11 things that have happened since August 2017

Knock, knock…is anyone there?

I really hope some of you are. I haven’t written a blog post since last August (sigh), so I know I’m expecting a lot, but hopefully a few of you are still lurking in the shadows!

I cannot quite believe that I haven’t updated this blog in eight months. Scribble, Snap, Travel was such a big part of my life for three years and also saw me through a batshit crazy breakup. At the time, this space gave me a reason to keep fighting, to keep moving forward. My heart soared whenever I looked back over posts and saw how far I’d come, so I wanted nothing more than to keep it going.

At some point, however, something happened.

I just didn’t feel like writing anymore.

I thought it was a ‘phase’ that would pass, but the longer I didn’t log onto the site’s dashboard, the less reason I had to do so. After all, when we stop prioritising something, other things quickly take its place and before you know it we don’t really even think about those things anymore (even if they once brought us happiness).

The truth is, though, I didn’t stop thinking about Scribble, Snap, Travel. It pained me that I had left it to die, but I also didn’t really know what to write. Since moving back to Dubai (more on that in a bit), I haven’t been travelling as much as I did back when I was location independent. And, quite frankly, I had no interest in turning this into a blog about Dubai.

That presented quite the dilemma.

I miss blogging. The main thing I loved about it was how it enabled me to connect with like-minded people. I used to feel such joy when I’d get random messages from complete strangers telling me that they had enjoyed reading my posts.

I miss blogging. The main thing I loved about it was how it enabled me to connect with like-minded people. I used to feel such joy when I’d get random messages from complete strangers telling me that they had enjoyed reading my posts. I never made much cash out of this, but that was beside the point – I got far too much out of it from building a little community to care about the lack of money.

The other day, I received such a message through the blog’s Facebook page. A lady who once lived in Dubai and now lives in Ho Chi Minh City (a place I spent a lot of time in back in 2014/2015) got in touch to say she’d found my blog and was hooked.

First I smiled, then I felt sad.

I had been toying with starting a new blog for a while — something that isn’t travel oriented. But now I’m thinking that regardless of whether I do that or not, I want to continue to update this space with my inner and outer journey. Travel doesn’t always have to be physical, after all — we all undergo journeys of growth every single day and I feel those deserve being celebrated and documented, too. Perhaps that’s what this space can be about. Or perhaps I just need to hit the road again…

While I try to figure out how to take this space forward, I thought I’d update you all on what’s been going on for the last eight months. I really didn’t think I had much to say, but once I started typing things out I realised a lot has happened (even though it feels like a fairly uneventful phase in my life).

Here’s the sum of it…

I moved back to Dubai

I always joke that I’m a bit of a boomerang when it comes to Dubai: I leave and come straight back again. I’ve had three leaving dos over the years, which says a lot.

Why am I back? Well, the short answer is money — I’m saving up for my next move. I gained most of my work experience in Dubai, so this is the easiest place for me to get settled and earn decently for a while.

Back to this old chestnut…

How long am I here for? Well, it’s difficult to answer that right now. I have plans, but they’re in their early stages, so I’m keeping them to myself until they’re more concrete!

I travelled to Sri Lanka and got caught in a storm

I planned a four-day trip to Sri Lanka back in November. I was SO excited about that trip, as I hadn’t travelled anywhere new all year. I booked myself into the gorgeous Owl and the Pussycat boutique hotel near Galle (can’t recommend this place enough!) and was looking forward to doing little else other than sitting by the pool, sipping cocktails, and doing some sightseeing whenever that became too much for me to handle.

Nature, however, had other plans.

The view from the restaurant at my hotel

In short, I got caught in a freak storm that hit the island and lasted for the duration of my stay. At first, I was majorly pissed, but then I decided that only I could make the situation better for myself. So, instead of being annoyed with something that I could not change (you try telling a storm of that magnitude to bugger off), I decided to look at the positives.

On the worst day of the storm, I made the most of the beautiful hotel suite I was in and wrote my novel. On the second day, the clouds still hadn’t lifted, but I decided I couldn’t sit in the hotel any longer, so I ventured into Galle. I got caught in the rain and got drenched, but I had a fantastic time shopping in all the incredible little stores that sell things like houseware, old Bollywood and Sri Lanka travel posters, and other quirky things.

Some things never change…

Drinking Bellinis at the Galle Fort Hotel also helped.

Despite the fact the trip didn’t go as expected, I had a great time. I really want to return one day soon and properly travel around the country, as well as eat their food again — my God, Sri Lankan cuisine is divine.

Sri Lankan food is incredible…

I returned to Nepal (shocking, I know!)

I think of Nepal pretty much every single day, so it’s not surprising that I made a return there in March. After spending three months in the country last year, I fell in love with Nepal even more than I had during my first trip there in 2016. At the beginning of this year I was feeling a little low, so I decided to do something nice for myself — that something nice was to go back there.

My trip was only booked for three days, which were mostly spent seeing all of my friends there. I also went on a one-day trip around three different social enterprises, during which I got to meet the owners and the people whose lives they had touched. If you’re interested in social enterprises, I highly recommend Hidden Journeys. Luna, my guide, is knowledgeable and lovely. I look forward to meeting her again when I next go.

Beautiful Nepal…

It was fantastic to be back, but the short time frame meant that I didn’t really have the chance to enjoy being there.

