Today, the 18th of August, is the day I was originally supposed to leave Africa! I would have flown out of Niassa on the 16th and spent a few days on the beach in Pemba and would now be waiting at the airport to fly home. I've had a cool few weeks at home, and I got to spend time with my dad (who is working in Qatar again and goes back in a few days) and got to see some family I haven't seen in ages and caught up with friends, but I had an empty feeling the whole time that I should still be in Africa.

I got my first choice accommodation for my university which was cool, and have been chatting with people on my uni's Freshers Facebook page which is nice. But the whole time I'm thinking when I can next escape and go somewhere, especially back to Africa! I know I should go to uni after I put all the work in, but part of me also wants to just escape to Africa and do courses and get jobs to keep me going. I know that probably isn't the best option though! And the good thing about my course is the extra year in practice, which I will hopefully spend in Africa! I'll then have a 4th year in uni and maybe do a Masters, then I'm free to travel the world and live wherever I want! In between I'm going to be travelling as much as my student financial situation will allow, and now I don't need to wait for friends/family to go with, I'll happily hop on a plane somewhere alone for a week!

That's the thing that's changed the most about me I think, I'm now so happy being alone. Before I left home I always wanted to be with someone and have someone to do things with, but I got so used to being alone and just doing whatever I want that now it's weird! I need to get used to having to do what others want to do now....even when I was travelling with someone I'd still do my own thing if they didn't! I like seeing my friends and family and going places but I can't wait to get back to just me and my big green backpack and exploring new places!

I've got plans to travel around the UK for a while which will hopefully give me a bit of a travel fix (I feel like a junkie...) as I'll be travelling alone again, although I'll just be visiting friends! Then it's off to university and time to get back into doing work again, ugh.