At the end of February, I will be spending the rest of 2020 travelling between 10 places across 10 months.

Rekindling my love of writing and wanting to record at least some of the amazing experiences, places and people I meet this year, I have decided to write a blog, Ten to Travel, where each post is linked to number 10.

Odyssey

— (noun) a long journey full of adventures

A bit about me…

At age 23, I am very lucky to have been to as many places as I have. From many of the most wonderful cities in Europe, to the idyllic beaches of the Caribbean, and many of the eclectic states of America besides, I’ve come to love exploring new places and cultures. That being said, people close to me know that I am an old soul at heart with a deep-rooted love of British Heritage, the English countryside, and William Shakespeare. I studied English Literature at Oxford and then completed an MA in Shakespeare at University of Birmingham co-taught by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Last year, whilst working in specialist recruitment back home in Bristol, I saw 38 theatre performances, visited Amsterdam, Paxos, Mallorca, and Paris, and developed a need to see more of the world.

As is to be expected at 23, I know plenty of people who have done “the travelling thing.” Whether that be interailing around Europe, following the well-trodden routes around South East Asia, or basing themselves somewhere new to work or volunteer. No sooner had one of my friends returned to British soil was another posting pictures of Sydney Opera House on social media. It’s safe to say that it’s not uncommon for young adults to take themselves off travelling for several months at a time.

Until 2019, I never had the inclination to join them. I had spent an incredible summer in U.S.A. in 2016 working for Walt Disney World for two months and hopping to various other states and sights for another month before heading home. But, I was very ready to come home by the end of it all. I was hankering after home-cooked food, not having to live out of a suitcase, and everything that was familiar back at home.

So why is now the right time for me? What changed?

Working in recruitment, I have spoken to, met, interviewed, and worked with so many people from all over the world. Some of my new colleagues had joined the company not long after returning from grand trips that traversed the globe. I heard intimate stories of the times they spent in treehouses high above rainforests in Laos, about 3am hikes to watch the sunrise over the most spectacular views in New Zealand, seeing some of the last wild Orang-utans in Borneo, and hearing the life-lessons they learnt from the local people they stayed with. Beginning to understand, in some small way, the stories and life experiences behind all the glamorous sunset pictures on Instagram and the elephant trousers that seem a compulsory purchase in South East Asia, the idea of living simply out of a rucksack and absorbing yourself in an entirely new place began to sound something I wanted to take a slice of myself…

After much research and planning, I decided on 10 places:

1. New Zealand
2. Bali
3. Borneo
4. Singapore
5. Thailand
6. Cambodia
7. Vietnam
8. Laos
9. Australia
10. U.S.A

As much as I have planned, researched, and spoken to as many people as I can about these different places, I’m sure there will be plenty of changed plans and spontaneity. With my trip starting in New Zealand though, I’m lucky enough to be able to spend some time with family who live over there. With my parents and sister joining me for some time in Thailand too and the opportunity to spend a month or two with my sister again when she starts studying in the U.S.A., I’m perhaps one of few solo travellers who has plenty of plans to find loved ones along the way. I am very grateful for that.

So there we have it, my first blog post! To those who follow my adventures, thank you for reading my ramblings… I hope that you find them somewhat helpful, enlightening, or interesting!

Watch this space!