Possible Resurrection of KateOnTheBike

Okay, so last night I was thinking that perhaps KateOnTheBike is going to take a rest...for a little while at least.

But then I realised that KateOnTheBike may actually need to get back on the bike for charity.

See www.1200kmsforkids.com/team/, a charity event that I have decided to offer assistance to in October 2010.

I am not riding it. There is no way I can ride 1200kms in my physical condition (ie. 12 months after a spinal injury - not possible).

But what I can do is drop a "0" off it and ride 120km as a separate event. Maybe do the 120km ride somewhere, on my bike, and ask people to sponsor me, even if its $20, $50... whatever. It will be my way of doing 120km for kids, AND be a part of the actual event.

So stay tuned. You may find KateOnTheBike journaling about getting ready for her mini-event when she gets it up and running.

The Future of KateOnTheBike

I've been taking some time out from KateOnTheBike to take care of some personal matters and well...to be honest, there's not really much to write about at the moment. I am not sure what this means for KateOnTheBike, and for the number of readers out there who check on me every now and then, (and sometimes, every day!).

The low-down is that I am in Sydney, Australia and I am taking care of my health and my well being (after a rocky period of personal neglect). I am working on some different projects, including starting up my own photography business, doing some charity work (including moving the donation money in that direction), getting some routine back into my life and generally not taking life as seriously as perhaps I was this time last year.

There are scars that need healing, sadness to overcome, and I am still reeling from not taking the flight to Asia as planned. My dreams in that regard are not over - I will do it, and perhaps then KateOnTheBike will spring back to life, but in the meantime, I'm deliberately making my life as easy and as drama-free as possible so that I can get some of equilibrium back.

What does this mean for KateOnTheBike? Well, I dont know. It seems the only thing I have to show at the moment are cupcake photos... (and as soon as I get my photography portfolio website up and running (which is one of the projects I am working on), then those photos will go there). I also don't envisage travelling in the next couple of months. I know many readers came to KateOnTheBike to live vicariously through me, traversing the world here and there and everywhere, but I must be honest - I don't expect there will be many travels to write about for a little while.

So, I don't really know what else to say, other than hold on tight, keep coming back every now and then, but for the time being, I really don't have much to write about. It could be that I'm experiencing a case of writer's block or maybe its just that I am not in a place where I want to share my thoughts and feelings to the world.

I'm surrounded by good family and good friends, and that is the most important thing. Many of you readers are included in that. For the strangers that come and read, thanks for being a part of my journey over the last 12 months. I promise to be back soon. If you want to keep in touch, please email me at kateonthebike@gmail.com.

KoTB

x

More Cupcakes

Patience

When I was in Singapore, I recall reading my Chinese Horoscope for the New Year. It said that "patience would be required when it came to matters relating to my career".

Well, I have done precisely that. In fact, I have tried to practise being patient for a couple of months now, with everything in my life. I've been quite tight lipped about what has been happening of late, because for once in my life, I've chosen not to share with the world what has been going on in my life. This is because I needed some space and time to confront some of the issues I was facing, think through where I wanted my life to head, and well.... I guess I just didnt need people to know. I didn't need anyone's intervention - or opinions. I needed time to make decisions for myself. After all, I am 30 next month.

I think the first thing to clear up is that I am now not going to Asia for a while. I have chosen to remain in my home country, to concentrate on getting my health back. My health hasnt been the same since the horse riding accident.

Secondly, I need stability. A place to call home for awhile. I thought that going away to chase my dream was the right thing, however, when it came time to leave, I realised that it wasnt time to go yet. Everything felt unstable, and while everything felt unstable, I was unable to go into another unstable environment. I'd be no use to the people I wanted to so desperately help.

Thirdly, I remain absolutely committed to charity projects and the money raised from the auction that was held with my artwork will still go to charity. I am currently revisiting where the money goes. That will happen in time.

Lastly, I have a job now. I start tomorrow. I am pleased. It is not a huge wage paying regional counsel role. Its a quiet legal role that will allow me to get a bit of work/life balance back, after pushing myself to the absolute limit last year.

