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.

—

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!

The post 11 things that have happened since August 2017 appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

I remember the first time I discussed this with a friend many, many years ago. She has a keen interest in astrology and said this conflict could be explained by my natal chart. I cannot remember the ins and outs, but I do recall her saying it’s because while I’m a Taurus, my sun rising la la la is something else, and hence the conflict (well, those weren’t the exact words, but you catch my drift).

I cannot help but wonder now, though, whether this is something we all struggle with. From my observations, it seems like life is one constant battle to keep things balanced: if you eat too much food you become overweight, if you eat too little you starve; if you party too much you destroy your liver and underperform at work, if you don’t have enough fun you become a miserable so and so; if you work too hard you become a sad workaholic who is prone to heart attacks, if you don’t have something to work towards, you become lazy and despondent and so forth.

So if everything in life is one constant mission to keep things balanced, is it so outlandish to think that part of that is keeping our different personality traits balanced, too?

So if everything in life is one constant mission to keep things balanced, is it so outlandish to think that part of that is keeping our different personality traits balanced, too?

The reason I’ve been thinking about this a lot over the last few days is that I’ve just got back to Dubai and it’s made me long for the little bachelorette pad I had all those years ago. I had a well-paid, secure job that enabled me to buy the things that I wanted, as well as save every month, which, in today’s economy, probably made it the holy grail of all jobs. I had the car, the apartment, the savings.

The stability-loving, introvert in me absolutely loved this.

The adventure-loving, ever curious rover in me hated this.

I do feel like I’m constantly in conflict – with myself. On the one hand, I’d love to have it all again: the little apartment full of books and knick knacks collected from my travels, and soft blankets and a squishy bed that I can spend my weekends in, but on the other hand the adventurer in me fears that I’ll miss out on my freedom. After all, if you have an apartment and a car, it’s more difficult to spontaneously decide you’re going to volunteer for three months in Nepal. It’s not impossible, but it’s definitely more difficult.

And boy how I love my freedom.

So I guess I’ve always subconsciously believed that you have to follow one or the other. That you cannot keep both sides happy.

But now I’m starting to wonder: is there another way? Who said you cannot keep both parts of your personality satisfied and keep everything balanced? In the past, work was very much office-based and there weren’t the myriad opportunities to work from your laptop as there are now. So, yes, perhaps it was more difficult back then to keep both the homebody and adventurer in you satisfied, but if there’s one thing the internet has done well it is that it’s opened up a world of opportunities.

Perhaps I’ve been wrong all this time to assume I can’t keep both sides of my personality balanced and happy.

Perhaps I’ve been wrong all this time to assume I can’t keep both sides of my personality balanced and happy. I keep postponing the inevitable, which is to find myself a corner to call my own and settle down again for a while (the constant living out of suitcases and having boxes on three corners of the globe is starting to drive me mad), because it scares the living daylight out of the adventurer in me. I don’t want to lose my freedom, but I also cannot deny that I’m starting to grow tired of not having my own little cocoon away from the world. Denying one side of yourself for the sake of another never works in the long term. Too much of anything is never a good idea, after all.

My new mission is this, though: to find a way to keep both sides happy, because swapping between the two is exhausting and that doesn’t make me happy either.

Maybe what will keep this adventure-loving homebody happy is this: an apartment with all my things, but a job that enables me to take off as much as I want and need to. So, I’ve decided that I’m going to try and find a way to marry the two.

Balancing the two sides: it’s not easy, but I’m hoping that it’s also not impossible.

Do you have two sides to you that are at odds with one another? If so, how to you reconcile the two?

The post Balancing The Two Sides appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

I didn’t realise when I visited Nepal last year that Kathmandu (and neighbouring Lalitpur) is teeming with great street art, so I guess I wasn’t there long enough to come across it. When I returned in March and walked around the city over the three months that I was there, I located more and more of it.

It was everywhere.

I was quite surprised – it’s not like Kathmandu is famous for its street art scene in the way that, let’s say, Berlin or Melbourne is.

It made me happy because I love nothing more than stumbling across yet another piece of street art when I’m somewhere new – it always makes me feel like I’m unlocking a new level of the city, discovering another layer of it.

Finding all of this street art as I walked around also reconfirmed for me what I’ve come to understand about Kathmandu – it’s a city teeming with hidden gems that can only be found if you walk the streets. Don’t expect to find the best of what the city has to offer online. You have to get out and explore to find it.

So I decided to put together a collection of the best street art that I found while I was there.

Some of it was just incredible and ‘popped’ out of the scene, like this totally boss elephant design in Patan Dhoka…

Elephant power

And this one that takes up an entire wall near Bhat Bhateni supermarket, off Pulchowk.

Incoming: elephant.

And this of a totally groovy hairstyle in Sanepa Chowk…

“Because I’m worth it…”

This trippy creation in Patan Dhoka…incredible!

Smokey…I ain’t trippin’

And this…which, I assume, is from the same artist (and that I cannot actually decipher)…

Yeah, I’m not really sure what this is either…

This wall for thought…

A wall full of hope

This giggly boy near Jhamsikhel Marg always made me smile…

Smile like you mean it…

This playful scene in Patan…

Drop it like it’s hot…

And this honourable mention which is actually in the lakeside town of Pokhara and was painted by a well-known Canadian street artist called Chris Dyer…

Colourful fun in Pokhara

This swaggy dude in touristy Thamel…

Swag

And last, but not least, my favourite piece of Kathmandu street art. I found this just off Pulchowk on my last full day in Nepal and I absolutely love it. It’s vibrant, it’s colourful, it’s chaotic. It’s my Nepal.

And the award goes to…

There we have it: Kathmandu street art in a nutshell. I’m looking forward to being back in the city and uncovering more gems later on this year. If you’ve been to Kathmandu and found some other murals, please post photos of them in the comments below!

Which is your favourite city for street art and why?

The post Kathmandu Street Art: A Photoessay appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

It always pains me when I haven’t posted on here for some time and I guess that’s because I’ve been writing posts for this blog for so long that it’s kind of become a part of me. Scribble, Snap, Travel started out as a real labour of love – a travel blog for couples who wanted more from life than just staring at a screen from 9-5 and wishing their lives away until the weekend. It then transformed into a solo female travel blog as well as a story of perseverance and overcoming personal adversity. This has always been more than a travel blog to me; those of you who have been reading for a while will know that I share just as much about my inner journey as well as my outer. I can look back on specific blog posts and recall exactly how I was feeling at the time that I pressed the publish button, and that’s precious to me.

