Hello from the other side (of the world)

(I hope you heard Adele when you read that.)

Greetings from mid-pandemic New Zealand, and welcome to my debut blog post.

I am very glad you are here.

This won’t be a long ordeal, just a quick introduction, and a note on what is to come. So bear with me.

This debut blog comes to you in lockdown, literally on the other side of the world from home, at a time when everything is very strange and unsettling. Global optimism seems pretty low. Pyjamas are now an acceptable form of daywear (am I right?). Hugging feels illegal. Flour is a hot commodity, and people have very clean hands. As I said – strange times.

However, uncertainty can bring out the best in us. Spirits may be low, but creativity seems to be at an all-time high. I don’t know about you, but I have never seen so many people making art (albeit of varying quality). People are coming out of the woodwork with hidden talents. Candle-making…basket-weaving…you name it. And many, many bread-making attempts.

Those of us who have lost our jobs because of this pandemic (myself included) suddenly have a lot of free time. Spare time can be the gateway to productivity, or it can be a drag.

From the ashes of unemployment, the phoenix can rise. In my eyes, there is no better time to write than now.

This blog may be born into a weird world, but I hope to look at it through a happier lens; with content that is honest, informative (particularly for when travel is again possible), and entertaining (it’s a mad world we live in). Most of it will revolve around travel and living abroad, because in my opinion, that is where the magic happens.

Truth is, being so far from home has never been harder than during this pandemic. The silver lining is that it has brought into acute focus the most important things. It has made everyone more grateful for past adventures, and the ease with which we could slip from place to place.

With this in mind, I hope my blog resonates in particular with others who have lived away from home, and those looking to make the move in more positive, future times. And whoever else wants to join the party.

Until next time – stay jolly,