The Littlest Hobo

I found myself hurtling down the M74 late Saturday evening, back to Carlisle. I was going down to meet up with some mates from school for a night out. But my mind started wandering as I was driving. For some reason I stumbled across the thought that since the age of 18, I have moved no fewer than eight times. Eight times I tell you! Eight!! And I'm not just talking about moving house here - I mean picking up and moving on to an entirely new location, new job, new friends. On average, that's not even a whole year in each new place! And when you consider that 3 years were spent in one location (while I was at uni in Leeds) that works out at less than 7 months in any one place.

As you can see, my mind wanders to some quite random contemplations while I am driving. Especially since my stereo broke.

It's no wonder then that all of my Good Friends are scattered about all over the place, and so sometimes I get the distinct impression that I've become a bit of a Billy No-Mates. But of course, I'm not. Its just that, like that scruffy little mutt in the TV show, "every stop I make, I make a new friend, can't stay for long, just turn around and I'm gone again".

Perhaps its all a product of my short attention span and erratically formed Cunning Plans that I feel the need to move about so much. Who knows. I've certainly enjoyed meeting so many of you. Except you Ben. I could have done without the token Welsh boy in my life. And you Jo Jo Rugby Girl. But that goes without saying really ;)

So it shouldn't really surprise me that I find myself with a few mixed feelings about the prospect of remaining in the same place for the next 3 years or so. I've been here a whole 5 months so far, and the thoughts have already fleetingly crossed my mind about looking for somewhere up north of Inverness to move to (hey, just so I would be closer to my study site, that's all. Although being close to the mountains, beaches, and ski slopes wouldn't hurt). Don't worry Mum, we won't. Probably. Not yet anyway.

I guess it would be nice to stay put and build up a settled life here in Scotland. It's definitely somewhere I would consider remaining long term. That is, unless I get a job offer from Parks Canada, at which point I will skip off to British Colombia without a second thought. Fickle? Me? Pah! Its more than likely just some unresolved psychological Issues....