I remember when we were in Poland, Jono asked me if now that I’d done that trip I was gutsy enough to travel by myself.
At the time my answer was no. But then it was the day after I’d got lost and panicked at an airport. By the end of another week I was thinking that maybe I could.
So this is my first step on that journey.
Just for a week, and just in Australia- where its very easy to get on a plane and come home if something goes wrong. And everyone speaks English.
But small steps turn into big steps. Who knows where I’ll venture to next.
So if last time was just about trying out the whole traveling thing, this time I’ve a few small goals in mind.
1. I’m staying in a hostel, not because its cheap but because I want to force myself to socialise with other people, different people, people I don't know. Not something I find particularly easy to do.
2. I have to completely organise everything myself, not rely on anyone else. I want to do a trip to the Great Barrier Reef and one to the rainforest, and I want to wander around Cairns. And I need to know that I can wander around and find my way to places and back again. Hopefully without walking two hours the wrong way first.
And then, as another side goal, I need to find steps to climb- every day. Lots of them. Because when we go back to school we are taking our learning community on a trip round the East Cape for a week and one day we are walking up to the East Cape lighthouse which apparently has about 700 steps to climb. And I really want to be able to do it with them.
I’m currently in Auckland, having been at an unconference. I’m heading down to Tauranga for a couple of days tomorrow. Dad’s 80th birthday celebrations are at the weekend and then back to Auckland and off to Cairns for the better part of next week.
I’ve been to the movies a couple of times since getting here on Sunday, and both times, although I looked longingly at the elevator I climbed the stairs instead.
Today I was walking back from the mall to the motel and I saw a different way with lots of stairs so away I went. 71 steps in all. Only have to do that 10 times to master the lighthouse!! And because I came out a a different place than the other times I’ve walked to the mall I started walking the wrong way. However I also used the landmarks around me to realise that within a minute and turn around.
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| Todays 71 steps at Westfield Mall, Albany |
Tonight I’m going to work on Goal 1. Its miserable out, and it was tempting to grab something cold from the mall and bring it back to the motel for dinner. But I walked past a bar/restaurant to get back from the mall so I’m going to venture out and have dinner and a drink there. Even if I don’t talk to anyone its better than sitting in front of the TV in the motel room like I would have done in the past.
“Each step you take reveals a new horizon. You have taken the first step today. Now, I challenge you to take another.” (Dan Poynter)
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