If you come this far, why stop now? I asked myself
It’s a Monday and only a couple of days away from looking at a six month long adventure that’s behind me. I am sitting snuggled up in my bed among blankets and pillows, feeling like a little bed philosopher.
Me holding mandarins.
Interesting enough, Monday is the day when most people call in sick for work and at the same time the day when most people are surfing on the internet. It may sound quite depressing according to the statistics, but if you ask me, it seems like first steps towards exploring ideas. I think we could look away from labour discipline, in this case, when it’s about life changing decisions.
Photo: Erika Kantonen
So what’s the point you probably think right now. Well, I thought I would take my chance to ride on the wave of ‘be a little bit inspirational’ and hopefully give you a chance to day dream about what is possible. To try expand some of your ideas on things. If I am lucky enough, I may be a small part of some of your adventures.
In this writing moment I am about 120 km away from the most northern point of New Zealand, in a small town called Kaitaia. On the right of the bed I have a big cup of coffee, and to my left I have one of the lodges little farm cats, named Lucy, sleeping comfortably against my leg.
Maybe everybody doesn’t know what a lodge is? Synonym words would be a hostel or a so called backpackers. Which refers to a place with more simple standards and a lower price then, for an example, a motel or hotel.
This place, called Mainstreet Lodge, has now been my home for over two months. Here it turned out that I expanded my friendly family. After a couple of mishaps and incidents, this magical couple Carol and Suzie took over in November last year. These two super women have totally turned this place around and today this place is blooming with a warm and welcoming feeling for people who travel the world.
I know I’ve been stretching the point of this article. The thing I want to mediate is how all of us people out there feeling hungry, curious, creative and longing for adventures, most of us already have the opportunity to discover it in so many ways. Why latch on to something less? What is it? Your dream lifestyle.
I remember all my thoughts before I jumped on that plane to India in November; all alone. With the idea of wanting to test the possibility to not come back and try to live a life outside Sweden’s borders in hope to find something so sublime that I never have to look back over my shoulder and wonder what I could have done with my life. To actually see if letting go of my comforts with a relatively low budget was an option. Before I left, I worked double jobs for a couple of months and when I was leaving I had less then 3600 USD in my account.
The first perception you have to go a match against in the ring is… *drum roll* cash, pengar, stålar, para, lire, pesos, dollar here and dollar there, baht, rupies, euro, franc, real, krone, pund, shekel, yen, shilling, dirham, rand, kyat also known as currency. You get it? “The sum of all conclusions” or “A loved kid has many names”. You have to kill your darlings to actually be able to move on. A basic budget may be an advantage if you want to try out another life in another country. Truth is, money is and should only be used as a tool and not all depending and life lining when it comes to fulfil your dreams.
The second thought that we neglect relatively easy is the idea of *art pause* available work, available income, available stability, available safety and available continuity. This might come as a small surprise for you, which it comically did for me, but there is work in other countries as well! You can make the same money on the same job you have back home today or you could probably make more money in another business, or maybe less money but with a career that give you more peace and satisfaction? The dramaturgy was very well built up to make it sounds like something brilliant because, to be honest with you, this thought didn’t hit me until late in this great expedition also known as life.
When these two thoughts make themselves home within you, you can finally start seeing the opportunities out there. Trust me.
During the last six month that I have been travelling, I have found myself in several different work situations. They might not seem like so much in this world, but they have built up a steady ground for me to stand on.
Kumara, New Zealand sweet potato. Photo: Erika Kantonen
I have worked in the biggest brothel in Asia. Where I reported, with a beloved friend of mine, about the situation for women and kids. This was a voluntary and none profitable job.
I have got a foot into my dream career, which is to write and take photographs while travelling for magazines and web sites. Here on ettannatliv.se, I have got the chance to a great education with a great team and an inspirational editor, Patrik.
I have been working on a beautiful wedding with a beautiful view over the ocean in New Zealand, which generated money.