This year is about patience. This year isnt about climbing the corporate ladder, earning big money, or being any kind of 'anything'. This year is about being me. In a few months, I may leave for the trip. The role I have enables me to pull the plug on it at any time. My dreams are not forgotten. I know what I still want.

Thanks for everyone's patience too.

Quote of the Year!

Wow. Aint this true! Who would have thought, 5 years later....

Back in December 2005, I wrote this quote on my KateOnTheGo Blog:

"Be brave enough to live creatively. The creative is the place where no one else has been. You have to leave the city of your comfort to go into the wilderness of your intuition. You cannot get there by bus - only hard work, risking and by not quite knowing what you are doing. What you will discover will be wonderful - what you will discover will be yourself."

- Alan Alda

Journey Stalled

All,

This is just a note to say that the journey has stalled just for a wee while due to some personal reasons.

I'll be back on the board when I can.

I know many of you have been fighting hard for me, staying right behind me. Please don't leave. I'll be back shortly.

Time for the Journey to Begin

I leave for Indonesia in two and a half days. I keep putting this photo up, each time I feel afraid or nervous about the journey I am about to take. It reminds me of the children of Abangan, and it reminds me of the day I realised that I wanted to come back to Abangan and spend some time here.

Many of you will be new readers of KateOnTheBike, some of you will be old readers of KateOnTheBike, some of you will be returning back here to see what on earth I am up to now. For those new readers, go back to March 2009, when I first went to Asia and go back and enjoy the stories I shared of magical places, strange cultures and wonderful adventures. New friendships, different experiences, luxurious places. For the last 18 months, I had been gifted with the ability to travel through Asia at a certain level of luxury, shielding myself somewhat from some of the harsh realities of the countries, running back to the comforting lobbies of the Sheraton if I felt the heat was too hard or the place was too intense. I do not regret any of my experiences that I have had over the last 18 months, and to say that they were done in a robotic manner by a tired weary lawyer would not give proper credence to just how much fun I had exploring. It was those small moments, those glimpses of magic, that made me decide to take this latest journey - to step out of the shoes of the lawyer, and step into the shoes of a travelling 29 year old (soon to be 30) that wants to reach out and give.

I leave in 2 and a half days to live in Abangan, Indonesia for two months..Abangan is on the island of Bali, a place that is better known for its luxurious resorts, famed art and culture and sadly, a few acts of terrorism in recent decades. Bali has also become better known recently for being a place written about by Elizabeth Gilbert, in her amazing book (and unfortunately, soon to be Julia Roberts-featured film) "Eat, Love, Pray".

It was reading this book (and a few other things) that made me decide that Bali would be the place that would be where I would begin my journey around Asia with a backpack on my back. Who knows where I may end up. I know that I want to see Cambodia. I want to see more of Vietnam. I want to see China. I want to see Thailand. I want to climb to Base Camp, Everest - a dream I have had since I first started travelling at the age of 19.

I thought about starting another blog, but I know that my experiences in Asia in the last 18 months are just as much a part of the journey that I am about to take. I may re-visit places I have been to before, and I may make reference to them, I may skip some places. However, I want this blog to be a journey for everyone.

This blog makes me feel just that little less "alone" when travelling.

This blog, to some readers, is a way that they can travel when they do not have the opportunity to do so.

This blog, to many, may also be considered full of rambling entries like this one.

Take this blog as you will. I do not hide away from my beliefs, I do not pretend to be who I am not. I may write personal feelings here, I may share things that others consider to be information that would ordinarily be kept to oneself.

But I am who I am.

And this blog is who I am.

I will update it as regularly as I can, with photos and entries, just like before. This time, I will have far more time to reflect on places, faces and experiences. I hope you see it through the entries to come.

Jump aboard. Enjoy the ride. Bookmark it as a favourite. And dont forget to leave comments, so that I know people are out there, reading.

And A Cupcake Makes Three...

Snowballs Snowballs, We All Love Snowballs