"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." The musings of a nomadic Kiwi who loves backpacking the world on a budget. Jandals (Translation) - Kiwi slang for flip-flops.
Okay everyone has a bucket list and posting mine is well overdue. I was lucky to cross off many places in 2012/2013 so now it is time to think about what next.
As I sit at my desk at work and earn the money that makes travelling a reality, having this list will act as an incentive to keep my dream alive.
The question is not if.....but when......and I hope it is soon!
Go trekking in Nepal
New York
Kashmir (India)
Climb Machu Picchu
Turkey
Drink all of the delicious beer and chocolate in Belgium
Visit Nelson in NZ – one of the few places in New Zealand I haven’t been
Do one of the great walks in New Zealand; both the Tongariro Crossing and either the Abel Tasman or Heaphy Track
The Gili Islands in Bali
Some of the islands in the Phillipines
Carnivale in Brazil
Patagonia
Climb Kilimanjaro in Tanzania
See the Northern Lights in Iceland
Israel
Run the Berlin Marathon (I’ve already been but want to go back and what better excuse than to run 42.2kms)
Mexico
Easter Island (those statues have always fascinated me)
Whitsundays (Australia)
Travel on the Trans Siberia Express – namely travel to Russia and Mongolia
Maintaining a healthy approach to diet when travelling long-term can be pretty darn hard. When you think of all of the delicious things you see EVERYWHERE, it’s not surprising that weight gain is inevitable. Especially for us girls.
When you head off on a holiday that is 2-3 weeks long, it is perfectly acceptable to be in the mindset of ‘eat all of the things!’ as you can convince yourself that you will get back on the wagon and back in the gym upon your return.
But when you are travelling for months on end, different rules apply! Before I went on my first long term travel jaunt, I got told that I could eat whatever I wanted because you walk everywhere. This is false! My 5kg weight gain in 6 weeks after eating all of the beer, gelato, pizza and pasta is Europe was testament to that.
So based on previous travel experiences, I went into my recent 10 months travelling with the best of intentions and a much more educated approach. Unfortunately this did not happen I way I had hoped. Luckily an ending three-month stint in India helped get me back to a better place on the scales but prior to that it was all down hill. Here is what my travel diet looked like:
Vietnam – eating healthy pho and no rice with meals. Win.
London – pick up food poisoning. Lose weight. Win
Eastern Europe – bread, meat, beer x a million. No veges to be found. Not good.
Africa - Carbo overload at every meal on the tour. Eat chocolate and chips to excess on long driving days. Beer everyday. Photos from this time are horrendous.
India – Give up drinking for a month. Get food poisoning. Good! Lots of ghee filled Indian food. Bad.
South East Asia – beer, buckets and delicious food. Bad bad bad. Weighed myself to discover I am the heaviest I have ever been. Sad face.
India – stop drinking beer; in fact cut back drinking exponentially. Eat no bad food. Cook for myself, go vegetarian.
Result – Come home lighter than when I left. Huzzah.
So as you can see, it can be pretty tough to eat healthily when travelling long-term and when you are on a budget. So here are my top tips on helping to cut back on unnecessary calorie consumption.
DRINK LESS
Hah I can hear you say! It’s pretty tough because it can result in some pretty serious FOMO. Drinking is fun after all. But there are a few ways in which you can moderate your drinking or reduce intake of calories.
Have 1-2 alcohol free days a week
Drink less beer – it is full of carbs. Delicious ones. But carbs nonetheless
Instead of calorie laden buckets (hello sugar!), make your own by buying vodka and drinking it with soda water and some fresh lemon or lime
EAT HEALTHY SNACKS
Bad for you!
Buying bad food was always my downfall when on long bus and train journeys and flights. It was always so easy to stock up on chips, chocolates and processed food. Essentially avoid the 7-11 if you are in Asia. But with a little bit of foresight, you can visit local markets for fresh fruit and vegetable, nuts or meat on a stick (hello protein) which is much better for you obviously!
SAY NO TO RICE
When you travel through Asia, rice comes with pretty much every meal. So instead of chowing down on stodgy carbs, ask for it to be replaced with a serve of vegetables instead. Simple!
