Leaving Bogotá….  Sunday 30/10/2022

I’m largely packed, ready to leave the apartment in the morning. One large bag, not bad considering that this has sustained me for eight weeks in Bogotá and will carry me through three weeks in the UK. What has helped is that the temperature in Bogotá is pretty similar to what can be expected in London in early November, so it’s not been a case of packing for very different climates. 

That said, today was a beautiful day in Bogotá, sunny most of the time and therefore feeling quite warm although the temperature was no more than 16 degrees. A nice final day here in this extraordinary city – which I am sorry to be leaving. In a sense, my departure is being celebrated – there’s a party atmosphere on the streets: Halloween being the cause! Interesting how thoroughly this American (or to be accurate, Irish) tradition has been taken up by the Colombians. All the paraphernalia associated with Halloween is for sale on the streets, from costumes to witch’s hats to pumpkins, and many younger people are suitably attired, face painting included. I suppose this is one of the very obvious signs of globalisation, how local culture becomes influenced by things imported. Having grown up in a pre-Halloween era it seems strangely alien to me, but I suppose all it really shows is people’s desire for a party and anything will do! 

I fly tomorrow evening just after 6 and after a 10-hour flight arrive in Madrid just after 10am on Tuesday. And then two hours later a flight on to London Heathrow. After a 20-month absence it will be very strange to be in the UK again. And I am staying in Ealing, what was my home for 15 years – it makes sense because I have a couple of things to sort out, plus knowing where everything is will be helpful – there’s no point staying in an unfamiliar area of London. Transport links are great too, especially with the new Elizabeth Line cutting travel time to central London from almost 30 to only 15 minutes.

So much for familiarity, yet I suppose that I return to my old stalking ground a changed man in many ways. The experiences that I’ve had over the past almost two years make that inevitable. It will be interesting to see how I feel about London and the UK more generally. This will give me something to report in the next couple of weeks…