There are 17 sleeps left until I get on a plane bound for adventure. In the great duration since the initial post, the world has changed, yet fear and uncertainty are still lingering! Happy Wandering will finally get a chance to find the legs it was initially seeking back in 2012. I’m now staring down the barrell of 32 years old and in true Hayley style, am treating myself to a 6 month adventure to celebrate. How else do you top skydiving on your 25th birthday? Ha!
The adventure:
Solo to Singapore (though always up for making new friends on the plane) with 18 hours to explore in the city when I arrive. Looking forward to this actually. Whirlwind view of a tiny place that at this point has been limited to food choices on level 1 and pearls from duty free. Last time I was in Singapore, I was with my very hungover brother headed home from Croatia. This time may be slightly different! Once on the plane again, I’ll be meeting said Bro and Em (GF to Bro and generally awesome individual – let it be known we want to keep her!) in Paris where we have been told about scary tourist traps equalling out the sparkling lights and delicious pastries. Woot. I love shiny things, especially large ones lit up at nighttime. In France we will be doing an ANZAC day tour with an Aussie company, which sadly our parents aren’t able to join us on as initially planned. No doubt we will have them with us in spirit as we watch the dawn service far away from our home town on April 25th.
After France, I leave Bro and Em to their travels and head to Amsterdam for a night or two, maybe ride a bike across a bridge and see some of the local attractions. I’m sure I’ll find many ways to entertain myself! The next leg takes me to Vancouver where I meet up with my Canadian pals and we will run for a really long time. After France, I leave Bro and Em to their travels and head to Amsterdam for a night or two, maybe ride a bike across a bridge and see some of the local attractions. I’m sure I’ll find many ways to entertain myself! The next leg takes me to Vancouver where I meet up with my Canadian pals and we will run for a really long time.
Five or so hours really. The Vancouver marathon (dated 3 May, I’ll officially be 32 in all time zones) has been a 12 month goal that myself, a girlfriend from the Gold Coast, and a couple of Crazy Canucks signed up for about 6 months ago. Running. Running. Running. Stay tuned for an article titled “How Hayley hit the wall”. I’m actually super excited about this as it’s a distance that seems unachieveable until you put the work in. I’m so excited to have the Canadian vibe around me on the Vancouver sea wall with faces in the crowd that I know and love. It’s my home away from home.
Cue day after Marathon and I’ll be in a van touring BC. Sweet. So many hot pools to visit and sit in. This will be a key recovery process I think. I should be quite scientific and track my magical return to walking normally as the week progresses. This likely won’t happen as I’m sure I’ll be reacquainting myself with Malbec wine and my love of drinking at altitude. Gorgeous scenery and great company from a mate’s van as we step out of life proper for a week. Excellent recovery program!
This brings me to Calgary. Calgary will be where I stay with my friends Meredith, M-J, Terri, and Sarah for periods of time and catch up on life. I’ll also be planning and participating in a Hens/Stagette weekend that excites me greatly. There will be a short jaunt to Rossland to visit more peeps and somewhere in there I need to learn conversational Spanish. Sure thing, I’ll make it my day job as the only other things I’ll be doing are:
- Cuddling new babies
- Cat sitting (only one, Jacob, he’s a special cat friend)
- Making Sarah delicious Muai Tai training treats
- Harassing Calgary based psychologists and counsellors to go out for coffee so I can pick their brains.
Oh, plus Lisa (hot blonde from Oz) will be in attendance for a week and we will be crusing around the lakes in a truck. That’s how Alberta rolls. Woot!
Next! Peru/Bolivia 7 week combo. Couch surfing with new friends (already made courtesy of the internet) and then trekking/touring/adventuring prior to yoga starting in June. Yoga peeps already want to get a plan together for adventures after we are done, I think I’ll have some life long friends after 20 days in the mountains with this crew.
After seeing the heights of the Andes I’ll be returning to Calgary for Terri and Drew’s wedding in August. Kicking our heels up cowboy style is the theme I am very humbled to be a part of the wedding party! Yay! I did threaten Terri and Drew with an awkward dinner where I would wear purple and make a speech to a room of strangers after taking them out for dinner one night. This seems much more formal and less weird for curious bypassers. Much love to be celebrated in the world!
Post wedding there area few tentative plans…. Part of me wishes to remain open to where the wind takes me, what the world offers up and who I run into along the way. I have permission to play in the world until October 2015. I will be embracing it with all my might!
May the nerves ramp up and the packing continue.
Until next time, Happy Wandering!
Hx
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