DO SOME EXERCISE - GET OFF YOUR SUN LOUNGER LAZY!
This is often easier said than done. I packed a running outfit with the best of intentions but only went for two runs in 10 months. Shameful. However I did try and do a lot of trekking, walking, climbing mountains whenever I could. Plus in tropical countries you sweat a lot. And remember kids, sweat is fat crying. However although this alone probably wasn’t enough to counteract all of the calories I was consuming, it definitely helped. Putting a goal in place like walking at least two hours a day (which is easy when you are exploring), swimming three times a week or doing one long hike a week all adds up. Plus you feel better for it! Hefting your backpack around also doubles as weight training. True story.
What are you some of your tips to stay healthy on the road?
There are many beautiful beaches and tropical paradises lying in wait to be discovered around the world. I have been lucky to have swam in pristine azure waters, watched sunrises and sunsets from vantage spots and strolled the length of many strips of sand with good conversation and great people.
Here is a list of my favourite beaches around the world that I have been lucky to have visited.
Zanzibar Island, Tanzania
Kendra Beach on Zanzibar Island off the coast of Tanzania is hands down the most beautiful beach I have been to in the world.
It is here that paradise truly lies. A long expanse of golden sand with water that is the exact blue you see in advertisements for tropical destinations and desire to swim in. But here it is the real deal.
The beauty of Zanzibar is so far largely untouched by commercial tourism. Tourists are few and far between, there are no large groups of loud partying backpackers and it is comforting that the brash tourist scene so heavily ingrained in Thailand and Bali has yet to reach these shores.
Cathedral Cove, New Zealand
Credit
We are spoiled for stunning beaches in New Zealand and I have many favourites that could easily be on this list but there is one that stands out. Cathedral Cove in the Coromandel is a truly special spot that I visited many times in my childhood. It is only accessed by a 30 minute walk through forest and farmland unless you arrive by boat. After descending a final set of stairs, you can see the beach out to the right and the big rock close to shore which is perfect for jumping off. To the left you can walk through a big hole in the rock and take a walk down the golden sand. One of the North Island’s most beautiful beach spots.
Palolem Beach, India
I discovered this south Goan gem on my first trip to India in 2009. I spent a glorious two weeks there and then returned for another two weeks of sundrenched bliss for Xmas 2012.
A crescent shaped bay located between two lush green headlands, Palolem offers a relaxing beach experience that is still tinged with an Indian flavour.
Compared to Goa's northern beaches which are packed with tourists and loud nightlife, Palolem almost seems like a sleepy haven in comparison. Cows freely roam the sand, young children shriek in the shallows and hawkers sell massages and henna. The array of beach huts, bars and market stalls make it a great place to lose track of time and the cheapness of everything makes it the perfect spot to stay longer than anticipated.
Nice, France
The main public beach in downtown Nice is not so much a tropical paradise; in fact its rocky landscape is quite uncomfortable to sunbathe on and is painfully difficult to navigate a graceful entrance into the water.
But this spot offers a fascinating glimpse into the laidback French lifestyle and an enviable postcard scenery of blue and white striped umbrellas, bronzed bodies playing volleyball, stunning European girls sunbathing in skimpy bikinis and ice-cream sellers who frequent the length of the beach. Taking a stroll along the Promenade des Anglais above offers a spectacular view over the beach and is the perfect place to soak in all of the action of the holidaymakers that completely pack the beach in the summer months.
Perhentian Islands, Malaysia
I first heard of the Perhentian Islands when I was backpacking through Thailand in 2009. Prior to that, Malaysia had never really been high on my list. Oh the ignorance! In 2010 I was lucky to visit on a work trip and absolutely loved the laid back atmosphere. Made up of Pulau Kecil and Pulau Besar (Big Island and Small Island), the bigger island is geared up more for families and those with a little more money whereas the smaller island attracts backpackers and a party atmosphere. These islands offer some of the best snorkeling and diving in Malaysia (and the world!) and a breathtaking sunset.
This year I had the privilege of volunteering in Goa for two months at a wonderful children’s charity The Educators Trust.
