Amidst the excitement of coming home to see family and the mundane task of getting a new drivers licence, Alex Bunton took a moment to stop and think.
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To think about where it all started, the heartache she has endured, how far she has come and just how much she has left to give.
But soon after the Sydney Flames star walked out of the motor registry with a new licence in tow, she turned her attention to what brought her home - a date with the Canberra Capitals at the National Convention Centre on Sunday.
At just 25, former Capital Bunton has two titanium screws in her leg to go with countless scars from nine knee surgeries, plastic surgery on a broken nose, and ankle surgery.
But her limitless potential saw her gifted an Australian Opals call-up for the World Cup and her recent form suggests we haven't seen the last of Bunton on the world stage.
"I appreciate the journey I’ve had, especially with Canberra," Bunton said.
"It kind of excites me, especially playing in Canberra, I guess you could say I’m back here and people get to watch me play. It’s a shame that it’s not with Canberra but it was a great stepping stone for me and I’ll always remember that.
"It’s awesome [to be back in the WNBL], I’ve missed it. Just playing with Australians and seeing people and coaches I know has been awesome.
"I kind of just feel like I can just slip in nicely, I’ve got better with my game and I’ve been able to develop. It’s quite nice to be able to just keep playing. It’s been a while since I’ve been able to actually have a consistent run and just gets the runs on the board.
"We haven’t had a great start with Sydney but we have gotten better every game. Once we find out groove we’ll start to win some games. We’ll just have to trust each other.
"Canberra has got Leilani [Mitchell] back and Kelsey [Griffin] is playing really well. It’s going to be a good game, it’s a good match up, but we’ve just got to bring our A-game."
Bunton joined an elite group when she became Canberra's first homegrown female talent to represent Australia at the World Cup in 32 years earlier this year.
She then ended a two-year exile from the WNBL when she linked up with the Flames this season and Capitals coach Paul Goriss has quickly taken notice of her stunning form.
He knew the talent was always there - Bunton has been turning heads across the WNBL ever since she made her debut as a teenager for the AIS in the 2009-10 season.
And Goriss isn't the slightest bit surprised about the career-high numbers she has posted to start the season.
"It can go one of two ways after coming off big events like a world championships," Goriss said.
"Either you’re pumped up and ready for the season, you’re ready to take that experience and move forward, or it’s a come-down after having such a big experience on a high.
"Alex was definitely ready to take that responsibility in the WNBL with what she had learnt and how she performed at worlds. It’s just terrific for her.
"She is big, she’s physical, as far as WNBL goes, she’s probably in the form of her career. We’ve got to make sure we limit her touches in and around the basket, because when she takes it inside the keyway she is tough to guard."
WNBL ROUND 4
Sunday: Canberra Capitals v Sydney Flames at National Convention Centre, 2pm. Tickets available at the door.
