Round the World

Well it’s that time of year again, when I have to go through a major life transition and my time left here is slipping through my fingers at an alarming pace, and there is nothing I can do to slow it down. Why do I continually do this to myself? Rip myself away from the comfortable and familiar? I think the answer is quite simple really, because I have to. I’m not saying just because my Visa runs out soon, and I’ll get kicked out if I don’t, I mean I have to keep travelling, period. I don’t consider myself an intrepid traveller by any stretch of the imagination, nor am I on some great quest for the Holy Grail or to discover the unknown, just a girl who’s got to spread her wings and breathe for a while.

Escaping the afternoon sun, underneath the Hazelnut trees in the Sicilian countryside

In the last few weeks, I’ve had severally people say that I must be ‘brave’ to be able to travel across the earth, to a country you’ve never been to, where you don’t know another person, you have no friends, you have no job and you’ve got nowhere to live, and start your life over again. I don’t think it’s brave at all, yes I think it’s exciting and exhilarating, if not slightly daunting, but it’s not as if I am moving to the Congo. All countries have their faults, no where is perfect and no matter where you are, you’ve still got to do mundane things like go to the supermarket and wash your clothes.

Caught in a summer rain shower in Rudesheim, Germany

I read a quote the other day that I’ve since stolen for my life’s motto, and that is that “life is a book, and those that do not travel only read the first page.” I am not saying travelling answers all your questions, and heals all your wounds, but boy does it give you a better prospective on yourself, people and life in general. Even if travelling internationally doesn’t interest you, or is just plainly out of reach for you, then please at least travel out of your comfort zone, in your very own town. Do things you other wise wouldn’t dream of doing or that you’ve wanted to do for a long time but never got around to it. Just do something that is not familiar to you, variety as they say is the spice of life. And for now, if you’re just content reading about other people’s adventures, that’s ok too, I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, just hopefully giving you the push you need.