Friday, June 4, 2010

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.


4 comments:

  1. Still following.....Bon voyage, safe journey K. I'm always here to talk to if you need a friendly voice at the end of the phone. Godspeed.
    IMOM

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  2. I'm too am here reading - still and always.

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  3. Good Luck and enjoy you new venture. The family support and Love is always there should you have the need. I'm going to miss you my Love, terribly.
    Ma x x x x luttmab.

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  4. Best of luck to you Kate!
    :-)

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