I’m back!

DominicaJust got back from my trip around the Caribbean and my month away from the internet.

It was a wonderful break, and I feel so much better now. I don’t even know where to begin telling you all about the things we did and the people we met and the places we saw. It would be a very long post, and right now that seems intimidating. So to get me back into the swing of things, I’m writing this very short post instead. As I get back into the habit of posting, I’ll share a few more details of the trip.

Hope you’ve all been well, and have enjoyed the series of guest posts I ran in my absence. A big thank you to all my guests! In case you missed them, here’s a recap:

What have you been up to in the past month? Fill me in! Does the prospect of an extended break from all things internet sound appealing to you, or do you like to stay connected all the time? Leave a comment to let me know you haven’t forgotten me ๐Ÿ™‚

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There are 18 comments

  1. A month offline would be bliss. I think it’s grounding to have a break from it regularly.

    1. Hi Jenni
      “Grounding” is a good word for it. I do feel as if the time away allowed me to get more clarity on what’s really important in my life, rather than just what’s demanding my attention right now. Thanks for visiting!

    1. Hey, no problem, Michelle – thank you for the contribution. Cruising around is a wonderful thing to do – hope you get the chance one day soon!

  2. Welcome back Andrew, found your guests posts very interesting. I’m curious to see how you find it settling back into routine – after my trip, the jetlag passed quickly, but the time away from my novel has been harder to recover from. Still working at it. Good luck!

    1. Glad you enjoyed the guest posts! Yes, getting back into a routine has been really difficult for me. I’m trying not to push myself too hard, but I tend to get impatient with myself if I don’t write much in a day, so it’s frustrating. But tomorrow is another day, as the cliche goes!

    1. Thanks Nivedita! Welcome back to the online world too – I was happy to see you post again. Thought maybe you’d stopped blogging…

  3. Welcome back! I’m so glad you had a wonderful break. A month away from the internet sound incredibly tempting. I’ve done it before, although only when I’ve absolutely had to, which takes the edge off the pleasure. But I do miss my blog friends and essentially they are the ones that keep me here, hard at the posting! ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Yes, that’s what keeps me going, too. It was a really wonderful break, but it’s nice to be back and renewing acquaintances again.

  4. Hi Andrew and welcome back! That pic looks great! Did you have any animal encounters on your trip? ๐Ÿ™‚
    A month without internet doesn’t sound too bad. A month without books on the other hand….plain awful!
    I hope it won’t take too long to get back into the habit of writing every day (a habit I struggle to hold on to myself without much success).

    1. Thanks Delia! Lots of encounters, but mostly with mosquitos. They mauled me in St Lucia! Also some very cute cats in the homes we stayed in ๐Ÿ™‚

      For some reason I’ve never read very much when I travel. Most people seem to, but I’m the other way round – I read at home, but on holiday I’m always too busy seeing what there is to see, and then when I get back in the evening I’m tired and just want to watch TV and go to bed. But I did buy a Maryse Conde book in Guadeloupe and start reading it, in French! I’m on about page 4 ๐Ÿ˜‰

      The writing went better today, so hopefully I’m over the worst. Will keep you posted! Good to hear from you again.

  5. Welcome Back! Does this mean you are back in Barbados avoiding the olympic madness of London or are you home? Nothing much to report yet… I did read your guest posts I hope the first will entice you to give God of small things another try ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Hi Charles,
      Thanks! Sorry, I wasn’t clear – “back” means back in Barbados, not back in London. I’m following the Olympics from afar, laughing at the crazy news stories, like the government recalling troops from Afghanistan to check people’s handbags because the private security company came up short! Ah yes, I remember our exchange about God of Small Things – yes, it did get me thinking about trying to dig up my old copy again!
      Hope all’s well with you and you’re enjoying summer – must be hot over there!

      1. You’re probably wise to stay away. I understand the traffic is already a problem. Funny thing you should mention the security shortages. I had heard about it. I often listen to the BBC over my public radio station before going to sleep… I find their coverage of US politics very interesting… Sometimes they ask the questions that no american reporter will ask. Other times I can’t help but snicker at their shock of how blindly partisan our politicians can be. A lot of the US is experiencing drought and Utah is no exception… we’ve had a few days of mild rain which we are grateful to get. The west is burning last week we had 7 wildfires going. I haven’t heard any updates on the situation this week. I have fortunately not been affected directly… except the occasional day where you can’t avoid but smell smoke… I quit my job last week so I’ve got to roll up my sleeves and find some work it may prove difficult but it must be done.

        1. Hi Charles

          That’s good to hear – the BBC often gets attacked in the UK by one side or the other, but I think overall they’re quite fair. I think it’s easier to be fairer when you’re looking at another country too – they approach the issues without all the assumptions and fears that American reporters come with. They can sometimes have blind spots about things in Britain, though, so maybe I should listen to NPR’s coverage of the UK and the BBC’s coverage of the US!

          Good that you haven’t been affected by the fires – sounds really bad this year. I remember wildfires are quite common in that area though. When I was living there, there was a big fuss because President Bush tried to solve the problem by giving logging firms access to cut down massive new areas of national forest. Cut down the trees before they can burn – brilliant!

          Hey, congratulations on quitting your job – I am always happy to hear about people quitting! I’m sure you’ll find something better very soon. It’s a scary thing to give up that security, though, so good for you! Look forward to hearing more about your new direction…

  6. Hi Andrew,

    Welcome back! I’m glad you enjoyed your trip.

    I’d love to take a month break and be away from the corporate world for a while. My time is coming soon, I’ll be on holiday. Perhaps we’ll meet Londoners in France fleeing from the Olympic madness. We met some when you had that royal wedding.

    1. Thanks Emma! Good to hear from you again. I think poor France will be overrun with fleeing Londoners – you may have to set up refugee camps! For the royal wedding I fled in the other direction, to Cornwall ๐Ÿ™‚ Mass hysteria is not really my thing. Enjoy your holiday!

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