Wanderlust

I am pretty sure I spend a third of my life getting caught up in my own little world dreaming about travelling the globe. This post is a little more personal than my usual posts, but I thought it would be a good idea to get down into words my urge and desire to pack up and go travelling.

The sad thing is when I was in sixth form applying to Universities, I never even saw having a gap year as an option. Not because I was being forced to going to uni by my parent's, I just had never really thought about, I just knew I wanted to get far away and experience a completely new city with new people and a new buzz (I succeed when I moved over 200 miles away to the bright and vibrant city of MANCHESTER!). Even though I have spent the last three years making a new life and memories for myself, I have found myself constantly looking at travel websites and friends (and even friends of friends *stalker alert* C'mon we all do it!) photos of their adventures around Australia, Thailand and Vietnam to name a few.

In February (2013), I made the brave decision to travel to Paris alone in order to attend a placement interview and a fashion trade show. I got the interview myself, booked my train and hotel, printed my maps, made my itinerary list and hopped on the Eurostar. (This was the first time I had travelled out of the country to a new city alone, and Paris isn't the friendliest of places!). The whole experience was daunting and a little scary but it was one of the best decisions of my life. I managed to experience some of the best things Paris had to offer (Louvre, Colette & Laduree Macaroons!) and confirmed my desire to jump in at the deep end, and just see how it goes (obviously with an itenary!).

I never thought the whole; one girl, one backpack, 'finding yourself' thing would appeal to me. But I realised that travelling doesn't have to be as hippy,'gap yar' and stereotyped as it is made out. Now all I can think about is, when can I finally get things together and just go out there and really push myself to the max in order to experience some of the most amazing cultures and sights the world has to offer. I finish university this year (for good arrgghhhhh, someone give me a life plan PRONTO!) and I'm hoping I will be able to spend the summer earning money (and have a few little travels to Croatia, Amsterdam and Glastonbury with friends!) in order to finally stop day dreaming and start living out these dreams! Travelling to me means, making lots of memories, meeting life long friends, learning about other cultures, taking lots of pictures (especially physical polariods) and putting one's life into perspective. You only have one life, what not see what the whole world has to offer? Oh and who can forget, I can scratch off places on my world map!

So I am hoping 2014 will be the year I see what the world has to offer and if I am lucky, I can finally 'find myself' (hardy har).

Jade x