerings when they come. I’m altered because of all I’ve been exposed to, and that can only be a good thing.’

OK, I wouldn’t say all of that.

But still.