Sunday 13th June 2021

I had to visit Olomouc and go down the memory lane where I spent 4 good years as a university student (1993-1997) and became the first person from my family who studied at university, ever. 

Misa and Emilka wanted to stay at home on their computer, so I took the 2 hour train journey on my own, sitting quietly with my own thoughts watching the world go by. 

I loved university life, and walking through the small narrow lanes of the city in a sunshine with one of my dear university friend made me realize how lucky I was to be able to experience that in the time I did and feel incredibly grateful to my parents for allowing me to venture out and encouraging me to follow  my dreams. 

In between talking for hours, we had a coffee in one of our favorite sweet shops and my friend Eva chose to take me to a Nepali restaurant for a very tasty lunch.  Without knowing, that we have a very dear Nepali friend we socialize in Colombo, I was able to share with her some Asian cuisine making our friend proud of his cultural heritance. I think the food was more Indian than Nepali, but what a great choice.

When my friend’s train left the train station, I sat on my own with a coffee and a sweet cake before boarding my own train, and remembered how many hellos and goodbyes I have endured at that train station. I could honestly say I clearly pictured my smiley Daddy in his brown coat and our very dear friend pani Plundrakova in her elegant felt winter hat.  Neither sadly with us today.

I am getting older and hopefully wiser and am trying to be a good parent to our kids (the hardest job I have ever done) and do an excellent job at work,  in the meantime helping family, friends and other people.

One thing I know for sure, I can not stop the passage of time, which frightens me so I try to live each moment with positivity and energy. 

Rennie