So yes, it pains me when I don’t post here.

One of the first photos I took on my backpacking trip of 2014 – a calligrapher at Long Son Pagoda in Nha Trang, Vietnam

An Evolving Online Space

Those of you who have been around since the beginning (a big thank you to those who have!) will also know that there were two sets of hands running the show when the blog started out. My then partner and I quit our jobs, sold all our things and were travelling the world. All was great until it wasn’t and it all unravelled seemingly overnight. I’ve never shared the ins and outs of the breakup, although I’m sure it was clear to most that this was no normal parting. There was a lot of deceit and there was pain and there were tears. Neither of us saw it coming.

We didn’t survive the cultural pressures and differences. I get it now.

I felt betrayed and stunned and overwhelmed, but I refused to take it lying down. So I took over the blog on my own and decided I’d carry on solo. Although I sometimes thought that I’d never feel like myself again, I persevered. I visited Barcelona, I did a writing retreat in Skyros, I drank mulled wine and ate German pancakes at Christmas markets in Munich and Salzburg, I walked the historic streets of Berlin, I made my way back to Dubai, I volunteered for three months in Nepal.

Ah Nepal.

Stronger, Wiser, Happier

There’s no denying that something switched within me while I was in Nepal earlier this year. If you follow my Facebook page, you’ll know how much love I have for that country. While I was there, I realised something – my breakup is finally truly behind me. For the first time since it all happened, it felt like this was a completely new chapter and not an add on to the “I’m going to get over this” section of the book of my life. I was over it. And this was the beginning of a new adventure, a new me, a new life.

It felt damn good.

Me in Nepal – happy, peaceful, content

For the first time since it all happened, it felt like this was a completely new chapter and not an add on to the “I’m going to get over this” section of the book of my life. I was over it. And this was the beginning of a new adventure, a new me, a new life.

This also means that I’m at a crossroads again, this time professionally. I’m currently writing what I hope will become my first novel and I’m channelling a lot of my creative energy into that. But (for now) I still need a day job and it’s clear to me that I need a change. Working for an INGO for three months made me realise that I’m better suited to non-profit organisations. I loved feeling that there was a real purpose behind what I was doing other than just making money (and making some other people even richer than they already are). It fits my values better and it just made me so damn happy. I honestly felt so content and at peace while I was there, and that’s no coincidence.

Before I went to Nepal I also invested in a fantastic lens that’s ideal for portraits and I had such a great time taking photos while I was on various field trips (you can see a lot of them over on my Instagram page). I’ve always loved photography, but this was the first time that I really felt that it’s something I would love to do professionally at some point, too.

So I’m currently trying to figure out my career, how I can bring all of these things together, and which direction I want to head in.

The Next Episode

All of these things have also made me think about this blog and the blog I have over on my writing website that has collected even more dust than this one. What do I want from this? Do I continue with sharing my inner and outer journey with the world, or do I put another spin on it? Do I consolidate this with my writing site and make it more of a generic blog? Even then I’d need a niche, and what would that niche be? Or do I do something completely different?

And hence, instead of updating this while I’m figuring all of it out I’ve just stopped posting.

I loved taking photos like this one while I was in the field

I miss travel blogging but I was also growing tired of a lot of other travel blogs and the direction travel blogging was heading in. I have no interest in posting photos of myself wearing floppy hats in front of various monuments around the world or writing listicles. But did the fact that I didn’t do these things stop me from gaining loads more followers even back when I had a really decent readership level? It’s hard to tell, but I don’t feel like doing something just for the sake of gaining more views. So I know which direction I don’t want to take, but that doesn’t mean I know which one I should head in instead.

The thought of saying goodbye to Scribble, Snap, Travel unnerves me. I really don’t want to. This blog has been by my side through three of the most life-changing years of my life, so I really hope I can find a way to breathe new life into this little online space that I’ve carved out for myself. I’m figuring it all out, but I just wanted to pop up, give you all a little wave to say I’m still here and thank you for still reading if you are.

I hope to be back with a new boost of oomph real soon. If you have any ideas, feel free to send them my way!

The post The End Or A New Beginning? appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

I also thought that there was something incredibly poignant about this. Surely it would be better for us to know at the time that what we were going through at that given moment would be life-defining and remembered when we’re old and grey? I also used to wonder – would that mean we’d make the most of every single minute? That we would do things somewhat differently? That we would somehow try to prolong that time?

A little girl who handed me a bouquet of rhododendrons – Nepal’s national flower

That was until now. In my mind, there’s no mistaking the fact that what I’m living here is something life-changing and special. I’m so sure about that. I’m as sure as I was in November that I’d end up coming back to Nepal (and, as you can all see, I did). Does it make the whole experience better? I’d say yes. It means that I wake up every morning knowing that what’s happening to me here will define the rest of my life in some way.

It’s so difficult for me to describe why I feel this way, just as it’s near impossible for me to explain why this place has got under my skin. I’m hoping that it will become clearer with time and that eventually – hopefully – I’ll be able to put this all into some form of writing that does it justice. But, for now, I have decided to write 12 random thoughts from 30 days in Nepal – from the inane to the more profound (perhaps).

I’m finally thankful for my breakup

A few weeks back, I was on a field trip in the Terai region of Nepal. There, we visited various Musahar communities (one of Nepal’s most marginalised groups) in order to talk with people and gather information for a funding application that we’re doing.

It was during this trip – which wasn’t always easy and certainly not a walk in the park – that I remember finally feeling thankful about my breakup. It was the end of the second day and I was sat in the very back of the SUV, looking at the world roll past. I was dusty, smelly, messy and hungry, and I couldn’t have been happier as I was in that moment in time. It was then that I realised that if that horrific breakup had never happened, I most probably would not be here doing this right now. And everything just felt so right all of a sudden.

I never feel like a stranger here

Nepali people are hands down the nicest people I’ve come across during my travels. Everywhere I go – from the shop where I buy my bread to the boutique where I buy my kurtis – I seem to make genuine connections with people. I never feel like I’m a stranger here and it’s truly nice to feel like you belong somewhere – especially when that place isn’t your country.

