For all of 2019 I have been based in North America – initially landing on the Beaches of Western Mexico to rest my feet into the sands, reconnecting with nature and deciding upon a new path for myself. It was a much needed respite after a whirlwind ending and rapid-fire change of plans that the later months of 2018 had brought to my life.
A time of focus, and exploring North America
The year so far has brought many visits in and out of Mexico since, a land that always has, and always will, feel like my other homeland away from home. I’ve released baby sea turtles into the Pacific Ocean, I’ve road tripped across Arizona, New Mexico and Kansas – in a strange twist of fate following the circus, I spent my birthday exploring the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Throughout the year I’ve returned to Victoria a number of times on a longstay working holiday visa where I’ve watched the cherry trees blossom, turn red, and eventually fall into soggy winter puddles on Vancouver Island. I continue to be drawn by the pull of islands wherever I go.
Life, learning, growing
It’s so far, at least, been a year of many books. Reading them and writing them. It’s been a year of education, finally returning to university to work towards a bachelors degree. It’s been a time focused on deep learning, career progression and immersing myself in projects, my focus enfolded into the deepest reaches of my laptop for many late evenings.
Indeed it has also been a year full of challenges. A bicycle accident and a broken hand, paperwork, hospitals and insurance. A kidney infection spanning two countries. Growing a relationship that traverses borders and challenges visa application processes. But, the year has been a good one so far, with so much learning & growing & loving & appreciation.
A new focus for the website
Despite an ever-growing mountain of drafts and concepts, I haven’t written as much as I would like. After much contemplation I have realized my challenge and block with writing is perfectionism. Wanting each release to be a longform story on a place, taking many hours to craft, compose and edit. So that’s where this journal was born, as a space for my more casual blogging and to share everyday aspects and thoughts of my life.
I will still keep my longer form travel writing in it’s own space on the website (and I will continue writing and releasing it), and my shortform writing here in my journal. Feel free to follow whichever you prefer (or both, if you like!) So I hope you enjoy the new format, and I hope it inspires me to write more frequently.
If you like the journal format, you can keep up on it at my journal page here