My conversations with wiser owls made me realise that quitting our jobs and breaking free from the bubble of comfort was the right thing if new adventures, different cultures and a ripened outlook on life are being offered. I admit I was a little hasty booking flights to Nepal when 2 weeks after, an earthquake devastated villages, shaking fragile beauty into rubble. With initial thoughts that this may change our plans, I realised that the Nepalese people may need our support more than ever. Backing out, refunding our ticket, and choosing a different first destination did not sit comfortably with me and I know we would feel proud by getting involved at the local level. Instead, we reconnected with trekking agents, friends of friends based in Nepal, volunteering services and Nepalese schools to gain an insight into their circumstances and to find out whether there was an opportunity to help. In the meantime, new backpacks were on our minds. We visited outdoor stores to try some on and pretend to be real-life travellers walking around in the jungle of the shop, and when they arrived in the post, we took them for walks around the house: we were ready for adventure.

posted by Lindsay