I flew 4,400 miles from London to Omaha to cover Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting .

My goal was to learn what Warren Buffett's recent retirement as CEO means for his hometown, his company, and his legacy.

I spoke to more than 25 attendees , walked the streets of Buffett's hometown, and even visited the legendary investor's home.

I left with a clear sense that Buffett, and everything he stands for , will live on long after he's gone.

Flying from London to Omaha felt like a pilgrimage.

This was the view from my seat on the flight to Chicago. Theron Mohamed/Business Insider

Traveling to Omaha for a fourth time meant my trip felt more like a yearly pilgrimage than a journey into the unknown.

I left my home around an hour outside London at around 11 a.m. local time, then traveled by train and tube to London's Heathrow Airport.

First, I flew to Chicago, where I had a nearly four-hour layover, then on to Omaha. I ordered an Uber to my hotel and arrived after midnight.…