My loved ones, for the majority time I will be by myself. So I’ve been alone before during my university years but this is the first significant alone time I’ve had traveling in a more isolated manner. I expect it to be a challenging and learning experience. I’ll be able to stay in touch with a few via this blog and my iPad but I expect my contact to be distant.

I am leaving behind a good deal of travel privilege that I’ve earned over the years, I will be in shared hosted accommodation, I will be staying in hostels. Yes, I have a way to escape if I have to but I’m trying to push my boundaries.

I am leaving behind work. The first thing that I’m leaving behind is my cellphone. For 20 years I have had a company provided mobile. It is a link to work, it has got me out of bed at 2am, given me a way to reply to emails on planes, buses, in other countries. If I take it I will just be taking my work with me.

My laptop, it’s a major part of my work experience but also how I manage bills, investments and another 101 online things. It will be my first trip without a laptop in 20 years. Once when I left it home I had it overnighted to me! It’s pretty much a requirement for work.

My cats. So a few months ago, I had a pet free house. Having become cat allergy free I now have 2 little fuzzy feline friends. Traveller (with the big eyes) and Ash. Every morning when I am at home I am met by purrs – “Where have you been?” “Let me rub myself all over you”. It’s amazing how lovely this is. Ash loves to be picked up and just starts purring.