However, a longer trip is planned for the near future. Keep your eyes peeled for updates!

I stopped freelancing and got a full-time job

When I first started freelancing in 2012, I felt like the whole world was at my feet. I was so damn proud of myself, as it was something that I had been building up to in the year leading up to quitting my job. Freelancing enabled me to travel around a lot of Asia without worrying about running out of cash. In fact, I continued to save while I travelled.

However, at some point I stopped enjoying it, and I started to resent the parts that had always frustrated me, namely clients that don’t pay up.

It’s hands down the most infuriating part of freelancing.

I decided that I needed something more stable for a while so that I could save some money and plan my next move. So, that’s exactly what I’m doing right now — working in an office job and saving $$$.

I got stuck trying to figure out what I want from life

I love writing. I’ll always love writing. But I need something more from my career.

I realised this back when I was travelling around Asia and freelancing. I’m the kind of person who needs to feel like I’m constantly learning and evolving, and I didn’t feel I was doing that anymore. So I started to grow frustrated.

As time passed by, I also realised that I need to be doing something that has a purpose, something that other people benefit from in some way. This is what led me to Nepal to volunteer my time, and those three months made me realise that I was on the right path.

So, I have very abstract ideas of what I want from life. I need to be creative. I also need to feel like I’m helping people and that I’m not just doing something that lines rich people’s already heavy pockets. For now, though, that highly elusive idea still evades me, so I’m trying to figure it all out (before I go a little insane)…

I hit 92,000 words in my novel

Back in September 2016, I started writing a novel. I still can’t quite believe how much time has passed since then! Over the course of the last one and a half years, I’ve managed to write 92,000 words, which is pretty exciting.

Holed up in my hotel room

However, writing the first draft is the easy part. Once that’s over, the editing begins, which is the scary bit. My plan is to have the first draft finished by the end of this year so that I can begin editing at the beginning of 2019.

I developed a love for drawing mandalas

Last June when I left Nepal and headed to Cyprus to spend the summer with my family, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. One day, I decided I just had to use my hands and draw something, so I asked my very arty sister to lend me some paper and pens.

One of my mandala creations

I then spontaneously started drawing patterns that are found in henna (temporary body art that’s popular in countries like Nepal and India), which then evolved into mandalas. Ever since then, it’s become my go-to activity when I want to unwind and do something enjoyable. Sometimes I can sit for hours and work on one of my pieces.

It’s been such a long time since I found an activity in which I can lose myself for ages and it feels really good. I highly recommend getting arty if you’re looking to be more mindful and alleviate stress.

I continued to read… a lot

This isn’t really news — it’s more like stating the obvious. My favourite books this year (so far) for those of you who are interested are: My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal and The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa.

I became a bit of a gym bunny

Back in October, I joined the gym and quickly became addicted to Body Combat, which is a form of exercise that’s inspired by martial arts. Basically, you do a lot of kicking and punching for an hour, which is exactly what I needed at the time. I didn’t realise how much pent-up frustration and aggression I had until I tried it.

For three months, I didn’t miss a class, and I mentally kicked MANY people’s asses. It was a great way to vent my frustrations and I was hooked on how great I felt after the hour was up. In short, I now totally get why people get addicted to exercise — for that hour or so after your workout you feel like you can take on the world.

I won’t lie – I’d still rather be sat eating something…

Thankfully, these days I’m feeling a lot calmer (ahem) and I now do a combination of a class called TUFF, BodyPump and, erm, step aerobics. How very 80’s…

And can I just add how much more enjoyable exercise is when you’re not just doing it to lose weight? These days I’m more interested in being fit and strong than losing pounds, which has drastically changed my relationship with the gym. I no longer see it as a punishment, rather as something good that I do for myself as often as I can. And I love it.

I became more interested in reducing my carbon footprint

I feel like I’ve been sleep walking over the last ten years. I mean, if I’m quite honest, up until recently I gave next to no thought to things like how many plastic bags I was using. Of late, though, I cannot ignore it. I get frustrated when I notice how much plastic is used everywhere. I get annoyed when people are wasteful or leave the lights on in the office.

We’re destroying the planet and yet most of us are still oblivious.

This topic is something I was thinking about exploring in a new blog, as I really feel that we’re beyond crisis point — we need drastic action, fast. And in the meantime, I’m doing my bit by reducing the amount of plastic I use, taking the metro and walking as much as possible, and transitioning to a vegan diet.

Which leads me to my next point…

I began transitioning to a vegan diet

I’ve been vegetarian now for almost three years (although I was also vegetarian from the age of 16 until 21) and for the last year or so I’ve been seriously considering going vegan. The more I learn about how atrocious the dairy and egg industry is, the more I find myself eating these products less and less. Watching things like Cowspiracy and What the Health further pushed me towards the edge. Seriously, guys, read up on these things a little bit/watch these documentaries and I guarantee you that you won’t be able to look at meat, cheese and eggs in the same way anymore.

I certainly haven’t been able to.

So, over the last few months, I’ve started making some swaps. For example, I now never take cows milk with my coffee and have finally found a brand of soy milk that is fantastic in hot drinks. I’m eating more tofu and fewer eggs. Over time, I want to phase both eggs and dairy out completely.

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That’s all, folks! If there’s anyone out there, wave back! Let me know what you’re up to and, if you’d like, pass on suggestions for what you’d like to see on the blog!