I leaned against the rail at the back of the ferry, looking across the sea at the tall buildings which seemed to fill the whole skyline. A surge of energy engulfed me as the ferry pulled out from the terminal. Today was my first day exploring downtown Hong Kong. Jetlag, tiredness and heat were not going to put a dampener on today, nothing was, nothing could. Ever since booking my flights last month my feet had begun to itch, a feeling I had never experienced before, and I liked it.
Ten years ago this week I took my first overseas trip to somewhere other than Australia. Hong Kong was my destination, where my sister was working as a teacher. It would be my first of two trips to Hong Kong, both trips spanning around three weeks. Below are some photos of my first trip to Hong Kong.
It was on this trip that my feet began to itch and they have not stopped since! 11 months later I was winging my way to London for my OE, something I had only ever pondered briefly about before visiting Hong Kong. With every step I took around Hong Kong it was as if it was opening up a whole new world to me and a passion for exploring that I never known existed within me.
Sometimes I wonder how much richer, monetary wise, I would be if I had not taken that trip ten years ago. Much more financially secure, however poorer in many other areas and to me these areas are more important than money. Travelling has taught me much more than having that money sitting in my bank or paying it off my mortgage would have. I would not have written four books, fallen hopelessly in love with an Englishman in the streets of London (a useful muse for my writing) and my life would not be as alive as it is. I’m not sure what adventures (if any) would fill my memory and the pages of my scrapbooks and photo albums on Facebook.
I have travelled to 33 countries so far (and counting) spanning the corners of the globe. I have experienced moments of being moved by a deep sense of awe, developed an incredible appreciation for my stunning homeland, met people from many different walks of life and dodged terrorism and other dangers. Travelling isn’t all roses and it isn’t always safe. But neither is sitting at home. There is a cost to travelling and there is a cost to not travelling. I am not saying that to truly live you have to travel. But for me that is the case. My life would not have turned out the way it has if it had not been for my itchy feet. Would I have not taken that trip to Hong Kong if I had known that every step I took in that city would aggravate the itch? Certainly not. If I had you would not be reading this now. How have your itchy feet shaped your life?
#itchyfeetchangedmylife
Ten years ago this week I took my first overseas trip to somewhere other than Australia. Hong Kong was my destination, where my sister was working as a teacher. It would be my first of two trips to Hong Kong, both trips spanning around three weeks. Below are some photos of my first trip to Hong Kong.
It was on this trip that my feet began to itch and they have not stopped since! 11 months later I was winging my way to London for my OE, something I had only ever pondered briefly about before visiting Hong Kong. With every step I took around Hong Kong it was as if it was opening up a whole new world to me and a passion for exploring that I never known existed within me.
Sometimes I wonder how much richer, monetary wise, I would be if I had not taken that trip ten years ago. Much more financially secure, however poorer in many other areas and to me these areas are more important than money. Travelling has taught me much more than having that money sitting in my bank or paying it off my mortgage would have. I would not have written four books, fallen hopelessly in love with an Englishman in the streets of London (a useful muse for my writing) and my life would not be as alive as it is. I’m not sure what adventures (if any) would fill my memory and the pages of my scrapbooks and photo albums on Facebook.
I have travelled to 33 countries so far (and counting) spanning the corners of the globe. I have experienced moments of being moved by a deep sense of awe, developed an incredible appreciation for my stunning homeland, met people from many different walks of life and dodged terrorism and other dangers. Travelling isn’t all roses and it isn’t always safe. But neither is sitting at home. There is a cost to travelling and there is a cost to not travelling. I am not saying that to truly live you have to travel. But for me that is the case. My life would not have turned out the way it has if it had not been for my itchy feet. Would I have not taken that trip to Hong Kong if I had known that every step I took in that city would aggravate the itch? Certainly not. If I had you would not be reading this now. How have your itchy feet shaped your life?
#itchyfeetchangedmylife