Well, it’s been a while since I last posted. But I’m travelling again and thought I should also write again, having heard from so many of you that you loved reading about my adventures. So, here we go again, with a brief summary of what’s happened and what’s to come.
Whistler was my home for two and a half years and it was something of a rollercoaster. I found love there, I went through most of the pandemic there, and more recently, I lost love there. Three weeks ago I hopped on a plane back to Australia, and while I was devastated, I was ready.
Living in Whistler is like being on a permanent holiday, with work acting as a chore you get to do with friends and not something to dread. There’s an array of people there from all over the world, with a common passion for snow sports and the winter. Skiing in the morning before work, or better yet, skiing to work, is one of the best ways anyone can start the day in my opinion. I walked 5 minutes from my house to step onto a gondola that 20 minutes later would present me with one of my most favourite views in the world. Surrounded by mountains, snow topped and beautiful, against a blue sky if we were lucky enough. That was my backyard for two and a half years. We’d head to work for our afternoon shift, and tolerate the tourists because we got to work among our friends, who always made it fun. If we didn’t have work, we’d ski all day long before a well deserved feed alongside a few drinks – the perfect apres skiing.
My time in Whistler, particularly over the last few months, has proven that I have no idea where home is for me. But, the mountains feel like home. They bring a sense of calm, and a realisation that there’s so much more than just us. They bring accomplishment when you hike up or ski down. And there’s nothing better than sitting on top and viewing the world from up there.
Which leads me to my next adventure. More travelling, to see where home might be, and to keep discovering more about myself. Because apparently there’s still a lot I need to learn.
I’m sitting on the plane now, 6 hours into a 9.5 hour flight. I’m out of practice wih this whole travel thing. Packing was a nightmare, and I know next to nothing about the places I’m visiting. You’d think I’d fall back into it after doing a 10 month trip pretty comfortably, but that was four years ago now.
This time the trip is going to be very different from what I’m used to as well. I’ll start in Bangkok which will give me the little taste of Asian culture that I love so much, but just for three nights. I’ll be reintroduced to hostel life, and the pleasure of meeting strangers and adventuring with them all in the same day. But after Bangkok I fly to London to start the UK/Europe part of the trip. I’ve got plans to meet up with so many friends, some from school, some along my travels, and some from living in Whistler – as opposed to my very solo adventure four years ago.
I’ll start by staying with my friend Emily, just west of London. I met Emily in Hermanus, South Africa. We were both solo female travellers, and connected immediately, opting to spend our remaining two weeks together, exploring the south coast of South Africa together. Since then we’ve remained close, and I call her one of my best friends. Emily’s upcoming wedding inspired this trip for me – I needed just one reason to leave, and then I could think of many more reasons to stay. So here we are.
There’s no return flight booked of course. I know I’ll be travelling until the end of August at the very least. But I – and everyone who knows me well enough – have a feeling that I’ll continue on after that.
These past few months have taught me a lot. And I’m certainly not ready to settle down any time soon. Perhaps I never will be? Who’s to say that we all have to pick a career and settle down in one place, working that full time job where you spend more time working than you do anything else. Where you work for 48 weeks a year looking forward to those four weeks of annual leave. I’ve lived that way once before, and I certainly prefer my way of living now.
So, live vicariously through me and my writing, or join me along the way if that lifestyle isn’t working for you either. And we can share stories over a drink, wherever that may be.
cavillstravels 