"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -- Lao Tzu

DAY 1  December 24, 2013.

So I’m off on a bit of a journey.

And some erstwhile, well meaning and irreverent friends have been trying to come up with a challenge for me while I am away.

Suggestions have included 

• eating a different food every day (impractical apparently)
• getting a photo with strangers every day (awful photo taking skills apparently)
• kissing a stranger eery day (unrealistic apparently)
• getting a tattoo (way TOO painful apparently)

So being the self confessed quotes queen according to a number of both present and past colleagues I am going to create a simple Journey Blog with an appropriate quote for each day. And my challenge is to try and update it every day as much as possible.

If you would like to suggest a less boring challenge, feel free!

So the first part of my journey was to figure out how to pack for three different journeys.

• A bag for a family Christmas and New Year in KatiKati. (expected temperature 20 degrees)
• A bag for a few days out in Melbourne with my sister. (expected temperature 30 degrees)
• A bag for a fortnight in Finland and Poland. (expected temperature -20 degrees)

Bags finally packed, although there may need to be some unpacking and repacking, the car was packed and off on the first step of the journey I went.

Traffic was well behaved. Although the immenseness of moving schools over the last fortnight might have caught up with me and by the time I reached Whakatane, I had to buy a V to stop myself from the constant nodding off I’d been resisting right through the Waioeka Gorge. )And don't panic all those people part of the wean Karyn off V party. Its the first one I’ve touched for months and I have no desire to touch another one soon. Infact I had about 1/3 of the can and that was enough to get me safely to KatiKati.

The first part of the journey is over. I’m safely in KatiKati. I’ve done the Christmas Eve church service and watched a very cute niece and nephew deliver readings. Ive sung Christmas hymns. 

And now I’ve just seen Santa Claus turn up at the door and visit Dad in bed to wish him a merry Christmas!

If the first day is a measure of the journeys of the next month, its going to be a great one. Challenging moments, proud moments and everything in between.

The biggest thing for me is that I’m making the journey. I’ve always been fond of the quote below. I have given it to many students and colleagues and friends over the years.

But I probably haven’t really lived it. 

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

Here’s to the journeys of the next month. Follow along with me, if you are really bored and have nothing better to read!