I'll miss that

This departure felt very similar to the one I experienced two years ago. A similar early flight to catch, the same single espresso for breakfast, some similar checks before leaving my flat, a very similar walk across the Oberbaumbrücke, and the exact same S9 train headed for the airport. The feeling of déjà vu was pretty strong, and the only difference was perhaps the Watergate doors already being closed as I walked by.

I left yesterday morning with the same backpack as last year. What’s inside is also very similar, but I decided to take one less watch and one less camera. One of the things I now know is that for these two very specific objects, I actually have a favourite one.

While it’s quite far now, I clearly remember how I felt after waking up after my first night in Thailand. It was something along the lines of “You’re on your own on the other side of the world now. This is what you actually wanted.” I booked a one way flight, and there was no easy way back home. I knew I would return home at some point, but this return was so far in the future that it didn’t really register as even being something to worry about. Becoming aware of the actual time and distance difference so quickly made these first few days very strange in their own way.

This time, it almost feels like I didn’t even leave the country. When you think about it, Belgrade may sound exotic, but isn’t actually that far. The flight to come here is less than two hours long, and I’m still in the same timezone as Berlin. If I really wanted to, I could be having dinner at home tomorrow night.

Sure, the language and culture are very different, but I can spot brand names I know and can find at home. The way people dress is familiar. The signs with the street names look very similar to the french ones. I can definitely tell I’m in Europe, just in a region I’ve never visited before.

I was lucky to go on a few trips around Europe this year (to Porto, Munich and Copenhagen), but this one is different. I’ll be visiting many countries for the first time, despite them being so close to where I live. I’ve visited many of the surrounding countries, but never this specific region. Serbia is where I’m starting.

I’m not sure about why this specific region, or what I want to get from this journey I’m starting, but I’m not too worried about it. Answers will come along the way. One thing that’s definitely different from last time is that I already have a return flight booked, taking off in a few weeks, a few hundred kilometers from where I landed yesterday.

I guess I should get going.