Once a traveler, always a traveler

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Once a traveler, always a traveler

Written by Sophie 8 September 2010 2 Comments

So… you return from a massive adventure around the world where you lived on exotic beaches, drank cheap whiskey by the (literal) bucket loads, and explored new exciting cities, meeting and greeting new faces constantly. Then you return to a cold and miserable British summer where unemployment is sky high and you need to search under the sofa cushions just to scrape together a bus fare. It sucks.
Jaclyn’s article of how to preoccupy your time on a return was really helpful and ensured me to get proactive (sold muchos possessions on eBay once I realised how many clothes weren’t missed while I was away), traveled to other cities to visit and catch up with old University friends, ventured to the Cornish coast for my 22nd birthday…but before I knew it I had bought a year working visa in Australia and hustled numerous travel agents for the cheapest one way ticket to Melbourne. I leave in two days- *GULP*

suitcase Once a traveler, always a traveler

If I stayed in England, I knew I would get tied down to a particular city depending on available jobs. And lets face it, in today’s economic climate if you get a job you cling on for dear life and battle off all those new graduates being churned out of the universities. I’m not ready to stay put in my home country yet!

The trick is to not over-think or I will end up freaking myself out. I have an obscene amount of family who reside in Melbourne so it is not like I am fully venturing into a city of strangers, and there are also people who I met along my travels who live there. The thought of going out there is pretty terrifying as my plan goes as far as: find a job, find a flat-share. At least I’ll be able to tick ‘live in a different country for a year’ off my ‘list of things to do before I’m 30’.

So again, off I trot alone as far away from home as you can get on a plane. Except this time replace a backpack with a suitcase on wheels that contains my life (mainly clothes), a carry-on case stuffed with my laptop and jewelery with an aim to settle in a city to live a life. My first time earning to live without the heavy threat of essay deadlines/project research looming over me… on top of a new city/country. My survival is currently questionable. I’m just glad that Aussies and Brits speak the same language, just need to find out what a ‘bogan’ is and what kangaroo tastes like…
Who knows how I’ll like it or how I’ll adjust to this massive change without my team of friends and immediate family backing me. Just don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith as you’ve only got one life, so grab it by the scruff of its neck and see where it can take you.

My mantra is “Everything will be o.k. in the end. If it’s not o.k., then it’s not the end.”

Tags: backpacking, personal experiences

2 Comments »

lorna said:

Your travel mantra is just perfect, i think everyone should have that statement on their bedroom wall to remind them that life is suposed to be challenging and that to have highs you also have to have a few lows!

# 8 September 2010 at 2:58 pm

Connie said:

Firstly I know what you’re going through and I even thought about Melborne, especially after coming back from paradise of Sri Lanka to Snow in London! By god did I HATE it.
I knew that I really couldn’t go away yet. I wanted to explore more countries rather than be tied down to one, and London is so central to many countries.

I’m saving for a few more years, and then it will be SE asia, Az, Nz and maybe central America and parts of South America again. I also managed to get a job that requires European travel, so that’s all I can do right now.

Hope it all goes well for you! Let the travel bug live on…

# 15 January 2011 at 1:26 pm