Their aim is to provide an education to street and slum children through their three schools and various outreach programmes.
Since I have returned, many people have asked me if my experience volunteering has changed me. The short answer is simply yes. It would be folly to think that I would leave without it impacting me in some way.
It has changed the way that I look at myself, approach my life and realise just how lucky I am to have grown up in New Zealand. Having access to free education and healthcare and enjoying the safety of a roof over my head are all things that are easily taken for granted but are out of reach for millions around that world.
Now that I have returned home and started earning again, I’m no longer on the strict budget that I imposed on myself while travelling. Subsequently, I have been able to indulge in luxuries such as buying clothes and throwing myself a 30th. But now these kinds of purchases sometimes come with a touch of guilt. Of course the reality is that that I can't go through life feeling like that so the question is what can I do to help now that I'm home?
My volunteering experience has made a positive shift on my perspective of helping those less fortunate. In the past, I have supported local charities through my own fundraising efforts through my running and that of friends. I will continue to do this but now I want to do more. For charities close to home and abroad.
I am guilty, like many other people, of simply tuning out when an ad comes on television asking for donations to charities like World Vision, Red Cross and WSPA. And when you are safe in the comfort of your own life, it is hard to imagine the hardships of poverty and disease.
This is why volunteering is so important. It not only gives you a chance to make a difference but also gives you insight and understanding into how action results in help and hopefully change for those who need it most.
Last week a post from The Educators Trust came up on my newsfeed calling out for donations to send a young boy to mainstream school. The cost of a year’s tuition, uniform, meals and transport is 100 pounds and as soon as I read the story I didn’t hesitate to donate the full amount. I'm ashamed to say that this wouldn't have happened 18 months ago.
Having not had regular income myself for almost a year and moving to a new country, I wasn’t in a strong financial position but just the night before I had received a tax rebate and I knew this was the right decision.
It turned out another volunteer had donated as well so there were enough funds to send two children. I received the heartwarming news that it was Sachin, one of my cheeky and fearless students. A real rascal, he had such exuberance and it means so much knowing that he will benefit from having the tools and education to empower him towards a better future.
The Educators Trust works on the premise that is hard to change the world, but for that one child his life will change forever. And this is something I hold very dear now.
Volunteering in Goa for the Educators Trust has given me the confidence that this money will be used exactly for this purpose.
And this is why I recommend that every traveler take some time to volunteer for a charity that is working to make a difference.
For more tips on volunteering, visit Generous Nomads.
You can see all of my photos and blog posts from my time at The Educators Trust here.
And here is a selection of photos of my cheeky little Sachin.
The common question for many backpackers is 'What should I pack?" Navigating the packing process and choosing which items are going to make the cut for inclusion in your backpack can be tricky. Especially when you are travelling for a lengthy period of time, spending time in varying climates and planning on a wide range of activities.
Over my ten month trip I needed to pack wet weather gear for the rains of Uganda, a bikini and shorts for SE Asia, trainers for trekking, nice clothes for going out in Europe and of course there were all of the other basics and necessities that were needed to make life easier along the way.
I know one packing tip that often crops up is to make a pile of everything you think you will need and then halve it. It's a helpful approach but sometimes it’s knowing what particular items (not just socks and undies!) are going to make the real difference. And sometimes unless you are on the road or have the power of hindsight, then it can be hard to recognise their value.
Here is my list of must-have items that proved their weight in gold while backpacking.
Jandals (aka thongs aka flip-flops)
Given the name of my blog, these of course would have to be first on the list! And those of you who are long-term readers of my blog will know about my never-ending issue of having to replace them (You can read about my multiple losses here).
But there is a reason that jandals are the preferred type of footwear for many travellers. They are handy in sunny climates and weather well when it rains. They are hardy (as long as you don’t buy the fake Haviana's in SE Asia), are easily cleaned and take up little space in your backpack. My many pairs were literally an extension of my feet and it felt weird when I came home and had to start wearing closed in shoes all of the time.
And if you want a little tip given my experience – pack two pairs!
Candles & Matches/Lighter
These come in handy when you are spending time on islands or in small towns where the power only comes on for a few hours a day. There is often a window of time between it getting dark and the power being turned on so having some candles for your room or balcony will be a godsend.
