Taking a break from the usual photo-stream, I've decided to participate in an initiative which the travel blog BootsnAll has created. Starting November 1, they launched a project called 30 Days of Indie Travel. They’re inviting bloggers from around the world (including you!) to join us in a daily blogging effort reflecting on our past travel experiences.  Each day, they'll post a new prompt on BootsnAll articles. Bloggers can follow the prompts as strictly or loosely as they like, interpreting them in various ways and responding via text, photos or video posted on their own blogs.

Today's theme: Embracing Change
Change can be exciting and bring new joys into our lives. But it can present challenges that frustrate or annoy us. How has travel changed you in the last year? Did you welcome these changes or resist them at the time, and how do you feel about them now?

As mentioned in my previous entry, Goals, everything in my life has changed over the past year. From my employment of 6 years ending, to my housing situation changing, from a long term relationship ending, to a new interest currently budding. To try and communicate some of these life changes in to how it affected my travels, many of these changes were all happening simultaneously in conjunction with some of my travels. Antarctica was peaceful - it cleared my mind, in a meditative state it allowed me to reconnect with nature, the Earth and it's raw energy. Argentina was life - from food, to dance, to architecture and music, everything was built out of passion. That was good for my body, and for my heart. India, as always, allows one to explore spirituality on different levels. Be it getting in tune with nature, people, or just finding peace within your self, this seems to be something inherent with travelling to India. For me, it was the soul I was able to reconnect with - always a welcome change of character. 

Those trips just happened to coincide with some of the biggest changes in my recent life, so to that respect all the changes happening during these trips were welcomed - changes of mind, body and soul. 

I think now, however, is a time when I am fully at peace. I am about to embark on a new journey, one which will bring MUCH change. Much more than any of the aforementioned trips. Again, as mentioned in yesterday's Goals post, I am about to leave for Thailand to Volunteer with a small NGO, Penny's for Papa Foundation. With this,  will be undergoing changes I can't even fathom yet. All these changes will be welcomed. Of course, I expect some of them to be challenging, but the whole reason for doing this is for a change - in my own life, and to create positive change for those I'm helping. 

Stay tuned for updates about these changes right here!

Taking a break from the usual photo-stream, I've decided to participate in an initiative which the travel blog BootsnAll has created. Starting November 1, they launched a project called 30 Days of Indie Travel. They’re inviting bloggers from around the world (including you!) to join us in a daily blogging effort reflecting on our past travel experiences.  Each day, they'll post a new prompt on BootsnAll articles. Bloggers can follow the prompts as strictly or loosely as they like, interpreting them in various ways and responding via text, photos or video posted on their own blogs.

Today's theme: Goals
What were your travel goals last year? Did you accomplish them? What travel goals do you hope to accomplish this year?

It's interesting to reflect on goals in travel. Some of us who may be a little more travelled than others sometimes can take the action of travel itself a bit for granted. In the past year I was very fortunate to have been able to travel to some incredible places: India, Peru, Argentina and Antarctica. I must say that one of the main travel goals I have had for the past 5 years was to get to Antarctica, as for many, this was my last continent. In retrospect, that's not much of a reason to visit one of the worlds most pristine, beautiful and fragile places. I did accomplish this goal, of course, but with it came so much more. Things I couldn't have brought goals down to challenge myself with - intangible accomplishments. Be it just the feeling the first time you sit on the continent and have a baby penguin come to investigate, peck at the strings on your jacket, and nestled down next to you, or to bum-sled your way down a giant Antarctic hill soaring at tremendous speeds, to listening to the tranquility at night while watching the moonlight reflect off the iceberg riddled seas. 

Perhaps a goal which I had which was a little more focused on self-development was my goal of learning to SCUBA dive. Having been to some of the world's best dive spots, and only gone as far as some snorkelling, it was a long time dream that I'd find myself somewhere long enough to be able to complete the 4 day course. I made this happen while in Goa, India. I had several options, and was quite close to touring around when I stopped myself and said - "it's now or never! You've been putting this off too long!". It was such a good feeling of accomplishment to have gone through the course, and now having that knowledge that I can dive anywhere in the world only makes it that much better. Not only that, as with many activities which are of a unique niche, you meet some great people who are also experiencing what you are - be it first timers like myself and my new friend Shatru, or be it the well experienced, who are often very keen to share their stories and knowledge.

My outlook on travel (and life in general) have been undergoing some heavy transformations over the past year. Essentially everything about my life is different than it was even at the beginning of this year. With these changes, new perspectives have been created, and this has lead to new goals, coincidentally involving travel. A couple months back I decided I'm going to travel with more purpose - both for my own development, but also for those around me. Something I have never done, but always wanted to, is to volunteer abroad. I have made a commitment to a small, start-up NGO in Northern Thailand, Penny's for Papa Foundation, to volunteer teaching English and Computers, assisting with construction, and providing caregiving in families with a member in need. I'll be doing this for 3 months, after which, I may choose to stay on board and continue working with the foundation. It's a big life changer, on many parts, as I've given up everything at home - from my apt, and all it's contents, to even finding a new home for my cat. In giving everything up, you are able to find what's truly important. It's been a slow process, but I've had an excellent support group, one friend in particular who has been one of the most inspirational, as her family lost everything to a natural disaster, and had to start a new life. To put it in perspective, I was choosing to do this - imagine not having that choice. 

I am excited about this new venture, and that I will be living out one of my goals! Though I've come a long way, I know this is only the beginning of the journey.