I've been on the road for several months now but the truth is that this journey started a long time ago.
It might have started about 11 months ago when I knew that I was going to have to ask my boss for time off if I was going to travel, or perhaps even quit my job.
Maybe it started a few years ago when an acquaintance asked me if I didn't have to go to work, didn't have to worry about money and could do anything at all that my heart desired, what would I do?
It might have started when I was finishing secondary college and dreamt of travelling the world rather than going on to University.
Perhaps it started when I was a child with an urge to learn about different cultures and learn new languages. It might have been my fascination with the funny languages that people spoke on the trams when I visited Melbourne. It could have been seeing the beautiful imperial Chinese dragons weave their way through my hometown each Easter preceded by lion dancers, children adorned in colourful silk clothing and fire crackers. It may have started at markets where I would rummage through stores that sold the hippy fashions made popular by visitors to India in the 1960's.
It is hard to say when I first got the travel bug and the desire to experience Asia and all its differences. You could say that my whole life up to now has been leading me here to this moment, to these moments.
And while this is not my first time overseas or to Asia, although I have travelled thousands of kilometres, this journey is as much about the inner journey. Don't get me wrong, I'm not on a spiritual quest however I have had to overcome a lot of self defeating internal dialogue and find the courage to just do it. Just get up and go. No more excuses!
