Back in January, I decided that I wanted to move away from the computer screen and start experiencing the Outernet (opposite of Internet). Inspired by countless people who quit their jobs to travel the world and blog about the entire process, I wanted to try following in their footsteps. There was just one little problem: I detest travelling. 

I flew 7 times in 2011 - 5 trips to brand new locations - so it’s not like I avoid travelling. I have just never enjoyed landing in an unfamiliar city and having to deal with the hassle of accommodation + transportation + sites + learning history / culture etc. In the immortal words of Harriet the Spy, “I can’t help it if I know what I like.” Things are simpler in places you know. Plain and simple.

But then I decided to suck it up, stop being terrified, stop complaining, and start doing something. Babystepping it seemed like the best bet; so why not travel to a new location where things are similar to where I currently live? Better yet, why not go on a working holiday to a new country? It allows you to get settled and comfortable with your surroundings but affords you the time and new setting for adventurous expeditions when not working at your part-time job.

And so, to further this spirit of baby-stepping, I chose to do a working holiday in Australia and announced it to everyone I knew. Australia is English-speaking, but still totally different from Canada. Seemed like a perfect fit for my non-travelling self!

So what happened between then and Southeast Asia?! Put simply, the baby magically transformed into a giant baby and I went with it. 

I love me some baby steps, but I was looking to maximize change and tinsy progress wasn’t going to cut it. 

So now I’m planning a multi-month trip across several non-English countries, researching accommodation + transportation + sites + learning history / culture. It’s terrifying, but it’s one giant baby step that I’m excited to take.