01/2/2024
It’s my first day taking the train to work. I woke up at 4:00 this morning to catch the 4:40am ride. It’s over an hour commute taking public transportation, while it’s only 24 minutes if I just drive my car. It’s not my first choice, but I have an eco pass through work that allows me to save money on gas.
I canceled my membership at the public gym, and I instead use my community one where I live. It doesn’t have all of the equipment I’d prefer to have, but it provides me with just enough to continue staying strong and healthy.
Since I work at a restaurant, I’m taking advantage of having access to free food and spending little to none on groceries. I have plenty to survive on for the next six weeks of me living in the States.
On February 20th, I’ll be getting on a plane, and then three planes after that, to make it all the way across the world to Perth, Australia. I’ll be traveling for almost thirty hours, and will land with major jet lag as there is a fifteen hour time difference.
This all still feels surreal, but I just keep showing up to work as I impatiently wait for my leave date to arrive.
When this idea arose about a year ago, I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into, how much preparation and time it would take, or how intensely my patience would be tested.. But here we are. It’s about a year later, and in six weeks, my life will be forever changed and impacted by the following six months after that.
February through August of 2024, I will be spending my time exploring the ins and outs of the Western side of the world, including Australia, New Zealand, and SouthEast Asia.
I will begin my trip with just myself, my passport, and a crammed backpack. I can’t say I know how to pack for six months with only a 40L bag; but my packing list so far includes my journal, two books, a camera, water bottle, toiletries, three to four pairs of shoes, about ten outfits, and a rain jacket. I expect some will be tossed out as I bring stuff in amongst my travels.
As I slowly and impatiently approach my leave date, minutes feel like hours and hours feel like days. Life feels boring and uneventful at the moment, and it will continue to stay that way until 5:00pm on the 20th, because there’s money to be saved and work to be done.
I was unaware of the sacrifices, time, and extreme preparation a dream this big would actually take to make happen. Making this blossom into reality has been one of the most self induced challenging pursuits I’ve done. From switching to public transportation, limiting my necessities, and changing my financial habits; along with giving up any privileged pleasures that I once took for granted.
As bored as I feel in this moment, future Haley will be thanking me when she is sitting at a seaside cafe overlooking the Indian Ocean while sipping a latte; all because I chose not to go get daily coffees at Starbucks, spend weekends at bars, and I worked the extra hours. Life became so minimalistic, that I feel I am simply existing right now, to embrace a whole lot of living very soon.
All in all, if you embrace being uncomfortable, the adventures and lessons that life brings will be like no other.
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