I was at a singles event the other day with two of my girlfriends, and while I was very much in two minds about going, I actually had a really fun afternoon. I met some interesting people and had some great conversations.

One of those conversations was about having a bucket list. I feel like I am always talking about my bucket list, but when pushed to say what is actually on it, the only thing that is absolutely there (and is non negotiable) is to travel to as many places as I can and to see and do as much as possible while I am there… and I think I’m doing a pretty good job!

I feel like I have been super lucky to be able to do as much as I have since Claytie died, but each trip that I have taken (and will take in future) has a huge element of bittersweet with it. We had such grand plans to travel all over the place together and we were just starting to be financially able to do that. He and I did a big trip in 2019 which I am so so grateful for. We went to Germany to see some of my family and were able to venture to places that I had not been to before – the castle that my Grandmother was born in was a massive highlight for me… I love having a connection like that to a part of history. We also went to Dubai and were amazed by the enormity of the place and the fabulous architecture there.

We were planning to do trips in Australia the following year and Italy the year after, but that all got kiboshed when Covid hit, the world shut down, and then Clayties death in July 2020.

For me the desire to see the world has become much stronger since then.. I think part of me feels like I have to do it for both of us, but it is also something of an escape. You can be anyone you want to be in places where no one knows you, and that can feel quite liberating in lots of ways. I often ask ‘new to my world’ people where their favourite places in the world and in Australia are, and I am collating quite a list of places to go. In the last 6 years I have managed to tick off a whole lot of places, and I feel really fortunate that I’ve been able to do it… and they have all been documented here in the blog – a fabulous reminder to me of all the things I have done!

Uluru with my parents and one of my sisters, Malaysia with a girlfriend who was scattering her husbands ashes, Tasmania with another girlfriend just because I had time off on my roster. Singapore, London, Paris, Scotland and Germany with a then partner, Vietnam (at very short notice) with another girlfriend, and then China this year. Next week three of us are heading to Perth for a couple of days which I am looking forward to, and two of us have just booked a two-week tour of Sri Lanka for next year!

I love going to new places and learning about them. I love meeting new people and understanding different cultures… and then there is the food!! I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone more times than I can count and I am really really proud of myself for a whole lot of the things I have done! If you had told me 6 years ago that this is what I would be doing I would not have believed it! … Now I just need the lotto fairies to come my way so I can tick off the rest of the ever-growing list of places I want to see!!