It's hard being a positive human 24/7
until someone does this.
Dear readers, Ola…
In less than 48 hours I’ll be doing something I love most.
I’ll be on a plane and flying to the other side of the world, and let’s face it, from Australia that’s not hard to do.
When I travel solo to foreign countries, the air smells different, the food is different, I pack my very Australian persona which is pretty laid backed but with equal amounts of healthy awareness of all things dangerous, poisonous and that might kill you attitude.
For those not aware I walk (hike) in the Australian bush and this pastime has a “season”, and between November and April it is not recommended due to fires and snakes -mostly. So it is with this seasoned experience I tackle solo foreign travelling.
I decided roughly 8 months ago to keep planning and implementing things I love to do. This time around I decided to complete Portugal and walk Lisbon to Sagres which is south along that magnificent Portuguese coastline. Why? Because last year I walked north from Lisbon to Santiago de Compostela along the coast and it was awe inspiring. It finally gave me the food confidence I needed, the kick up the bum as we say, to stop procrastinating and go do it, eat without my own kitchen that is.
Don’t get me wrong, Australia has some of the world’s most beautiful coastlines and beaches. What we dont have is albergues and village cafes set up to cater to hungry tired walkers like they do in Portugal and Spain and I suspect the rest of Europe.
Australia is simply too big.
It’s an enormous country taking 4 and a bit hours to fly from one side to the other, so no, I don’t know your cousin in Melbourne.
What’s all this got to do with being positive?
Well, there is a fair bit of preparation in a solo walk like this (it is 250kms in all weather conditions) not only from a physical point of view but also mental preparedness and yesterday, as I packed and repacked my back pack for the 20th time I started to have doubts.
I started to doubt my aching jaw, my early onset ORN (I am not talking myself into that - note to self) and whether my neck was going to hold up.
Alongside a whole stack of supplements my naturopath subscribed which I had to sort out into a light weight packing arrangement. Size and weight of things come down to the wire and well, here’s a photo of my home made “webster” pack.
I used the packing material and not the actual product I purchased, so is the importance of ‘weight’, these are my supplements every day for a month. We (my naturopath and I) are working on my blood and immune system, which is how I ended up with this damn cancer in the first place, so I am back the full circle and keeping on top of that.
I was having trouble with the new back pack and I was literally hours away from boarding the plane. I had to configure how to pack a 25 litre day pack into my 40 litre main pack plus all my clothes and toiletries.
Here’s what I do to work out the luggage carrying set up.
I run through the trip in my mind, everything from getting in a taxi, accessing money easily, passport. Carrying luggage and negotiating toilet cubicles solo with luggage.
Getting off flights and walking (often kms) in airports to find connecting flights.
Getting back into taxis speaking a foreign language to the driver - accessing reading glasses in dimly lit areas to find money you are not familiar with.
This all takes energy and focus. Keeping your wits about you after a 15 hour flight when you lose a day - that sort of focus. I do it, can do it and often whilst reading maps and directions in a foreign language. Are we having fun yet?
So back to the last pack and working out how to use my new back pack and keep my hands free (that was the main aim) it took 5 hours of packing and re packing and I was getting very anxious about it. I am packing for all weather, rain jacket, rain pants, puffer jacket, merino wool, gloves, sun hats, wool hats, layers, hiking poles, snacks (I can eat and swallow) plane items etc etc.
When all of a sudden I received a message from the US.
One of my readers on here was having Thanksgiving lunch or dinner I am not sure, but sent me a family photo and a note saying that they were thankful for me. You have no idea how that lifted my spirits, they went on to say that I had helped encourage their daughter food wise as we had shared a similar cancer diagnosis.
This year she had hosted Thanksgiving and even managed a little bit of food.
To the person who sent that & the person in question, if you are reading this, know this … ( I think you are awesome) but also, hosting that family gathering is the break through, like my food confidence experiment whilst hiking. Once you have done that, you build from there. Go you M, I was so pleased for you and it added some much needed positiveness into my day and the challenges I was facing.
I never know whether anyone reads this, or it helps, or if what I do in anyway shape or form helps others.
For those who have followed me for a while know that I am sharing more of my life and challenges now nearly 5 years out. This milestone seems to have its own challenges and associated outcomes.
So for now, I finish packing and lay my flight clothes out. You can follow the pretty bits on my IG (that’s public) and or facebook profile if you send a friend request.
Eat well.
Obrigada.
Safe travels! Enjoy 🥾