Cows are boss

Much like in India, the real bosses here are the cows. They own this place and they know it. Just watch how they casually sit their butts down in the middle of oncoming traffic and you’ll see what I mean.

Bossing it like a cow in Kathmandu

You can find peace in the most chaotic of places

I never imagined that after what have undoubtedly been the two most nonsensical and confusing years of my life, that I’d finally find peace on the chaotic streets of Kathmandu. Maybe it’s the city’s energy. Maybe it’s the people. Maybe it’s the snippets of spirituality that can be found on every street corner. Maybe it’s the maze of streets and the way they grab my imagination and make it whir all night long. But it’s here that I’ve finally lain the past to rest. It’s here that I’ve finally begun to truly look forward.

There are so many people doing so many incredible things here

Whether that is the myriad people I’ve met who are working for various NGOs and social enterprises (the university students who have a business model for building houses with plastic bottles are one example that comes to mind), to the various locals leading social initiatives (the owners of the guest house that I’m staying in are the guys behind the Solo Woman Travel Challenge), there are so many people doing incredible things here. In fact, they make me want to find something equally incredible to do with my life.

Ladies enter the Janaki Mandir in Janakpur

I love the absence of global brands

There’s no Starbucks. There’s no Zara. There’s no Cheesecake Factory. I buy my bread from a bakery, flowers from a flower shop, and milk from a Farmer’s Market store. I love supporting local brands!

I’ve become a total and utter klutz

I’m not too sure how to word this as I don’t want to tempt fate, but here goes: I’ve never been an accident-prone person. While growing up, all my brothers had some form of stitches or casts, and it seemed like my poor mum was at the hospital on a weekly basis, ferrying them back and forth. I, on the other hand, had never had anything of the sort. That’s until now. The other week, in the space of three days, I sliced my hand open on a broken glass (I can faint at the sight of blood, so you can imagine…), almost fell flat on my face after tripping on a pavement stone (thankfully for me, a friend caught me otherwise I’m sure I would now have a broken nose), and almost got chased by some scary-looking street dogs.

I have attributed this new found klutziness to the fact that I, on the whole, am always in my own world and that just won’t work in a city where you really need to pay attention to what you’re doing at ALL times. Less daydreaming is taking place these days, I can tell you…

A buffalo takes a dip in the Dhanusha district of Nepal

I’ve struggled to put why I love this place so much into words…

I’m frequently asked – by both locals and fellow travellers – why I love Nepal, and more specifically, Kathmandu, so much. For the longest time I could not put the reasons why into words. I now realise that I can, instead, talk about how it makes me feel. It makes me feel at peace. It makes me feel content. It makes me feel at home. It makes me feel inspired. And when a place makes you feel all these things, you know it’s a keeper.

I’m definitely considering a change of career

…or less of a total change and more of an adaptation of what I’m already doing. Being here has given me a lot of food for thought and I definitely know things cannot go back to the way they were before. For one, I need to be doing something where I feel like I’m contributing to the greater good of the world. I also want to learn something new, so I could end up going back to university (I’m surrounded by people with Masters and PhDs here – it’s making me miss learning!).

One thing I know for sure is that I’m going to pursue photography more. I bought a great 50mm lens before I left Dubai and I had the chance to take loads of photos when I visited the Terai. I’m really pleased with the results and it’s reminded me how much I enjoy it. So I’m looking into upgrading my gear and taking more classes.

Three Musahar girls whom I met on our trip to the Terai. Don’t let the serious expressions fool you – they were very cheeky!

I want a nose piercing…but I’m too much of a wuss to get one

I’ve always toyed with the idea of getting a nose piercing but a) never knew whether I could pull it off and b) knew I was too much of a wuss to get one anyway (my pain threshold is ridiculously low – my family are right, I’m a wimp). I’m now surrounded by people who have piercings and they’ve all told me that they think a nose piercing would look good on me, so I started to seriously consider it. Then I made the mistake of Googling how painful it is… so yeah, in short, I guess that’s not happening.

Nepal makes me want to trek

I’ve only attempted to do any form of trekking or hiking (erm, hang on, what’s the difference?!) while I was in Vietnam and I hated it. So for me to now find myself thinking of how nice it would be to trek is a testament to how stunning this place is. I’ve recently seen photos from the Annapurna Circuit – a popular trekking route here – and it’s made me want to attempt it. I don’t think I’ll have the time to do a big trek while I’m here, but I definitely want to do a smaller one and return in October to try and do Annapurna.

One of the many portraits I took in the Terai. I think this is my favourite.

I will be back…

Just how I knew I’d be back when I visited last November, I also know that this isn’t the end for Nepal and I. Watch this space…

The post 12 Thoughts From 30 Days in Nepal appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

So instead of answering all these messages separately like I used to, I’m putting together this post with all my recommendations of the best places to visit while in town.

Places to Visit in Dubai

Sights

Burj Khalifa

It doesn’t really need an introduction, but in case you’ve been living in a cave for the last ten years, here’s the lowdown: the tallest building in the world standing at 830 metres and which can be seen from pretty much everywhere in the city. No visit to Dubai is complete without going to the top, which actually isn’t the top – you have the choice between At The Top (the 124th-floor observation deck) and At The Top Sky (spread across floors 148 and 125), which is a more ‘VIP’ affair. Prices for At The Top for adults start at AED125 during non-peak hours. I’ve only ever visited at night and it was truly spectacular to see the city lights twinkling below.

To book in advance (highly advisable), click here.

Nearest Metro station: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall

This building needs no introductions…

The Dubai Fountain

The name is pretty self-explanatory – the Dubai Fountain is a fountain where water is jetted into the sky to the sound of different songs. It’s located next to the Dubai Mall, so you can tie it in with a visit there, and is one of the few things that are free to do in the city. The show is on for five minutes every half an hour and is definitely worth a look.

Nearest Metro station: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall

Dubai Creek

By far my one of my favourite places to visit in Dubai, the creek really has a special charm of its own. This is where the city’s story began after people started to settle here in the 19th century. The creek fast became a source of wealth, thanks to the pearling industry and, subsequently, the thriving port.

I always recommend visitors head here for a number of reasons: a) it’s proof that there’s more to this city than shiny hotels and towering skyscrapers and b) it’s one of the few places in Dubai that has a thriving street culture. On the Bur Dubai side, you can spend the late afternoon/early evening looking around the souqs (be prepared to haggle if you wish to buy something), taking photos and watching the tiny abras chug to and fro, ferrying people between the Bur Dubai and Deira sides.

