Day 2 - The Journey home from Chennai to Sydney

Today, the 5th June, is our final day of living in India.  However, we have learned the hard way to 'never say never' and you never know, we may end up back here at some point in the future !!  It is always a strange feeling to be 'relocating' to another country, you are excited about the upcoming experiences but you are also sad and reminiscent of the times you have had in your current home.  We are definitely happy to be on this flight tonight bound for Sydney but never thought we would be saying goodbye to 'Incredible India' this way.

We made our first 'big' move as expats 7 years ago and we were so naive about what was ahead of us.  We feel like we have made the most of the time we have had with all the ups and downs that come with expat life.  One thing that has been very difficult in the last couple of months and the thoughts for our friends who remain expats is the change this virus has made to expat life.  I have found the inability to 'get home' hard to accept - as an expat you always have in the back of your mind, 'If things go wrong or an emergency occurs, we can jump on flight home.  That is now not true and hard to handle.  Another of the big perks of being an expat is the chances to travel !!  And this is now on hold.  I hope only on hold.  The loss of 'control' in these uncertain times is magnified when you are living abroad.  We hope, one day, we will get to do this all again.  Maybe not in India, but never say never !!

Our day has been full of 'admin' - lots more paperwork, temperature checks and the all so present 'head wobbles'.  We just saw the Qantas crew in the very empty Chennai airport and that brought the biggest smiles to our faces.  For anyone who knows Chennai, it’s damn hot! And with no aircon being used in the hotel common areas, the airport has limited a/c working and it being June, we are absolutely puddles of sweat waiting to for this flight.

In just over an hour, we will be winging our way to Sydney - not they way we thought it would end but it is all over.   I had a lovely message from a friend here today saying she would drink some Indian wine tonight in my honour.  It will taste similar to the way she feels about us leaving - sour.  What a lovely thought - and yes, that Sula is definitely 'sour' !!!!