So I'm back from my travels home.
Physically, at least.
My head? Not so much. It's home, and on campus, and in the past, and several different futures. My thoughts are awhirr. Plenty of spewing to come on this blog over the next couple of days.

Random notes from my travels:
The taxi driver who drove me to the airport maintained that he was shy and introverted and useless and crap at learning, but maintained a three hour conversation with me from house to Heathrow, recounted the basic rules of Thai grammar, which he is learning, and became so absorbed in the finer points of the conversation that he missed the exit to the terminal and drove us into Surrey before realising. Somehow, I can - and always do - only maintain interesting and deeply personal conversations with people who profess to hating conversation. Why is that? With gregarious people, I morph into these other silent types. With the silent types, I become gregarious and somehow they do too.
Why?

My sister (note to self: Must do a seperate post about my sister one day) came to collect me at the airport. The first thing I saw upon arrival was a row of taxi drivers standing with placcards scribbled with the names of their charges held up against their chests, and all eyes - yes, ALL EYES - turned sideways towards my sister. I was tempted to take a photo, but she broke the spelling by breaking into a loud and breathless squeal of welcome. Much to the delight of said taxi drivers. I made sure I bumped my suitcase into their legs.

We climbed into a cab and I'd just started telling her how I got lost on the way to the airport, when the taxi driver muttered, half to us and half to his steering wheel - umm.... I don't know the way...
My sister gave him cheerful directions which he followed to the letter.
I growled at him and barked everytime we past a road sign, which he ignored.

A week at home, a fight with Mum, an anniversary celebrated, a research proposal submitted, and now I'm back in England. Outside, the sky is blue and beautiful, but it's cold and windy, and the cat who's been lolling on the road outside our house has been inching (without uprighting itself) towards the relative comfort underneath the cars in the parking lot.