You can then opt to have shisha by the water or visit the Dubai Museum, which is a stone’s throw from here and worth a quick look. Also, try the shwarma or egg roll from the Bab Al Ghubaiba Cafeteria – although I don’t eat meat, I’m told the former is delicious.

Nearest Metro station: Al Ghubaiba

Al Bastakiya

A ten-minute walk from the creek, Al Bastakiya is a historic district where you’ll find tiny alleyways teeming with cafés and art galleries. It really is a lovely little area to spend a few hours meandering through. I recommend making a stop The Majiis Gallery, which features a nice mix of local and international artists. The Coffee Museum is also worth a look.  To round off your time in the area, quench your thirst with a glass of mint lemonade at XVA Café.

Nearest Metro station: Al Fahidi

The buildings of Bastakiya on a rare gloomy day

Alserkal Avenue

Alserkal Avenue is a collection of warehouses that house the city’s coolest arts and culture venues. Spend an afternoon looking around one of the contemporary art galleries or catch a live band. They also offer free, guided tours of the galleries on a Saturday, and it’s worth keeping an eye on their website for up-to-date information on what’s on every month.

Nearest Metro station: Noor Bank

Madinat Jumeirah

When I first moved to Dubai in 2007, I spent my first night in the city at Madinat Jumeirah. I recall likening it to what the set of Aladdin would look like if it were turned into a movie. It consists of a souk and the hotels Al Qasr, Mina A’Salam and Dar Al Masyaf.

The souk part is laid out in the style of a traditional Arabian market place where you’ll find loads of things that are geared towards tourists – trinkets, swimwear, souvenirs, art galleries etc. The prices here aren’t cheap, so don’t expect to find a bargain, but it’s still worth walking around. There are also plenty of restaurants and bars overlooking the waterways outside, where you can enjoy a glass of wine and watch the little abras ferrying guests around. I believe you can pay to go on a ride around the complex, too.

Nearest Metro station: Mall of the Emirates (you’ll need to take a cab from there).

quiet mornings at the beautiful @madinatjumeirah before the previews of @artdubai today ______________ #repost from @marinacomes and @visit.dubai ______________ #dubai #UAE #artdubai #AD17 #artdubai2017 #artdubai17 #artweekdubai #dubaiartweek #madinatjumeirah #jumeirah #burjalarab #travel #vacation

A post shared by @cassou_art_ on Mar 13, 2017 at 10:24pm PDT

Jumeirah Mosque

Jumeirah Mosque is the only mosque in the city that is open to the public and non-Muslims. Paying a visit is a great way to learn about Emirati culture and religion. Every week, The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding hosts tour visits of the mosque from Saturday through to Thursday at 10 am (you’re advised to arrive at the entrance of the mosque 15 minutes earlier). The tour costs AED20 per person and is inclusive of water, dates, Arabic coffee (yummy), tea and traditional pastries.

Dubai Gold Souq

Even if you have no intention of buying any gold, a visit to the Dubai Gold Souq is a must. It’s quite the sight, so cameras are a must here! If you do intend on buying something, be prepared to haggle – hard. And the great thing is that the government controls the quality of all the merchandise, so all your buys will be genuine. You can easily tie this in with a visit to Dubai Creek and Bastakiya. Cross the creek on an abra for the full experience.

Nearest Metro station: Al Ras

Dubai Gold #dubaitravel #travel #dubaigold #dubaigoldsouk #goldsouk

A post shared by Macy Galang (@macypgalang) on Jan 25, 2017 at 4:15am PST

Burj Al Arab

As someone who has lived here for eight years, I must say a lot of the buildings that once made me say ‘wow’ now don’t get much of a reaction out of me at all. The Burj Al Arab is one of them. See, us Dubai expats are a bit of a spoiled bunch and once you’ve been exposed to the same things over and over again, they start to lose their lustre – Burj Al Arab makes that list.

Billed as the only seven-star hotel in the world (although it actually isn’t), it was the city’s most iconic building until Burj Khalifa swaggered onto the scene. You need to pay to even cross the bridge and look around the lobby, so if you’ve got some spare cash handy it’s worth booking to have a couple of drinks or afternoon tea at the Skyview Bar – I did the latter there with my mum six or so years back and we had an amazing time.

Nearest Metro station: Mall of the Emirates (you’ll need to take a cab from there).

The Desert

It’s a no-brainer, really – when you’re here, you must head out into the desert. I never thought that the desert could be beautiful until I lived here and did a few desert safaris. A desert safari is the quintessential Dubai activity. There is an abundance of safari operators and they all follow a similar programme: dune bashing, camel rides, a barbeque meal, belly dancing, henna painting etc. My friend Anna from Slightly Astray was in town recently and she did one that sounded a little different – instead of starting in the afternoon like most of them do, this one began with sunrise over the desert and included dune bashing, 45-minute drive through the dunes on a quad bike, sand boarding and a camel ride. She absolutely loved it.

#dubai #sharjah #sharjahdesert #dubaidesert #oceanairtravels #desert

A post shared by BrianHarrington75 (@brianharrington75) on Mar 13, 2017 at 11:34am PDT

Shopping

Malls aren’t my favourite places to visit in Dubai, so I’m not going to sit and write about them, although I’ll say one thing – if you’re looking for the most impressive, go to Dubai Mall (it has an aquarium, the Dubai Fountain, and is where you access the Burj Khalifa from if you’re going to the top), but if you’re looking for the best stock I’d recommend Mall of Emirates. I always find clothes there, whereas Dubai Mall can be hit and miss even though it’s the bigger one of the two. Go figure.

What I will recommend if you have the time and if you’re this way inclined, is to check out the more quirky stores or markets that are now popping up. Such a refreshing change from the air-conditioned, cookie cutter malls…

Ripe Market

Every Friday during the cooler months, Ripe Market is held in various locations, including Zabeel Park (gate two). Find everything from handmade jewellery to clothes, pop-up food outlets and live music. It’s always a great way to spend a Friday afternoon during the cooler months. The scheduling can vary, so be sure to check their website for updated details.

