Hanging out with myself at the Gothic Cathedral in Barcelona

There are two reasons why I decided to start a blog despite feeling it’s a narcissistic venture.

The first one is I was in a fairly serious accident when I was eight years old and while I recovered physically from the injuries in a few weeks, the mental implications followed me for months afterward.  That summer my parents took us all to Disneyland and Knotts Berry Farm.  I freaked out on every ride including It’s a Small World, crying and panicking at the thought of getting into any moving vehicle.  At the end of the trip as we were driving back north, I remember thinking “Well you blew that, you’re still alive, what was the big deal?”  At that point I promised myself that if there was ever an opportunity to do something different, exciting, and out of my comfort level, I would do it.  Which is why all these years later if an adventure appears I’ll take it.  Fortunately the paralyzing fear has been replaced with only massive nerves and the inability to eat when I’m facing a new experience.  I can manage that and tell myself to keep moving forward because what’s to come is way better than being afraid of it.  And there are lots of people who wish they could do what I do but can’t because of time, money, commitments, or fear.  So I’ve also promised myself I’m going to live all these experiences for everyone who wants to but can’t.

The second is because living a regular life when I’m at home is a challenge.  It’s nothing like being in a place where you don’t know the language, the customs, the people, how to get hold of your money, or what those strange foods might taste like.  Day-to-day life at home can be tedious and dull because it’s routine and familiar.  My senses are on fire when I’m away but back here they exist in shades of grey.  So looking around me and trying to find the unusual and exciting in my everyday surroundings is a challenge that keeps me grateful for what I’ve got here.  I know that life is what you make it so if I’m bored here maybe it’s because I’m boring so I’m determined to find the things that make life great in my own backyard.

This is where I document my stories, my adventures, and my challenges for myself to remember why I do what I do, but also to give readers a view into the snapshots of life.  Feel free to leave your own mark on these pages if you enjoy the journey.

Alison