And so it begins

This time ten years ago I was packing my bags ready to fly out the next day for Canada and Alaska.

I'd actually taken the huge step of deciding to go ahead with my plans for my big adventure.  I'd worked out an itinerary with George, my travel agent, finished work and spent the last few weeks getting lists ready so I didn't forget anything and shopping for warm clothes.  I'd been so excited with all the preparations I'd not really had time to think about what I was doing but the night before I left it hit me.  What on Earth did I think I was doing, going off alone for several months in a strange country?  I'd tried to get some friends interested, at least for parts of the trip but no-one else had either the time or the inclination to see this part of the world.  Most of my friends prefer warmer climes. 

So here I was, on my own!  There were a few complications, the biggest being that I wasn't an outgoing person...panic attacks in crowds, in awe of friends who could talk with a stranger with ease.  Then there was the business of my diet, I was gluten and dairy-free.  For those who don't know me, I suffered with eczema for a lot of years and some other problems so I stayed gluten and dairy free for three years in a last ditch attempt to sort things out.  My problems cleared up and, with only a couple of minor flare-ups in the last ten years sorted by briefly watching my diet again, I've not had any trouble since resuming a normal diet.  It was a shame my trip took place during those three years but it was worth the hassle.  George (the travel agent) was a little worried about me doing this trip so I hadn't mentioned one other little thing to him, in case he didn't want to be get involved with the trip.  The other little thing being that it hadn't been so long ago that I was being investigated for the possibility of multiple sclerosis.  The symptoms had faded, and although they couldn't say for sure what the problem was, they also couldn't say it wasn't MS.  Going through that was probably one of the main things to nudge me into living a dream.  For the record, there's been no recurrence so I can safely assume I'm out of the woods now.

Obviously, it wouldn't make sense now to give dates and days of the week so I'm going to post the emails I sent home as sections of the journey.  Things may look a little odd but you'll get the general idea.  Anway, this trip down memory lane is really for my own benefit, a self-indulgence, so if you're interested, just follow as best you can.

Tonight I'm re-living in my mind the expectations and excitement of that day before I flew out, as well as the panic and worries that I may have bitten off more than I can chew.  Tomorrow...the journey to Heathrow airport for the start of my great adventure.  In two days time I'll be in the Yukon...in 2003.

Dancing in the Rain

Last week, I came across the following at work; one of those little things you see tagged onto the bottom of emails.  You know, homilies, prayers, cute little sayings, really irritating stuff...well, this one caught my eye and my imagination.

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain".

That's what I've been doing, "waiting for the storm to pass" for the past few years but especially during the past few months!  The phrase bounced around my cranium for a day or two and finally came to a rest in a resolution to change my outlook.  I was in the middle of a drive to Bath Hospital for visiting hours.  I love to drive, maybe because it's something in my life I can control and something I do well, maybe it's simply the freedom of the road, I don't know, but I enjoy driving.  In the last few years each trip has mostly been a means to an end, no pleasure in the drive itself, just something that was necessary.

So, there I was, ready to take the steep winding road that leads to the hospital, Bath City spread out beneath me, nestling in the folds of the surrounding hills.  That was the moment I realised I should be enjoying the experience.  Ok, life throws the bad stuff at you, but that doesn't mean there isn't still good stuff around.  Ok, I need to spend a few weeks going to and from the hospital on top of everything else but I should be taking the opportunity to enjoy it - I should be dancing in the rain!

It's time I started making the most of what I have now instead of wishing things were different or waiting for things to change.  There's not a lot I can do about the present but I can remind myself what I'm capable of...what I have done and therefore what I could do in future and so enjoy the present for what it is, enjoy what I am doing now.

Ten years ago this month I went on my big adventure.  I wanted  more out of life and I decided to not just wait until things improved but go out and get what I wanted.  I handed in my notice at work to spend some time travelling in Alaska and Canada.  It wasn't an epic journey studded with outstanding action or romantic encounters.  It was simply the once-in-a-lifetime trip of an ordinary person who enjoys driving and wants to know what's over the next horizon.

In a few weeks time I'm going to start re-living that period of my life just for the sake of remembering.  In a spirit of sheer self-indulgence I'm going to periodically post the emails I sent home.  This blog will change for a while from random thoughts to a retrospective travelogue.  If this isn't your cup of tea then I'll see you when I get back.  On the other hand, if you'd like a gentle journey then I'd welcome your company, take a seat and sit back, I'll do the driving.