Awesome first day down here @ripemarket! Amazing weather and so much support for locally-grown business! People of Dubai, you're rockstars! I'll be back to beat my Paleo drum next week so come have lunch with us x ⠀ ⠀ #ripemarket #ripemarketdubai #shoplocal #fridayfunday #foodiefriday #fridayfood #supportlocal #supportsmallbusiness #marketday #dubaiweekend

A post shared by Holly (@smithstpaleo) on Mar 10, 2017 at 5:10am PST

The Collective, Al Quoz

This recently-opened boutique shopping area is home to up-and-coming designers and shops, and offers a welcome respite away from the city’s many malls. Find quirky souvenirs or gifts for your loved ones back home and then pop into Brew Café for a flat white.

Eating

Again, I’m not going to sit and recommend all the places you will have read about over and over again, rather I’m going to provide a selection of my favourite restaurants and cafés in town.

One Café by Life and One

I wasn’t in Dubai when I read that a vegan café had opened here, and one look at the pictures told me one thing – I belonged there. One Café’s ‘secret garden’ setting looked like the kind of hippie-esque place you’d find in Thailand. They have a great selection of raw/vegan food (I recommend their avocado on toast and hummus, as well as a fresh coconut – yum). It’s a great place to head to for a quiet afternoon of reading.

That hummus is darn good

Aryaas

Over the last few months I’ve become obsessed with South Indian food, and what’s not to love – it’s delicious and cheap! Head to Aryaas in Bur Dubai for some of the best dosas in town. Their idlis are also delicious as they come with a selection of at least six yummy chutneys. And like I mentioned, it’s cheap – you’ll be hard-pressed to spend more than AED25 per person for a meal here.

Nearest Metro station: Burjuman 

Mythos

As a Cypriot who’s travelled around Greece, I am highly critical of Greek food. That’s why I was so happy to find that Mythos in Jumeirah Lake Towers lives up to its name of being one of the best Greek restaurants in town. First of all its setting is what sold it to me – the white washed walls, wooden furniture and sounds of Greek music twinkling away in the background all comes together to make you feel like you’ve been transported to a small island in the Med. And the food seals the deal – it’s frills-free, downright good homemade-style Greek food. Vegetarians are very well catered for, too. I can highly recommend their tomato kefta and gemista. Yum!

Nearest Metro station: Jumeirah Lake Towers

Nothing like Good Greek Food (TM)

Common Grounds

I love café-style food and I’m so happy to see that plenty of independent outlets have opened in Dubai since I was last here. One of my favourites is Common Grounds in Mall of the Emirates. They do a mean avocado on toast with eggs, and their matcha latte is my favourite in town. Great little spot to try if you’re ever in the mall and want some decent grub!

Nearest Metro station: Mall of the Emirates

Din Tai Fung

Yes, this is an international brand (founded in Taipei), but gosh do I love Din Tai Fung. The ever-present queues for a table are a testament to how great the food is. They specialise in soup dumplings and noodles, and despite the fact that as a vegetarian there aren’t that many things I can try, I love it. I usually have their house special chilli noodles, a mushroom vegetable bun and steamed mushroom and vegetable dumplings – yum! And their prices are very reasonable.

Nearest Metro station: Mall of the Emirates

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What are your favourite places to visit in Dubai and why?

The post Places to Visit in Dubai (From a Resident) appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

In many ways, I think of Dubai like my third home after Cyprus and the UK, and it’s not really surprising considering that I’ve spent some of the best years of my life here and have great friends to always come back to, no matter how long I’m away for. And let’s face it, no matter how much people love to bash this place, there are far worse places to call home.

Whenever I’m about to leave, I invariably become very nostalgic. So this time around, I’ve decided to put together a list of the 12 reasons why no matter where I am in the world, I’ll always love this city…

Year-round sunshine

Yes, the summer is horrendous beyond belief, but I’d rather open my curtains every morning and see a blue sky than deal with the UK gloom. And while those four months when the humidity peaks and it feels like we’re living on the sun can be soul destroying, the rest of the year more than makes up for it – glorious sunshine, great temperatures. Ah, if only it could be like this forever.

I still cannot get over how spectacular last night's sunset was. This has no filter and minimal editing. Mother Nature really gives the best show, doesn't she?

A post shared by Andrea Anastasiou (@andrea_anastasiou) on Feb 18, 2017 at 10:35pm PST

The convenience

In many respects, this place is one of the easiest places to live in the world. We can have literally anything delivered – including Nando’s and McDonald’s. Want a packet of fags being brought up to your apartment? Sure thing. Car valeting at every hotel? No problem! Someone to fill your car with petrol? Yup, we’ve got that covered too. As a woman, it’s even better, as there are ‘ladies counters’ at pretty much every government office, meaning that we get things done quicker.

Indian food

So apparently the best Indian food outside of India can be found in Dubai, and I’m not about to dispute that, although admittedly I’ve eaten in some amazing Indian restaurants in random places like Vietnam. But the variety here is unbeatable. At the moment, I’m totally addicted to South Indian food and I’m living off dosas and idlis – so delicious and so darn cheap! We’re talking AED10 – 20 for a MASSIVE meal. When in town, you must try out the paper dosa at Aryaas. It’s the stuff legends are made of.

Nothing more scrumptious than a delicious thali. Now served at @tesorodubai @tajdubai . . . . #quicklunch #balancedmeal #tesorolunch #foodforthesoul #mydubai #thali #foodindubai #indianfooddubai #businessbaylunch

A post shared by Delna Anand (@dee_notes) on Feb 27, 2017 at 5:31am PST

The multi-cultural population

I know this is commonplace in big cities, but I do love how multi-cultural Dubai is. I’ve made friends from so many different countries and all walks of life – people whose paths I probably wouldn’t have crossed had I not lived here. I love that about this place.

The Burj Khalifa

I cannot help but gaze at that darn thing and feel a surge of awe. The Burj Khalifa soars in the sky defiantly and you can see it from pretty much everywhere in the city. I still remember vividly watching the opening fireworks from my apartment’s terrace back in 2010 and how it was a mere stub when I first moved here in 2007. I also remember how excited I was to see it as I landed back in August 2016 when I returned to Dubai. Love it or hate it, it’s definitely the city’s main monument of pride.