Footless tights
A pair of these should be packed in every girl’s backpack. I wore my one pair so much that they were literally falling apart and ended up buying some more in India. They are particularly helpful for keeping your legs covered under skirts and dresses when travelling through culturally sensitive areas. They also make a good alternative to packing a pair of bulky jeans or pants if the weather is going to be changeable where you are and want to make sure your legs are kept warm. They also help to keep mosquitoes at bay at nighttime in tropical areas.
A scarf
This is helpful in the same vein as footless tights in helping to cover up when travelling through culturally sensitive areas such as Morocco and India, or to cover your shoulders when visiting places of religious significance. They also make great make-shift pillows or a blanket on trains, planes and buses. If you’re like me and you choose the budget route, neither of these luxuries are provided very often.
Extra SD cards
This may seem self explanatory but I had a selection of SD cards of varying GB capacity scattered in my day back, camera bag and backpack. I had the terrible habit of forgetting to take my SD card out of my tablet after editing photos and putting it back into my SLR. The number of times I went to take a photo while out and about and finding that there was no SD card in my camera was ridiculous. Luckily I always had a spare in the bag I had on me. This also has its benefits if you fill up your card and don’t want to delete any photos to make space.
Makeup wipes
While I didn’t wear make-up at all while travelling through tropical because it wouldn’t last five minutes in the endless sweat, make-up remover wipes proved valuable when travelling through dirty and dusty places. Endless days crossing the deserts in Africa on the overland truck left my face covered in dirt so it wasn’t a surprise when my skin started breaking out given my lack of attention to facial care. As soon as I started cleaning my face morning and night, it cleared right up! They are also useful for wiping down benches and train beds which are often covered in grime and for cleaning your hands if there is no running water or have run out of hand sanitiser.
Ear plugs……lots and lots of ear plugs.
I started out with five pairs and by the time I arrived home, I had one very dirty, very sorry looking lone ear plug. I lost many on planes, trains and buses after they rolled under seats or left behind in my endless rotation of guesthouses and hostels. You will NEED these as a backpacker and it’s never a nice feeling when you are trying to sleep in a dorm room without some. An eye mask always complements this travel essential nicely.Seriously bring more than more pair.
Copies of receipts for any expensive equipment you are carrying
If you are travelling with an expensive camera and lenses, iPhone or tablet, then you will want to make sure you have copies of your receipts. These are best scanned and accessed by email so if you ever need to make a travel insurance claim should they be lost, stolen or broken then you can prove your purchase. Having to call up your mum and ask her to rummage through your boxes stored at home is not conducive to a speedy claim!
Universal Adaptor with a USB port
There are times when you have limited time to charge everything you need so being able to charge two things at once is pretty much the best thing since sliced bread. If you are travelling with multiple electrical items such as a camera, phone, tablet, kindle etc – you will need one of these!
Travel First-Aid Kit
Please invest in one. I used almost everything in mine from plasters to antibiotics and iodine solution to stomach cramp medicine. This was one of the most valuable items in my backpack and catered to almost every medical need I had luckily.
What are the important items that you always pack or wish you knew about before you set off?
People say that you never lose the travel bug. That you are constantly thinking, dreaming, planning and plotting to make the next trip come to fruition.
After travelling to 40 countries around Asia, Europe, Africa and North America, and with my move to Sydney last week taking the tally of countries I have lived in to four – I feel I have itchier feet than many.
It’s pretty safe to say that I am definitely the nomad in my family, who although enjoy going on holidays, don't have the same desire to throw caution to the wind, quit a job and travel the world for months on end. Especially to third world countries and stay in very basic accommodation where there is not a resort or pool in site.
But I digress; this is a post about travel regrets. Truth be told, I don’t have any true regrets about any of my travels but I do wonder about the missed opportunities and experiences due to a lack of time and money on the road. And these are my top ones:
Not making the time for Turkey
Visiting this exotic and spice laden country is in the top five of places where I want to visit. In September last year, I travelled all through the Balkans where I started in Albania and made my way along the coast until I reached Slovenia. While I was in Dhermi on the southern coast of Albania, I was just a short flight away from Turkey. But time pressures meant I only had six weeks (and six countries to visit) before I needed to be back in London and give me some time to see friends before I flew to Africa.
