A delightful surprise on the Eurostar

Travelled to and from Brussels back to London yesterday. I was exhausted after a long day. Getting up at 4 am to catch a 6.50 flight to Brussels then in meetings all day long. When we got to the train station I could not find my passport and panicked because I couldn't. Pulling everything out of my bags and when I stopped panicking there in plain sight was my passport. With trembling hands and gratitude I silently murmured thank you I would not be delayed in Brussels with no hope of getting to London let alone home soon. Thinking about how disappointed my family would be if I did not get home. Grateful I did not have to deliver that news.
Finally headed toward the Eurostar with much relief. A very civilised way to travel, I discovered. Plenty of leg room. A personal greeter for the cabins to let you know where your seats were and then surprise upon surprise a served meal complete with wine. The steward for our cabin was friendly, generous and seemed to thoroughly enjoy his job.
So to board the train with such service was an absolute delight. I decided to take a nap at first because I was starting to feel a bit run down. Shortly thereafter, I was woken up to ask if I wanted anything to eat. And the food was actually very tasty. An added bonus.
As I ate, I looked out the window at the scenery and was amazed by how beautiful it was particularly after coming out of Brussels and being surprised by how run down the city looked. A city full of construction projects that had been started but never finished. Roads blocked. Graffiti  Bad driving. Congestion. An atmosphere of incompletion.
But the scenery coming out of Brussels was the exact opposite.  Firstly the architecture was more modern than where we were in Brussels. Sleek even. Water features contrasting against the modern buildings. Glass. Old vs. new.
And then we were out into wide open space with expansive green flat fields. Windmills standing erect and powerful in the fields. Motionless because there was no wind but majestic nonetheless. Water interspersed throughout the fields giving the feel of land vs sea. The light just right. The clouds perfect. The sky clear.
And then I  watched the sun set. The light replaced with darkness. The clear blue sky twilight illuminated red along the horizon  The green scenery turning into silhouettes. Feeling the tension oozing out of my body knowing I am on my way home. The work done. A perfect way to end the work day between countries far from home.
Grateful for all of my experiences and people I meet along the way. Grateful for this journey called life. Grateful for appreciating it all. Tired but grateful nonetheless.