Can you believe today marks two whole months on the road? My mind doesn’t even register how much I’ve seen and done until I flip back through my photos and then I’m just overwhelmed. If I was forced to come back right now, I’d be very, very happy with the adventures I’ve already had.
Highs
- Making dear new friends at the Fiji Orchid, Nukubati, Waihi, Auckland, Christchurch and during my Flying Kiwi tour
- Meeting up with old friends Lauren, Linda & Craig, John & Chris and Brad & Mark.
- Conquering fears at the SkyTower in Auckland and in an ultra-light plane in the Coromandel Peninsula.
- Worshipping at churches in Fiji, Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne & Brisbane.
- Sinking a hole-in-one at mini-golf in Christchurch with Noah & Al.
- Spending Valentine’s Day with a lovely bloke and the fairy penguins on Philip Island.
- Finally seeing what The Whitsundays were all about, two years after Best Job in the World.
- Completing the Tongariro Crossing. (Completing is the high. Doing it was kind of a drag.)
Lows
- The earthquake in Christchurch is breaking my heart.
- I didn’t make it to Sydney, to Hillsong, to the glowworm caves in NZ, to Queenstown, to the Outback or to the Great Barrier Reef… so I have to come back.
- Bloody gargantuan cockroach in my shower in Airlie Beach.
- Missing RaeRae’s pageant preparation. (Miss MHS Pageant is April 2 and I’m gutted that I’m missing it, but it’s too expensive to fly home.)
- Unseasonably lame weather in Fiji, NZ & Melbourne.
- Fighting to get my business expenses paid from reports I submitted in October.
- Saying goodbye too often.
Lessons and Goals
- I was right. I’m not really a backpacker, per se. I feel too old, too introverted and too… something… when I’m in a big dorm room full of people. I’m going to try hostels again in Asia though and see if I can tweak myself enough to make it work.
- Somehow even though I ditched my full time job, I’m still finding a way to work 10 hours a day on projects that so far haven’t paid me any moolah. Will work on disconnecting and using my time better in the next two months. I have a million new ideas for businesses and web-based projects, so I seem to have released my trapped personal creativity now that I’m free from corporate life. A definite plus!
- I’m quite happy with everything I packed (especially the headlamp I thought I’d never use!), though I just sent home a hat, a dress and a sweater I bought in NZ. I could’ve done with just a wheeled suitcase as well – I’ve yet to use the pack straps on my Eagle Creek Twist 65L that I stressed over so much.
- I’ve spent a lot of money… mostly on food. I need to reign in my taste buds and my wallet. Luckily SE Asia is the perfect place for the latter, so I don’t really have to do the former.
- I thought without a job I’d have more time to focus on my relationship with God, working out and just relaxing. I’m not there yet, but I see where I’ve stepped off track and am correcting as we speak. Too much EAT, not enough PRAY and something like LOVE.
What’s Next?
In March and April, I’m traveling to Bali, Thailand and perhaps a few nearby countries. These months will hold the first legit steps outside my comfort zone on this trip, as Fiji, New Zealand and Australia have been very comfortable and without too much culture shock. Who’s coming with me?
Thank you!
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