I arrived in London yesterday. But to be honest, I have no idea what day it is. These last few days have blended into one hazy day.

I can’t sleep on planes. I know this about myself. I’ve tried just about everything and have come to accept this reality about my body. I always know that day 1 after an overseas flight is rough.

I arrived in London at noon. After walking down hallway after hallway and ascending on a massive escalator (Which reminded me of the London Tube escalators), I did the most British thing ever. I waited in a line (AKA, queued). The line for immigration seemed to go on forever, but I had nowhere to be, so I zoned out (hi jet lag) and inched forward step by step.

I finally made it to my hotel and endeavored to stay awake for another 6 hours. (Note: my trick for jet lag is staying up till 8pm local time). I got connected to the WiFi and was able to let my family know that I made it to London. It was a peaceful few minutes till I was blocked from my bank account. I freaked out, unsure if I’d have access to my account while on the trip. Every worse possible scenario crossed my mind. After a quick Skype call, all was resolved. And the drama managed to keep me awake.

I made it to sleep and woke up around 5AM, full of anxiety. My brain is able to concoct all of the bad things that could happen and it’s awful when this kicks in. I checked my email and listened to a few songs that my Dad sent over. Then, I put on my worship playlist and the first song that played was a favorite – Do It Again. I began to cry, feeling so seen and loved by Jesus in that moment. My anxiety calmed down and I felt such joy. I danced around my hotel room to this song. I’m sure it was a sight to see – a woman, crying, hands in the air, jumping and dancing around her hotel room at 5AM. In preparing for my Camino, I sensed that joy and dance would be a big part of my experience, so it felt like a fitting way to start off the trip. I needed this moment. I needed to be reminded that Jesus is faithful – even in the moments when I struggle to believe that.

I am writing this from Stansted airport, waiting for the plane that will take me to France and my starting point. In this moment, I feel excited and eager to begin. Let’s do this!