Never fails to make me smile. My Dubai

A post shared by Andrea Anastasiou (@andrea_anastasiou) on Mar 3, 2017 at 2:32am PST

The ‘anything is possible’ attitude

You only have to look at photos of Dubai from the 1990s to see why living here makes you feel like anything is possible. Where skyscrapers now stand you would find nothing but sand. Today Dubai is a thriving city of almost three million people. The word ‘cannot’ doesn’t appear to exist in this city’s dictionary.

The ever-evolving food and culture scene

When I first moved to Dubai in 2007, a common ‘complaint’ you’d hear is that there was nothing more to do in this city than drink, sunbathe and shop (and yet we all happily partook in the aforementioned activities – it was a hard knock life). Fast-forward a decade and I’m so happy to see how fast this city has evolved. Malls are no longer your only shopping option – you can now find an array of interesting markets and boutiques popping up everywhere. American chains of restaurants are no longer the only dining options opening – we now have a fantastic selection of homegrown cafés and restaurants, such as Mythos (great Greek food). If you want to go out, you no longer only have to choose between super swanky bars or dingy pubs – there are now great ‘in between’ options, such as Cocktail Kitchen and Eloquent Elephant. And no, drinking is no longer the only pastime available – we now have an ever-growing arts, culture and design calendar and it’s bloody great.

Never enough #tzatiki! #evenzeusbreaksforlunch

A post shared by MYTHOS (@mythosdubai) on Oct 17, 2016 at 12:45am PDT

Kinokuniya bookstore

Whenever someone asks me where my favourite place in Dubai is, I only have one answer: Kinokuniya. Ah, Kinokuniya – it’s a book lover’s dream come true. Admittedly, I’m very disappointed that it recently changed locations in Dubai Mall and became a little bit smaller, but it will still always be my favourite spot in the city. There are thousands upon thousands of books and I often spend hours in there (spending way too much money). If you’re ever in town, you must visit.

Happy place. #eustaquioweekends

A post shared by mariben (@mariben) on Feb 24, 2017 at 12:42am PST

Dubai Creek and Bastakiya

I’ve always loved the old areas of Dubai, particularly down by the creek (Bur Dubai side) and Bastakiya. I’m currently lucky enough to be working there so I’m rediscovering my love of the area. You have the most delicious (and cheap) food – Nepali, Indian, Arabic, alongside a bustling souk area that is rife with photo opportunities. I also love the little alleyways that are around the Shiva Mandir (Hindu temple), which are teeming with little shops selling incense and colourful temple offerings. Bastakiya, which is a ten-minute walk from here, is a collection of old buildings built in traditional style (complete with wind towers), and each one houses either a gallery or a café. It’s a great area of the city and one that most visitors overlook, so be sure to check it out when you’re in town.

Such a moody day in Dubai – I love the skies in this photo! I'm down in the Fahidi area of the city for work. I love the buildings here and all the winding alleyways that are lined with cafès and art galleries. It's a must visit when you're in the city!

A post shared by Andrea Anastasiou (@andrea_anastasiou) on Feb 15, 2017 at 10:39pm PST

Dubai-specific food items

Sure, I can probably find many of these things in other places in the world, but what I love about this city is how easy it is to get hold of some of my favourite food items. Chips Oman sandwich? Karak chai? Cheese manakish? Kunafa? It’s all here (sobs my waistline).

A day that starts with #chipsomansandwich can only be a good day

A post shared by Ujala Ali Khan (@ujalaalikhan) on Dec 29, 2015 at 3:43am PST

Being near the sea

It’s probably something I haven’t taken advantage of as much as I should, but I do love being in a city that’s built by the sea. I am a sea baby – I love nothing more than walking by the beach, taking in the sea air and listening to the waves lap against the shore. It helps me clear my head and get inspired.

The Burj Al Arab makes for the best muse in Dubai! By the sunrise, by the sunset- or at any time of the day. #swatitravels

A post shared by Swati | Wanderlust Junkie (@swatsiie) on Jan 31, 2017 at 3:09am PST

Feeling like I’m home

As I said at the beginning, there will always be something about this place that feels like home despite the fact I have no family or real roots here. Maybe it’s familiarity, maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s a bit of both. A part of my heart will always remain in Dubai no matter where I am in the world, and whenever I land back here I’ll always feel happy to return.

Dubai, see you again soon.

Which city/country (that’s not really home) feels like home to you?

The post 12 Reasons Why I Will Always Love Dubai appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

So while I should be proofreading/writing copy/doing something of use, I’m either opening a new tab on Chrome and Googling things relating to Nepal, or I’m opening Instagram and searching through the Kathmandu hashtag, cooing over all the cute cafés that I’ll soon be hanging out in. I’m also now a member of various ‘expats in Nepal’ groups on Facebook, which invariably means that I get distracted by all the posts. Just an hour ago, thanks to one of these aforementioned posts, I decided that I will definitely be trying my hand at painting while I’m there.

Why the hell not?

There is something about life in a new city and the infinite opportunities that it presents me with that fills me with so much excitement that I feel I could actually burst. I felt the exact same way before I visited Berlin for a month last year, for example. I even feel it when I’m only visiting a place for a short while. In short, I get high from being on the move – from experiencing new cultures, new places, new opportunities.

I feel this so strongly, that recently I started wondering whether there’s a problem with being this way. I love to be on the move and I hate to be constrained by a full-time, office-based job. Don’t even talk to me about a mortgage or a loan – the mere thought brings me out in a sweat. It got me thinking: will I ever be happy settling in one place? Do I have some sort of commitment issues I need to work through? Is it wrong not to want stability and security in some form? Am I running from something?

At the Dubai Opera last year

We’re all taught by society that there should be a certain sequence to our lives: birth, school, college/university, get a job, buy a house, meet someone and get married, have some kids, work until you retire, retire, die. The sequence can vary slightly according to the country you live in, but it’s pretty much the same everywhere – we value certainty, stability and routine over everything. We’re told that we need to become ‘secure’ – in both our careers and love lives as well as our finances. This ‘security’ is cemented even further when we buy a house and a car. All these things are supposed to somehow indicate that we’re now ‘set’ in life – we’ve made it. We’ve attained ‘security.’

But what if you don’t? Does that mean you’re not secure? And is that bad?

