It is September 24th in downtown Budapest - I left home in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England on Monday 22nd, destination Varanasi in India.
Only a couple of months ago I was happily employed in a little Tesco in Chesterfield. Went to work, came home, went to work, you know, don't you? What inspired me to jump out of this comfortable rut was an elderly gentleman who came smiling into the shop one day. "Where have you been?" I inquired, observing his tan and grin. "I have been", he said, "I have been...... spending my son's inheritance."
I am 57 and have small savings which are not even for inheriting but are going to help plug the hole in the endowment mortgage in 2011. 2011!!!! Suddenly, after meeting the elderly gentleman, this seemed to translate as "I am waiting to die".
One week later I gave in my notice at work and announced that I was going to India on the train.
And here I am in downtown Buda (or Pest or both)happier than I have been for a long time. It is the movement I enjoy, the arrival, the looking forward to the next amazing place.
