Getting into an early day rhythm goes naturally here, because I wake up by myself at three AM. I try to fall asleep again, but can’t, so I get up and do some work until eight. After breakfast I go outside and walk to a local coffee place to read a book. Their coffee isn’t really good though and after reading a few pages I decide to go somewhere else. Because it’s Sunday the busses don’t go that often and I try my chances with hitchhiking. A friendly guy stops and as we start talking he tells me that his brother is married to a Dutch girl. What a small world. He also tells me that there are quite a lot of Dutch people in this city. I wonder if I’ll meet some of them. Unfortunately he can’t drive me very far, but he drops me off at a bus stop where more busses depart from. Now it’s only a few minutes waiting before I can travel further.
A long walk in the city
It’s seven o’clock when the alarm wakes me up. It’s weekend, but I set the alarm, because I want to get into an early rhythm next week. This morning I wake up with a feeling of ‘What am I doing here?’. It’s been only a couple of days so far, but for a moment I miss the comfort of my own home and normal life. It’s interesting that when I’m home I often have the desire to travel, but when I’m on an adventure I can also long for normal life again. Fortunately a friend from Utrecht decides to call me right at this moment and we catch up on what’s new. Even though English is my second language, I do enjoy speaking Dutch from time to time.
Second day in Vancouver
When I wake up it’s about 2AM and I’ve slept only five hours. I’d like to sleep longer, but since I’m wide awake I decide I better start working, because it’s still daytime in the Netherlands. I make myself an espresso with the Nanopresso I got from my parents and enjoy some delicious coffee while I sit down at the small desk in my room. I’m glad I picked this Airbnb where I can also work comfortably.
Discovering Vancouver
It’s eight in the morning when I wake up. I’m glad to have slept for about eight hours straight, so I’ll have some energy for today. I call my parents to tell them about the journey. It’s nice that these days you can call from wherever you have internet just as easily as when you’re home. As usual the day starts with a workout and a shower. One of my friends got me really nice shower gel from Rituals for my birthday and it’s such a delight (thanks again Iris). Being rested and refreshed I get dressed and pack my bag to go into the city.
One day in Iceland
As usual I start the day with a short workout and a shower. It’s nice, they have a rain shower in this hotel, I love it. While waking up I think about what a great surprise this turned out to be. A free excursion to Iceland. At nine o’clock I have breakfast with my new travel friends. A Dutch man called Alfred and an American guy called Paxton who lived in my city for two years. While having breakfast together Paxton and I realise that we’ve actually briefly met once in the Starbucks where I usually work. The world is really a small place. As usual when I’m staying in a hotel I really enjoy the extensive breakfast.
The hardest part of traveling
I’m at Schiphol Airport only to discover that my flight is three hours four hours delayed. Fortunately I have my laptop with me, so I decide to just accept it and do some work. I’m thankful that I have work that I can do almost everywhere. I text my family and friends that the travel plans are delayed and contact Iceland air asking them what the plan is. They don’t know so much and can only tell me that I’ll find it out in Reykjavik when I arrive there. Either my connecting flight to Canada is also delayed and I can catch it or I have to get the next flight tomorrow which means I’ll have to stay a day in Iceland. I’m fine with both for now. There is not so much that I can do anyway. What’s more, the hardest part of the journey is already taken. Let’s go back a few days.
New adventures on the horizon
Next month I’m flying to Canada to live there for a couple of months. Even though that sounds exciting, there are also moments that I think by myself ‘What am I doing?’. I have to admit that it’s a bit scary to go to a different place in the world where you don’t really know anyone yet and have to figure everything out. Somehow living in one place seems more challenging than just traveling around, but that’s probably because I’ve never done it before.
Lessons on the journey of life
It’s challenging to maintain a travel blog when you’re not traveling continuously. Fortunately – how cheesy it may sound – I’m still on the journey of life and I can write about that as well. Today I want to write about the ups and downs of life and how I’m learning to deal with that.
I do my best to enjoy this journey of life as much as I can, but at the same time I’ve been struggling for years with depression, self-doubt and worries about the future. Not continuously, but from time to time there are dark days that are challenging to get through. As I read a lot and watch videos about it, I learn more and become better in dealing with it. Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned so far.
To buy a one way ticket
The other day I met a girl in the coffee store who had just bought a one way ticket to Africa. Her family lives there and she had decided to go back to them. A few days later I met someone else that had decided to buy a one way ticket to Australia and both got me thinking about the idea of buying a one way ticket.
Why you should buy souvenirs
You might think that souvenirs are a waste of money, but I think otherwise. It’s not that I always buy a lot of useless stuff every time I’m traveling, but I like to to buy something when I visit a special place. It’s nice to have a reminder of a good memory. Recently I discovered the importance of souvenirs again.
Since a couple of weeks I’m working two jobs.