Reflections on my journey

I've been a bit reflective of late. That might be because I've spent a lot of time on plane, bus and train journeys looking into space. It might just be that time of year with seasons changing. It might also be because I'm nearing the end of this journey. What an amazing journey it's been too - and it's not over yet.

This time last year I was miserable. I wasn't just a bit down, I was absolutely bloody miserable. A series of bad events had worn me down. I look back on it as if I was a different person. In a way, I was. I feel so far away from that person now (quite literally). I haven't felt this happy, healthy or positive in years. Thank you open road!

I did the difficult bit of travelling first - Cambodia. That was such a culture shock, but a brilliant experience. Alongside my memories of being filthy, sweaty and totally out of my comfort zone, are the memories of laughing until my belly hurt, making fantastic new friendships and reaping the rewards of teaching the kids. Vietnam was a test of flying solo. I learnt a lot about myself then. I've certainly tapped into my inner strength on this trip and I've discovered how much you can gain from pushing yourself a bit.

Australia has been a massive learning curve too, but it certainly hasn't been hard work. I feel like I'm sitting back and reaping the rewards now. Life here is so much easier. I feel relaxed, happy and so much more confident. I've met so many different people with interesting tales. It's really opened my mind.

I put a lot of this positivity down to the new love in my life - Sydney! Is it just a fling or is it a longer term relationship? That remains to be seen. All I know is that I've discovered something great here and my journey isn't over yet thankfully.