How 3 Months Became 5 Weeks

Where did the 3 months come from?

When anyone asked me about my plans after leaving work, I probably said I was going on a 3-month trip. Why 3 months in the first place?!

Well, 3 months feels like the right length to actually call it a trip. Beyond that, my calculations assumed I had a budget for 3 months without work but while travelling. And most importantly, I have exams at the end of January that require me to be in Poland in person. The earliest I could leave was November, so November, December, and January — 3 months.

3 months were never going to happen.

The three-month plan started falling apart from October — first I miscounted the end of work too optimistically, then it turned out I had things to sort out in the first week of November, and then there was the rush of campervan upgrades. That rush was actually planned, and while I’d budgeted two weeks for it, that’s exactly how long it took — just with fewer upgrades ;). Either way, that’s 2 weeks gone, plus another week in January — and so 3 months became 10 weeks.

It was supposed to be 10, ended up as 5 — the day before the decision to return.

It was Saturday, 20 December. I was driving from Tavernes de la Valldigna to Pilar de la Horadada. A spot right at the southern tip of the Valencia region. As usual on this trip, the GPS had filters on: avoid motorways, avoid toll roads. What a road — wow doesn’t even begin to cover it — wow, that’s what I was saying every few minutes. On roads like these you’d want to have the camera running the whole time. One of those roads you’d want to film in full without even thinking about filming, because you want to focus on the views.

Back to the point — I was driving along that route thinking I’d want to drive it again with a better camera to film the whole thing. And from that thought came others:

• I’ll drive the same road on the way back from Spain — unlikely — I’ll be in a hurry to reach Prague in time, so I’ll take the motorway.
• Malaga and the road to Malaga is probably also stunning and I’ll regret not having a better camera.
• I won’t go to Malaga, I’ll stay here and explore this region more.
• Spain is so beautiful that 10 weeks could easily be spent just in Valencia.

At that moment thoughts of going back to Poland also started appearing, I began remembering the taste of barszcz and pierogies, and another option emerged in my head: go back to Poland for Christmas, and plan a return to Spain another time.

It ended at 5 — the decision to return.

Sunday, 21 December. Morning like in the video below.

I’m walking with Zora along the coast, wondering whether I really want to spend Christmas Eve wandering alone with Zora through the city, thinking about the fact that back at my parents’ house the whole family is sitting together, eating barszcz and pierogies, wondering what I’m doing there on my own. There are so many people in the world who spend Christmas alone because they have no one, there are special Christmas initiatives around the world so people won’t be lonely at Christmas — and here I am, with a family, a table full of treats, about to wander alone through the probably empty streets of Malaga. Empty, because Spaniards also have a strong tradition of sharing a family Christmas Eve dinner together. No way! I’m going home!