I’ve learnt a lot over the last two years, but one lesson that stands out the most is this: security is an illusion. Any which way that you look at it, whether it’s through the prism of Buddhism, or whether you simply want to look at it in a logical manner – everything ends. This is not pessimistic, it is realistic. That house you live in can collapse at any given moment. That job that you value so much can be taken away from you. Your relationship can fail. You can lose all your money overnight. Your loved ones – and you – will die.

Let me repeat that: security is an illusion.

So this thing that we all dearly value and aspire to is actually fake. And I say ‘we’ because I realise that despite my slightly less conventional lifestyle, I find myself wondering whether I should also be aspiring to what the masses want. But I realised that when I start adding the words maybe I should to the equation that I’m no longer listening to what I personally want and I’m giving in to what has been drip fed to me by society.

I’m not saying it’s bad to want the house, the partner, the stable job. If those things make you happy then by all means, pursue them with all your heart and get them. But I think it’s important for all of us to make a distinction between what each and every one of us wants in life and what we do because we feel it’s what we ought to be doing – because it’s secure, it’s right. Again: security is an illusion, so don’t do these things in the name of it. Do them because you actually want to do them.

I ought to be working as an editor for a decent magazine by now and living in my own apartment. And I find myself wondering if by not doing these things, I’m somehow setting myself up for some sort of massive failure. But a massive failure according to who? Yes, I don’t have ‘things’ to show how great my life has been – I don’t have the apartment, all the latest gadgets, a wardrobe full of designer clothes, a fancy car. But I have the passport stamps and a mind full of experiences that will stay with me for the rest of my life. I often find myself looking at all the photos I’ve taken over the last few years and thinking to myself “wow, I’ve done all that?!” And I’m on course to achieve one thing in my life: having a damn good story to tell the grandchildren someday.

It makes me happy to be on the move and I’m starting to accept that that is who I am right now. It doesn’t mean I’ll always feel this way – I don’t believe in the adage “people don’t change…” People don’t change if they don’t want to; we can constantly evolve throughout our lives if we choose to. I never thought I’d be who I am today, for example, but I got here by doing a lot of hard work. And the person who I am today wants to challenge herself: that means quitting a well-paid freelance gig and heading to Nepal to volunteer for two months. To hell with security.

Berlin, last March

That means not knowing what I’ll be doing from day to day, but knowing that the experience is pushing me to evolve even further. That means not tying myself down to a specific job/place but giving myself the freedom to head to a whole new city and live out a whole new set of experiences. That means not having a bookshelf to display my massive collection of books on, but having the opportunity to live out a whole new set of experiences that will become amazing memories that I’ll cherish. That means not getting the dog I’ve wanted for the longest time but instead meeting loads of new people who will further expand my perspective on life and make me see things in ways that I’ve never looked at them before.

Is this wrong? No, I’m realising, it’s not. This is what I both need and want right now, so I’m throwing caution to the wind, ignoring the voice that’s repeatedly telling me what I should be doing instead, and following my heart. Because I have the freedom to do so.

I’m writing this post because I think it’s important for each and every one of us to regularly take a step back from our lives and see whether they’re the lives we want or the lives that are expected of us. Is that job fulfilling you, or do you stay in the name of security? Remember, that job can be taken away at any given point. Do you love your partner or do you stay with him/her because you’re worried about being alone? Remember, that relationship can fail at any point. Do you do the work you do because it challenges you and makes your soul sing in some way, or just for the money? Remember, you can lose all your money in an instant. Do you have that house because you need all that space, or because you’re expected to have the massive house to show how far you’ve come? Remember, all it takes is for an earthquake to reduce that to rubble.

Don’t do things in the name of security. Do them because you want to do them. Security, I repeat once more, is just an illusion. So do things in the name of creativity, passion, love, curiosity. Do things because they make you want to leap out of bed in the morning. Do things because they excite you so much they keep you up all night. Be with someone who helps you to be a better person. Have a home that makes you happy, not one that impresses the neighbours.

Life may not be secure, but it can be damn beautiful if we choose to pursue it in a way in which we stay true to ourselves.

What do you think? Do you agree or do you have a different perspective?

The post Why Living A ‘Secure’ Life Is An Illusion appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

I possess this innate ability to postpone the inevitable until it really needs to be done. Until that specific moment in time, though – that moment when I know it’s finally make or break, when it’s either go big or go home, when it’s do this now or forever hold your peace – I am the queen of telling myself that it’s okay to leave things for now. In the process, I come up with the most ridiculous excuses for why I cannot complete a certain item on the to-do list at this very moment in time.

Some of my latest excuses include “It’s the weekend, I’ll decide on Sunday,” “It’s the week, I’ll decide over the weekend,” “I’m not in the mood today, but I’ll definitely do it tomorrow,” “One more episode of The Good Wife and then I’ll get to it,” “I need to cook/do laundry/mindlessly scroll through Facebook/stare into space first.”

I know myself well. I know that this is my modus operandi – to leave things until the last minute and then curse myself for being so last minute. To force myself into making decisions because it’s now too late to mull over them any longer.

It’s really not healthy.

At the moment, I feel myself slipping back into this familiar pattern. I realised the other day that I have five weeks to go until I leave Dubai for Kathmandu, where I’ll be volunteering for a few months. So I freaked out at how much I have to do between now and then, and then proceeded to do nothing about it. Yesterday I at least took it a step further – I actually sat and wrote out a to-do list. That helped to empty out everything that’s on my mind onto paper. It’s a good start.

But it’s not good enough.

Today, a full day of doing nothing stretches before me, and yet when I looked at the first item on my to-do list, I felt a surge of anxiety fill my chest and then proceeded to open Netflix instead.

I realised that I put things off not because I’m lazy – in fact, I’m a very organised person and leaving things until the last minute goes against this super neurotic side of me. No, I put things off because I’m always afraid of making the wrong decision or of fully committing to something that I fully intend to do.

I am going to Nepal, there’s no doubt about that. Right now, it’s all I want to do, so it’s not that I have any doubts. But finalising things always fills me with anxiety to a certain degree and I realise now it’s something that I need to overcome – for my own sanity. Nothing good ever comes out of leaving things until the last minute. Time and time again, I’ve missed out on cheap airline tickets or deals because I’ve procrastinated too much and missed the boat. And for what? I cannot recall a single instance when I have gone back on one of these plans. As such, I may as well power through this fear of making the wrong move, trust myself, commit to the process and get the hell on with it.

