I love the me I am when I travel

A long road ahead, anticipation of the unknown, freedom, abandon…
all invigorating and life affirming feelings.

Who am I?
Someone quite average, whose deepest desire has been to explore the world. I have been very fortunate that my career as a department store buyer, over the last 15 odd years has taken me to some extraordinary places around the world; from Istanbul to Hanoi; Egypt to Beijing and much more in between!

A few years ago, I remember visiting a little village 2-hour drive from Hanoi, Vietnam. After our car got stuck in muddy dirt tracks a few times, we finally got to the village square, where sat a group of about 20 women creating the most delicately embroidered bedlinen amid lush paddy fields. They do so, even today, in between planting and harvesting rice! Later, we were invited to lunch at the managers’ house, some simple chicken soup (which I had to politely refuse being vegetarian!), and meet his elderly parents. Mum was warm, smiling and sweet, whereas dad sat through lunch wearing his very French Beret and smoking a pipe! I am blessed to have many experiences like these, warm hospitable people, beautiful postcard places, all because of my travels with work.

An important turning point was watching Michael Palin’s TV show, Himalayas. His self-deprecating humour mixed with such genuine wonder and naivety about people, culture and places, made me fall in love with his brand of meaningful travel by road. I became an instant fan, to the extent that I would have given up my career and life to become his water bottle carrier, just to be given the chance to visit the most remote places on the Indian subcontinent! Alas, no such call came from the BBC, so I had to find my own way around this planet!

Many people I meet every day, at work or socially, express a desire to travel. Some do end up creating beautiful experiences, and some just can’t for many reasons. This blog is for my family and friends who cannot be with me on my journeys, but are always with me in spirit.

And also for single female travellers like me, who have adventure in their hearts, and a wish to collect moments, not things…