When I was in Croatia, a guy from my hotel was flying to Istanbul the following day. When I professed my jealousy at his next stop and that I wasn't able to include a visit in my trip because I didn't have time, he asked me "Oh are you flying home next?"…..”No, no," I replied. "I'm travelling for another seven months."
This guy just looked at me and as if to say 'riiiiiiiiiight'. Haha but it was true.
Not climbing Mt Kilimanjaro
The closest I got to Mt Kilimanjaro was literally driving past it while I travelled through Tanzania on my six week tour around East Africa last year. I had pondered booking the nine-day climbing tour when I was picking and choosing where I wanted to go on my big trip of 2012/2013. And while I was very tempted, and considering I was already going to be in Africa, it came down to a budget thing for me. There was an option to book the climb as an add-on for my tour, either before or after, but it was going to cost an additional $1,500 that I just didn’t have at my disposal. I really regret this as I do want to climb Kilimanjaro in the future but it’s extremely likely I will have to do it as standalone trip which will no doubt cost me far in excess of $1,500 given that I will need to pay for return flights and additional accommodation etc. Sad face.
Not including Nepal while travelling around India this year
When I originally organised my trip, I did so on the belief that I was able to get a six month visa to India like I did when I went in 2009. Unfortunately in the ensuing years they had changed the rules and I was only able to get a three month visa. The caveat around that was that if I wanted to return and renew my visa, I had to have a 2 month gap between each visit. This royally stuffed up my plans as I wanted to spend three months travelling around India, two months volunteering in Goa and then spend a month in Nepal. Subsequently I instead spent two months in Thailand, Cambodia and Laos. Those are experiences I would never trade in for the world but it just meant that Nepal is still on my bucket list!
Not using a free ticket to visit New York
Say what?! I KNOW! I still kick myself to this day but again time was against me. Back in my university days as a very green traveller, I moved to Mammoth Lakes in California to work in a ski town for four months over my summer holidays. On a return journey from San Francisco, some people needed to be bumped as the flight was overbooked. As a reward for volunteering our seats and going on the following flight, my friend and I were given a free return ticket to anywhere in the US. Pretty amazing! But what wasn’t so amazing was that I had to fly back to New Zealand a few weeks later for my final year of university and I had already missed two weeks of classes. I still dream of that missed NYC opportunity
An exciting new chapter in my well travelled life!
After seven weeks back in New Zealand after a 10 month trip that took me around the world, it is time to put down some roots. Gasp!!! I know - it’s weird even to say it!
But after talking about moving to Sydney since returning home from London in 2009, the time has come. And boy am I excited!
A little bittersweet yes because it means saying goodbye to my friends and family. And because I will miss the birth of my two nephews next week and in October.
But Sydney is only a three hour flight away and I have planned to visit over Labour Weekend in October and then again at Xmas.
Ah Sydney. I am very excited to explore all of this bustling metropolis. I can’t wait to see all of my friends (especially one special bestie) and meet a lot of new people. A new home, a new job and endless opportunities await.
A new decade (yup I’m 30 this week), a new country, a new life!
It’s amazing how much power a single song can have on your sub conscious. You can be innocently driving to work, browsing in a store or listening to the radio at home when suddenly a few notes of a certain song can trigger the recesses of a treasured memory and instantly transport you back days, months or years to a certain moment in time.
When you are travelling, especially for such a long time, it’s not surprising that certain songs can remind you of particular places, people and conversations.
Moments spent laughing with newfound friends, discovering the world’s wonders with close travel buddies, laughing over a beer on a deserted beach, dancing up a storm in a European club or hours spent staring out the windows of trains and buses and watching a foreign landscape speed by.
All snatches and glimpses of a time where you were exploring and experiencing something unforgettable which have become forever entwined in a particular song for whatever reason.
At the time you were living for the moment but once returning home and rejoining the realities of daily life, the smallest of instances can be recalled by the power of just one song.
