My boyfriend died last year in a hit and run scooter accident whilst travelling in Cambodia, he had always wanted to travel and was so excited for his trip. Did this stop me wanting to travel, would this be what he would want? – No way! He had a great perspective on life and influenced so many people’s lives, as he said to be before his trip ‘Not everything has to be black and white’. The week after the funeral I went on my own to Stockholm and Munich (the trip was already booked) and I got up each day…maybe not until the afternoon some days, but I did it, and I enjoyed it and I met many great people along the way (I also stayed in City Backpackers Hostel, Stockholm and Wombats Hostel, Munich after reading one of your blog posts and loved both, so thanks!).

I now have a one way flight booked to Mexico for the end of this year to travel down through South America with two of his good friends (which is somewhere he should have been travelling to this year after graduating), and then I will hopefully work a ski season afterwards. I’m finding it a little tricky myself in this time before travelling where I am saving to get the right balance between ‘I’m not going out, not drinking, I need to look after my health and get fit for my travels’ and ‘Life’s way too short, live every day as if it were your last, you still need to have fun and see your friends.’ The balance is slowly getting there I think, although I am not saving as much as I could be I am also making the most of my time whilst I am still close to my family and friends and living in London.

Everyone keeps asking if I am going to take a sabbatical from work and the answer is no, I’m not. There are too many places to see/things to do and so many more opportunities out there – why is it that the first thought that people get when you mention travel is your work/career and age? If I’ve learnt anything from this, it is that when you die, what will be more important to you? The career you had and mortgage you paid off, or all the memories of seeing the beautiful world and souls you met? Western society seems to have formed this bizarre way and standards of life which is considered ‘acceptable/sensible’, and in my eyes it just seems the most ridiculous ideology ever.

Bring on the travels!

And I totally understand about not being able to juggle everything. People aren’t kidding when you have to learn to sometimes say no to the next thing, even if it’s something you were planning yourself. I struggle with putting too much on my plate all the time. I’m just a stubborn ass and I like to feel like I accomplish a lot.

Hi Matt, I have lost my friend this year and I feel in a lot of ways like you , reading your post I could feel your pain because I fell the same way. I felt so inspired by my friend that sometimes I feel the urges of talking to her or I talk about her in present as if I will see her this week. I t is so weird to me that she is not here but she is. I also decided to follow ( activelly ) my dreams for me and for her. I came across your travel blog because the nothern lights are in my bucket list. I really wish you can acomplish all the items in your list I am working really hard in acomplishing my list for me and for her. All the best Matt

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Thanks for the kind words.

This post is so bittersweet. I was familiar with Scott’s work and used his Goal Setting workbooks frequently. I find so much courage in your words. Many times, as an outsider, it is hard to really grasp the kind of ‘downsides’ a person like you might experience. From an outsider’s perspective, you always get the idea that you are ‘living the dream’ — which you are, but it’s also humbling to hear you admit the struggles you encounter. Your courage to be open and vulnerable is admirable. I hope that you continue to inspire people to travel this beautiful world.