I’ve decided to take a break from normal working life in London as there is just too much of the world I haven’t seen and it’s about time I go explore a bit of it. I really should have done this after high school. Or after uni. Or at a time when I was the appropriate age for a gap year. Or didn’t have to quit a job after five years of trying to establish a career. But I didn’t, so that’s not how it’s going down.

People who know me won’t be surprised that I have a pretty detailed spreadsheet, breaking down destinations, time, and money in a silly amount of detail. But those people will also know that it’s not about ticking things off a list for me, it’s there for planning purposes (mainly of the financial kind, although my parents would like me to commit to the destinations and dates as a matter of urgency) and just in case I get very off track along the way. Which is likely. I have a horrendous sense of direction.

I love travelling, I have had some of the best experiences and met some of the loveliest people people when travelling but I am by no means a natural backpacker. I am incapable of packing light. My backpack has never weighed less than 18kg (what can I say? I like having options). As a person, most of the time I’m quiet and introverted and I hate being the centre of attention – so chatting up a storm as soon as walk through the door of the hostel I will probably not be doing. I consider myself practical but even my closest friends will dispute that claim (be more open-minded, guys! Some of us just don’t think practicality needs to equate to owning a pair of convertible walking trousers). But none of those backpacking shortcomings are going to stop me! I’m throwing myself into it, head first, sink or swim. What I don’t know already, I’ll learn (hopefully including Spanish. Vocab beyond the ability to order a beer would be tremendously helpful, I’m sure). Doing it alone doesn’t scare me, although it will definitely be challenging. But then again, I have faced plenty of challenges before and am too much of a fighter to have backed down from any yet.

The plan is to keep this little blog updated, as regularly as time (and internet availability) allows, so whoever fancies checking up on me along the way can do so. There will be pictures, I promise. Not necessarily good ones though.