Certainly one of our prime motivations for getting a “proper” place to live in over here was to get a sense of home within an entirely different culture/environment.
To varying degrees we’ve realised that aim, although I wouldn’t for a second try to suggest that an expat apartment in a nice neighborhood reflects much of real life in Buenos Aires.
What didn’t specifically occur to me is just how useful an experience it is to relax at home, when “home” is entirely different to what you’re accustomed to.
You simply can’t do it when you’re traveling in the regular sense.
Party hostels, cafes, beaches, museums, nice hotels, parks – there’s an endless list of distractions for the traveler. As much as we love visiting them, we can never truly feel relaxed in these essentially public places. No matter how fast the Wi-Fi.
Today’s “home” life involved collecting a vast assortment of cheeses, meats, wine, and preparing for our visitors tonight.
Sitting on the beanbag on the terrace chatting to family on Skype, listening to those hissing buses pass on the street.
Reading about Cristina Kirchner, set to romp in the presidency after votes are handed in tomorrow.
More than anything it was getting back after a couple of weeks exploring the icy terrain of Patagonia – having somewhere familiar to go, having a key, and a bed you’re used to.
No checking in, no currency exchanges, no hefting luggage up 3 flights of stairs. Truly decadent.
Though it still hasn’t given me sufficient motivation to blog all the adventures we stocked up on down south. In time, surely. But I hear there’s this mad waterfall 1200km north from here, so we’ll be a bit busy later this week ;-)