All things must come to an end...

The day has come, I have finally arrived to the city I call home, (for now) Portland, Michigan. Arriving home just past midnight on Friday July 18th marks the official end to my life altering trip. I have a whirlwind of emotions going on right now so I wanted to past asap.

I last left you in Hollywood. I was able to experience the Glamorous part of LA for a couple days and then ride my bike with my gear on my back to Venice, CA. It is roughly 13 miles and was an amazing experience. It was challenging but rewarding. I rode through Beverly Hills, UCLA's Campus, over Rodeo Drive and into Venice. I found the hostel I was booked into, dropped my things and went to the beach, Venice Beach. I walked the boardwalk which was full of vendors, shops and street acts. A very different atmosphere then the not so far away Hollywood, a feel that matched better with my personality than Hollywood. I spent one night in Venice, a very relaxed night that followed by a very relaxed last day in California. I found myself very fortunate to be able to experience all that I had and wrote it in my long hand journal I've been keeping throughout my trip.

I landed in my home state of Michigan, Detroit to be exact around 1:00 am on July 16th. My good friend Jesse picked me up, we were both all smiles. We went back to his place, shared stories and current events then went to sleep. I slept for quite a long time. Due to the time changes my body has had different sleeping patterns to adjust to for the past two weeks. I woke up later than I usually have been, got a great home cooked breakfast and went out and explored a local park. Later on a couple of other really good friends who live in the area stopped in and we all shared stories, it felt good to see friends again. The next day (today) we rode our bikes around downtown Detroit. Oddly enough, I haven't ever done this. It was really cool to check out a familiar place and have it be a completely new experience!

Through close friends I was able to catch a ride from Detroit home to Portland. Thanks Adam and Allison! Arriving home on a weekday night where everyone is resting for their work obligations the following day makes it a bit odd. It is different being home, settling back into a place that is oh so familiar. Recognizing what has changed in a familiar place rather than looking to understand an unfamiliar place is interesting. Maybe people would enjoy more of their surroundings if they adapted a traveler's mindset and looked to understand the things they don't understand rather then finding changes in what they already know, just a thought.

It is good to be home. It will be great reuniting with family and friends. I already miss those who I came in contact throughout my travels, thank you once again to all of you for our shared moments.

This is my last narrative update on this blog. I will however, be posting pictures as I upload and edit them, so don't sign off just yet! Thank you for following along with me throughout my travels. I hope this was some form of entertainment for you and possibly inspired you to travel abroad to unfamiliar territory, meet strangers and attempt to understand our great world. I experienced a great deal on this trip, I created lifelong relationships and learned a great deal about myself, the world and cultures. Traveling is an amazing form of education, I hope everyone experiences different places!