And sometimes when you let the notes wash over you, it’s almost like you are there again. Your eyes glaze, and your mind drifts and you remember. And you smile. And you are reminded why travel is such a rich gift.
Here are some songs that will forever dredge up some of my most happiest travel memories.
Don’t Worry Child, Swedish House Mafia
This song played every time I went out to clubs with my fellow volunteers in Goa this year. We lived in Kamaki’s, Limelight and Ionos where often there were four or five of us Western girls dancing in a circle fending off the advances of the Indian men circling like sharks. We found it quite funny and never let it put us off enjoying every night on the dance floor. This song will always remind me of my adopted Goa family
You Can Call Me Al, Paul Simon
I have my friend Dave to thank for this. He kept singing the line ‘bone digger, bone digger’ over and over while we were in Nice. Eventually I downloaded it from Itunes and pretty much kept it on repeat. It was only then that I learned any of the song lyrics apart from ‘You can be my bodyguard and I will be your long lost pal’. It now reminds me of wine, driving through French villages and laughter. I’m proud to say I can now belt this song out almost word for word. I even sung it for Karaoke while at my hostel in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Scream & Shout, Will.i.am and Britney Spears
This song always transports me back to Haad Rin beach on Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party.
Dancing on the sand, buckets galore, people everywhere in jubilant moods and an abundance of UV paint - the recipe for an unbelievable night.
One, Shapeshifter
This song will always remind of when I went on my first OE in 2007. I travelled through Europe for six weeks before moving to London and this was the most played song on my iPod. It was my little piece of New Zealand that I carried close to me. A beautiful beautiful song.
Doo Ter Tam, Job 2 Do
If you have travelled around Thailand this year then you will be familiar with this reggae song. Pretty much on repeat at every beach bar in the country, it is an old song that has enjoyed a revival. This will always conjure up memories of sitting at Sunset Bar in Tonsai with an incredible bunch of fun people for pretty much nine consecutive nights. This was my last stop before coming home to civilisation and I was holding onto the last vestiges of my trip for as long as possible.
Hakuna Matata, Lion King
Not unsurprisingly this was pretty much our theme song when we were travelling around Africa. In fact, I’m sure it’s safe to say that anyone who travels around Africa can’t help but bust out this catchy Disney classic. After weeks of singing ‘Hakuna Matata - it means no worries’, everyone in our tour erupted in laughter when Sly (my favourite Australian) asked in all seriousness ‘but what does it mean?’.
Comedy gold.
What songs bring back treasured travel memories and moments for you?
Tonight I entered a couple of my travel photos into a travel photography competition and it got me thinking about which of my snaps made it to my overall top 10 travel photos.
After 10 months on the road and visiting 20 countries, you can imagine the amount of photos I took number in their thousands. Stunning sunsets, beautiful smiles, spectacular landscapes and moments of unbelievably breathtaking beauty that I was able to capture and now treasure as memories frozen in time.
I was quite ruthless about keeping only my favourite photos because at the end of the day, who wants to trawl through that many? Facebook albums that number more than 100 are rarely going to be given much attention.
Now that I am home and comfort myself in the memories of my trip, I am so thankful that I invested in an SLR (Nikon 3100). I was also lucky enough to have travelled with some extremely talented photographers. Props to Guy (thank you so much for forcing me to invest in a 70-300 mm lens for Africa) and Flo in particular who both inspired me to become better and more passionate about capturing unforgettable moments.
After much deliberation, here are my top 10 favourite photos from my recent trip that I would like to share*.
*Disclaimer - there may be a Top 10 Travel photos Part II in the future!
One of the beautiful village children that shadowed us from our campsite (Tanzania)
A bluebird day on safari (Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania)
Stari Most Bridge (Mostar, Bosnia)
Two old friends (Jaisalmer, India)
A farmer planting rice (Takeo, Cambodia)
Trekking for mountain gorillas in the Bwindi Inpenetrable Forest (Uganda)
One of the beautiful children celebrating The Educator's Trust's 5th birthday while on my volunteer placement (Goa, India)
Spotting a leopard that came right up to our truck (Serengeti, Tanzania)
The most beautiful beach I've been to in the world (Zanzibar Island, Tanzania)
Exploring the marine life at sunset (Koh Payam, Thailand)
And all it took was 2 weeks and 4 days for the post-travel depression to set in.
