Me and life plans have never really been in synch. Not that I’ve ever tried that hard to move along the linear scale, but now that I’ve almost hit 29, recently quit my job and bought a flight to Mexico, sweeping statements like “Oh darl, I hope you find what you are looking for” seem to be people’s perception of why I am wanting to travel. With such a self-focus at play these days, it’s so hard to try and explain I am not searching for anything. Not the meaning of my existence, or a balance of my Shakra, or a personality detox, or that rugged stranger to carry me into the light. I just really LOVE to travel, my job was no longer fullfulling, Central America has become the new Aussie playground and I just had to be swinging off its monkey bars!

So here I am.

There is ONE common thread which has tightly woven itself throughout my life and  and it’s the number nine. I was born on this date, my dad died on this date. My best friend lived at number 9, my London share house was 99. I won flights overseas on the 9th, got stuck up a Swiss mountain almost never to be seen on the 9th, saw the Northern Lights on the 9th and illegally worked in Turkish Kebab Shop 9 for nine weeks.  Nine has governed work projects, visa’s, competitions, friends, houses, countries, pivotal moments and now, my departure gate from Perth to Mexico for the next soulful dance!

I admit to walking in circles, tripping on chaos, severely underestimating time, having an “open face” (Sombrero’d Mexican, 2017) and not regularly changing my sheets, but I always chase the magic. And now I am away from assumption and sweeping statements, I realise I shouldn’t ever have to explain wanting to see all of this!

I hope Central America gets to be your playground one day.