My airline just informed me that my return flight time will now be approximately 27 hours from door to door, starting at 5.30pm São Paulo time tomorrow evening. That’s longer than it took me to go from Ottawa to Tanzania. I don’t even know how I will walk through my apartment doors without collapsing.

Until then…

Today was a proper awful day; three terrible things over the course of the day, and then the final news of the flight changes. I am completely tense and on edge and not looking forward to going home, though I am looking forward to seeing my family and friends.

Spending time with Nathalie and Brian has felt effortless, and as though we have – because Brazil is so vastly different from one corner to the next – packed so many trips to different countries into these past two weeks. Like, it was just yesterday that I was running across the street to see a capybara for the first time in my life.

Again, and as always, time is an entirely arbitrary feeling thing.

No doubt, of all The Sabbatical trips, my time in Brazil has been among my favourite. From the morning coffees, to the family dinners together every night, being here is being with family.

Today, I am grateful for:
1. Old El Paso tacos for dinner. I needed comfort food and this was the perfect throwback to my childhood flavour.
2. Hot water for showers.
3. Though I will be spent by the time I am finally home on Wednesday, I am grateful for the cause of this soon-to-be exhaustion – the ability to, and the blessing of travel.

São Paulo | Day 332 | October 28, 2019

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