To be fair, my travel only really finished about 4 hours before that so it could have happened sooner. I say this because after just four days of arriving back in New Zealand (when the novelty factor was still there), I set off for ten days travel around New Zealand with Flo, a lovely Italian boy I met in south east Asia, where I played tour guide. We went down to Taupo, explored a couple of my favourite places in Auckland and then up north to my Dad’s holiday house. This was then followed almost immediately (less than 12 hours) by the arrival of my best friend Kate en route home to Sydney from Peru. Upon picking her up from the airport, we drove down to Hamilton and Rotorua to see her family for three days.
Long winded explanation aside….shortly after dropping Kate off at the airport, I was immediately beset by what one can only call ‘post-travel depression’. It’s a real thing. I’m sure if you looked up a medical journal it would be categorically determined as such.
I was consumed by such empty and hollow feelings. The high of being home had suddenly worn off and all I could think was ‘Is this it for the rest of my life? Seriously….come on….this is it?’
I hid myself away in my room for an afternoon lost in nostalgia and hopelessly read old blog posts and looked through photos. Hardly the remedy I needed but I was too far gone for rational thought. I was more than happy to lose myself in the amazing memories of places and people I had accrued in the past year.
A realisation that I had come home to a life of unemployment, homelessness and debt. Oh and let’s tack on the fact that I’m almost 30 (oh hi August 4) and single. Well everyone in India seemed to think it was an issue so let’s just add it to the list while I wallowed in self pity.
I put my misery out to Facebook. Oh yes I’m one for broadcasting my first world problems onto social media. The immediate solution from many was to book another trip. Something to look forward to and all that.
Hah.
My lack of cash flow put a stop to any thoughts of that. I mean let’s put it into perspective. I had JUST finished 10 months of travel. A bit ridiculous really to be thinking about my next trip. But now here I am almost four weeks on and it’s the only medicine I can think of.
Well that and putting my energy into working full time and getting back into fitness (how I have missed thee). I am halfway into a full-time six week contract and combined with extra travel writing/freelance work on the side, my fruitless self-pitying thoughts have been pushed aside by the priorities imposed on me by the real world.
Another silver lining of working (I know….who knew?!) is the much improved financial side of things. Thank god is all I have to say. So I have promised myself that if I get a full-time job offer within one month of arriving in Sydney on July 31, I am off to Bali.
What's that you say…pay off my credit card? Set myself up in Sydney? Save some money for a rainy day?
Oh but you jest.
It’s just a little something something to say congratulations for re-acclimatising to the real world.
Wow I can't believe I have been back in New Zealand for six weeks tomorrow. I shouldn't be surprised how fast time has flown though when I think about how quickly my 10 months of travel went.
My blog has taken a bit of a back seat what with all of the catch-up's with friends and family.....and starting work again. Oh yes, back to the ol 9-5pm I'm afraid. Well the bank balance is very appreciative I tell you!
Yikes! In all honesty though, it's been easier getting back into the swing of things again than I thought. But working during the day and then freelancing at nights/weekends is definitely an adjustment from my previous backpacker life. Buckets, beaches and sleep ins are missed. Overnight buses are not.
It actually feels like a dream a lot of the time.
But to whet your appetite, here is a guest blog I wrote for my friend Izy's awesome new website Generous Nomads which is all about encouraging and inspiring people to volunteer.
You can read my post about my amazing time volunteering in India here - Volunteering in India
Hope you enjoy and I promise to resume regular posts on here soon!
Have discovered my kids gave me a leaving present. I am crawling with head lice…..again. But worse! This is the third time. Fan-fucking-tastic.
Just went through my hair and pulled out so many of the little bastards with a nit comb. Now I have to wait to get to Thailand and get proper shampoo to get rid of the eggs they no doubt have laid in my hair as you can’t get strong enough stuff in India. One of the few not nice things about volunteering in India. To be fair though, it was the only not nice thing.
