About a month ago, I got an email letting me know it was going to be a go this fall. Of course I got all excited and immediately started to see what I could do to make it happen. Since the news, it has been a month of such mental torture for me trying to justify, modify, push my way to a solution. I was literally giving myself headaches and bad sleep.
Feeling much relieved since I declined. D has stepped up and will be joining the team. I can't be more excited for him as this will be his first experience volunteering overseas and is a difficult one to start with, as the conditions are super basic (no running water, bring your own tent etc.) but he is up for the challenge.
I'll be in the country as well as I had flights booked since last Dec but our timing will be off by about 1 1/2 weeks. Will be in another recovery area, very different and more remote. As much as it would have been great to share a single experience together, I feel it will be special to be able to watch things unfold separately.
Am also proud to announce that I made a change to my travel schedule for the better. Better meaning easier and more nurturing. I have been feeling emotionally tired still and finally admitted that I needed a re-charge. Things were going fine at work etc. but felt like I was lagging a bit inside, somewhat detached, out of sync as well. Nothing really serious but just slightly off.
Even though what I had planned wasn't "crazy" or extreme, it was stressing me out with the amount of preparation I was anticipating. So I cancelled it and replaced it with a tried and true. Outside of overindulging on rich foods, I feel centered and totally in my body, if you know what I mean. It was perfect for me, just what I needed. Good to be reminded of some of the best of human development.
Nice photos. Did you watch Nadal play the The Flying Frenchman?
ReplyDeleteThank you. No, I didn't get to be at the final. I was there on day 4. The line up was Simon, Murray, Federer and Tsonga.
DeleteI only had enough time and sun stamina for the first 3 matches, so missed Tsonga.
The setting was something, right by the sea. And the size of the court quite intimate. They don't allow time between matches, so no real opportunity to eat at any of the 8 or so restaurants on site. Luckily I swung around to my boulangerie before heading for the train that morning.
It was a bit of a zoo trying to find your seats because the rows weren't numbered...Plus a bonus adventure getting there as the train conductor forgot to stop at the special train stop set up for the tournament so the bunch of us going that day were dropped off 2 stops to the Italian border and had to hike back along the high trails overlooking the sea to get to the stadium...Was beautiful and discovered something new.
An interesting note -- Federer's court presence is immense. His focus was unbelievable, unlike any I've seen yet (Haven't seen Nadal or Djokovic in person though). The TV doesn't do him justice. Whereas, if I didn't know anything about Murray going in, I would never have guessed he was the world number 2.