I have been working on two different farms here in New Zealand which includes picking kumara (New Zealand sweet potato) and at the moment I am picking mandarins. This currently gives me a stabile income every week.
For the last three months, I have also been working daily at this lodge where I help with reception, cleaning and also other important responsibilities. In exchange I get free accommodation and some food. Farm by day; lodge by night.
There have even been times where I have had no money and no job, but the idea.
Yesterday I booked tickets to Asia and this time, to start with in August, Kuala Lumpur. With that said, apparently I don’t have to go back to Sweden to earn money to continue my travels. It is so cool to just be able to check new countries off your list like that. And believe me, if you really have to, you will find work even in the smallest town and in the most exotic country.
So if you’re sitting home on a Monday in may with around 10 degrees and a tired view in front of you, but still with a lust and longing for untouched grounds, Go on!
Put up a game date and go a round with your doubts. After that I promise you, things will be easier. A quick declaration of love to todays internet society; with more or less than a couple of words in a search box, you can have in front of you a entire community like a seafood platter. If you ever had a dream about finding your happiness a couple of extra long miles away, using the internet and magazines is the perfect technique to the ultimate motivation. Or why not try to send an email to an inspiring person with any questions you might have?
When it comes to courage, which I know can be a sensitive subject to dig in to, I don’t think that it will do you good to struggle and ponder upon it too much. It is totally fine to not be brave all the time. To be insecure about your own and others abilities and voluntary put yourself in to situations where you don’t have the right answers, that, is courage. I believe that the bravest people are the ones whom are willing to face their biggest fears. Without sounding too much like I’m up on my high horse as I must admit that I have never felt so bloody brave as I do today after starting my travels. Being put in situations where I can only count on my own ideas has given me experiences so grand and at the same time so paralysing to put into my backpack of memories. The most exciting thing about it is that this is only the beginning for me.
I would like to end this Monday philosophy by giving you guys a mission or at least an invite to an interesting thought.
Right now, search for a picture of your paradise. Search for a photo of your dream you might think is too far away. Print it out and put it somewhere it can remind you of what is out there waiting. Change it to the background of your computer and phone. Use this idea as a tool, just like the money you’re working hard for everyday.
I started my travel with a so called bucket list. I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could do all of these cool things and see all these amazing places I saw people doing in my instagram feed. I made up my mind and I also made an instagram account called: mybucketlistchallenge to motivate myself. The day I saw wild Orcas in New Plymouth, a couple of month back, was the day I able to check off my number one on the list. So amazing to be able to do that just after a couple of months of travelling.
To always keep on updating my bucket list is my goal. My lastest addition is to travel to Borneo or Sumatra to see Orangutangs in the wild. The red apes which have 97% the same DNA as us humans. They only live on these islands in Indonesia and sadly have the potential to die out.
My next one is to go and do the expedition called, Everest base camp trek in Kathmandu, Nepal. You could just do it yourself bringing you own luggage and so on, or if you have some spare money you could do it with guides and people helping you caring your stuff that includes tents and food and so on. For this expedition it will be around 5 000 – 6 000 USD. Both North and South base camp are approximately just above 5 000 metres of altitude.
Read this article to spark your imagination:
http://www.ettannatliv.se/an-enthralling-journey-to-mount-everest-base-camp/
I would like to thanks you guys for the word. Maybe I was able to wake some curiosity and inspiration inside of you. Since I have always been a sucker for powerful and motivating outspoken words, also known as quotes, I would like to sum up this with one. To help you over this Monday hill, the words of the first person to climb Mount Everest, who also happens to be a ‘Kiwi’ or New Zealander. The explorer, philanthropist, and mountaineer, Sir Edmund Hillary. Together, with his nepalese sherpa and friend Tenzing Norgay, they were able to reach the summit in 1953, May 29th.
“People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.” -Sir Edmund Hillary