So, in the spirit of change and taking my own advice, I will now open another tab and book my flight there. No debating which option to take, no worrying that something cheaper will come along, no dilly dallying over dates. Nope. I’m just going to do it, and I will not press publish on this post until I’ve done so.

P.S. Yes, I’ve booked and I’ve also crossed several other things off my to-do list. Hurrah! This is happening and I’m so excited!

Do you procrastinate? How do you overcome it?

The post How (Not) To Prepare To Leave A Country appeared first on Scribble, Snap, Travel.

Every beginning has an ending and every ending leads to a new beginning…

It’s now been almost six months since I first came back to Dubai. In some respects, it seems like it’s been longer than that, and yet in others, it feels like it was only yesterday when I got off the plane and stepped back into the humidity-ridden city. But then again, when I think back over all the things I’ve managed to do in this time, I realise that yes, it does feel like it’s been a while since I returned. Days have turned into weeks, weeks slowly turned into months, and it’s now been almost half a year since I came back.

Crazy.

Upon reflection, I’m happy to say that returning to Dubai was the right thing to do. I put some final ghosts from my past to rest and figured out so much about myself and what I want moving forward. I’m sure I would have come to all these conclusions eventually, but I feel that coming back here has somehow fast-forwarded the process.

Upon reflection, I’m happy to say that returning to Dubai was the right thing to do. I put some final ghosts from my past to rest and figured out so much about myself and what I want moving forward.

I didn’t realise that being back in Dubai would illuminate for me not just how far I’ve come over the last few years, but also how much I’ve changed. I believe that when you go back to places that you’ve lived in after being away for a while, you really feel how different you are; you know everything about the city is the same, and yet you somehow feel totally different.

That’s how I’ve felt while I’ve been back here.

My Dubai

It’s not always been easy; there have been times when I’ve wondered why the hell I decided to come back. But overall, as I look back over these six months, I realise that I’ve been absolutely blessed with good fortune. I’ve met some incredible people – people who have made me see things in a different light, who have been incredibly kind and warm, who have made me laugh and cry.

I’m so incredibly grateful for all of this.

I’ve always loved Dubai and I always will. I’ve had some of the best years of my life here, and no matter where I end up I’ll always think of this place fondly. But after a lot of soul searching and some serious thinking, I’ve decided that I’m now going to move onto something new. I’m more ready than ever to take yet another leap of faith.

DXB – KTM

Back in November, I visited Nepal for five days. It was a whirlwind trip that I took in between two freelance assignments and yet despite the short time frame, it was quite possibly the most memorable journey of my life to date. Nepal is a magical place and every time I try to put into words how it made me feel, I realise it’s impossible to.

Some things can only be felt. They cannot be done justice with words. And those are the most precious things of all.

Being there and hearing the plight of the people whose lives were devastated by the 2015 earthquake really got to me. The more I heard and the more I read about the various issues the country is facing, I felt something shift within me. I knew I wanted to help in some way.

The more I heard and the more I read about the various issues the country is facing, I felt something shift within me. I knew I wanted to help in some way.

I’ve always wanted to help people. It’s the reason that I studied psychology and had every intention of becoming a clinical psychologist. I decided to take a different path at the time, but fast-forward ten years and I’ve realised that one of the reasons why my work doesn’t fully fulfil me anymore is because I’m not catering to one of my core values.

My work, I’ve realised, needs to have some sort of bigger meaning. Something beyond me and my needs.

After I got home from Nepal, I started to research NGOs and how my skills could perhaps be transferred to working for a not-for-profit organisation instead. I spoke to various people who already work in the field and put the feelers out. I realised that the best way to try and see if this line of work would be for me is to volunteer my time first.

I now firmly believe that if you put a positive request out into the universe, you will be rewarded with a path or an opportunity.

Me in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Only a few weeks after I got back home, one of the lovely ladies I was on the writing retreat in Greece with forwarded me the link to a volunteer vacancy with a UK-based charity called Street Child. The best part? The vacancy was in Nepal.

The minute I read the job description I knew that I had to apply for it – I believed I could do every single thing they were asking for. The charity is working on a cause I believe in – they help to put street children back into school, which, in Nepal, entails rebuilding classrooms that were devastated by the earthquake, as well as educating parents from marginalised communities on how sending their children to school can help them out of poverty.

I took the time to put together a thoughtful CV and covering letter and sent them through, hoping for the best.

Things then happened a lot quicker than I expected them to.

Within a week they emailed back to say they’d love to chat with me about the role. One week later we spoke via Skype. Needless to say that it went well and they offered the role to me.

An Exciting New Beginning

I took a couple of days to think everything through and I realised that every cell in my being was telling me yes, do it. The truth is, I’ve been unhappy with the way my work has been heading for a very long time. I love writing and I always will, but I feel unchallenged by the type of writing that I’m doing. I’m at the point now where I feel I can do this in my sleep. Nothing excites me about it. And, most importantly, I don’t feel like I’m making any kind of difference to the world.

I absolutely hate that. So why not put my skills to good use and help others in the process?

I don’t know what the future holds, but I feel this may be the first step towards something exciting, fulfilling and new. I will be in Nepal volunteering for two to three months, and after that, who knows. I’m just so happy to be able to do something to give back, to contribute positively to something a lot bigger than myself and my life. It may lead onto a totally new direction for me and it may not. But all that matters right now is going to Nepal and doing the job that I’ve been hired to do.

Namaste, Nepal

I am currently completing a freelance work project, which I will finish by mid-March. I then plan on packing up and heading back home to Cyprus for a couple of weeks to see my family. Then I’ll be making my way east again at the beginning of April.

In the near future, I will be doing some fundraising, and I’ll fill you in on the details after I’ve left the UAE. Maintaining this blog for the last three years has been a labour of love and I’ve never asked for a penny for it, so I’m hoping you will all think of it as a back subscription for all my hard work. The money will not go towards my costs, which I will be paying for on my own – every penny will go to the charity and to help build schools.

I promise you it’s a worthwhile cause.

Nepal <3

Wrapping Up

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! If you haven’t already, follow me on Instagram and like the blog’s Facebook page. I’ll be updating this space a lot more often while I’m in Nepal. It’s a beautiful, magical, phenomenal country and I hope I’ll be able to inspire you to travel there.

So, here’s to (yet another) new beginning! Thank you, as always, for the support.

Let’s make a difference!

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