I’ve never been very good at staying in one place for verylong.

Whether that be a house, a job, a city, a country. I’malways getting itchy feet and looking for the next place I want to work, visit,relocate to. I’m ever so grateful for the power of freedom and being able tojust make a decision and go with it.

I’ve always loved to travel. Anyone that knows me can vouchfor it. There’s nothing that excites me more than being exposed to new places,people and cultures and it amazes me every day that we’re able to hop on aplane and hop off onto the complete other end of the world.

Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life”

Michael Palin

I am very lucky to have been given the opportunity to liveand work in several different countries and that period was easily on of thehappiest times of my life. It was something different, you know; differentcurrency, different food, different ways of life, different climates. I drankbeer in Belgium, visited the real Christmas markets in Germany, I visited thetulip markets in Holland and even got a (regrettable) tattoo after a few toomany tequilas. It was brilliant!

But sooner or later I reached an age where I felt I neededto step into ‘adulthood’ and work on cultivating a career and ‘home’ life. Iknew that making such a decision was going to severely limit my travelling waysas not only would I be forced to only have 28 days holiday a year, but I’d alsohave less money due to the extortionate price of bills in Britain.

In all honesty, it’s not a decision I regret as I’ve got ajob I love, I’ve been able to actually own a car and a phone contract (silly,little things I know!) and I can actually afford to treat myself to a lavishholiday every now and then. I still get to travel, just not as much as I’dlike. My life here is good so please do not think I am complaining.

There’s just a part of me that’s always nagging away at theback of my mind for it’s next adventure. I’m constantly googling flights and lastminute trips away in my spare time – SkyScanner is my most visited app! And I knowthat it’s not the places I miss, butthe journey.

I’ll sit at my desk at work and I’ll stare at the screen,study my ‘bored’ colleagues and try and justify why I should blow my nextpaycheck on a plane ticket. Money will always return, adventure will not – thatkind of stuff. Why should I have to slog away for 40+ hours a week just to payfor a house I barely spend any time in because I’m always at the bloodyoffice?!

It’s like having a devil and an angel on each shoulder: thedevil wants me to give in to my desires and jump on the next plane out of here,whilst the angel is there reminding me that I’ve got bills to pay and work todo. The angel usually always wins and manages to persuade me that I should saveup and then go; pay my bills and then go; settle down and travel when you’reretired.

I believe that wanderlust is a real thing and once you’vegot the bug for seeing the world, you’re never going to get rid of it. Once you’veseen how other cultures and countries live, you’ll have this constant ache tolearn and find out more.

There are so many people in this world who will never havethe luxury of being able to step foot on a plane, will never be able to walkthrough Venice’s tiny cobbled streets, or along Sydney’s beaches. You need torealise just how fortunate you are; you never know what’s around the corner.And I can tell you now that travelling is 100% worth it. It’s not something you’llever regret.

I believe that some people are lucky enough to have beenborn in the place that they belong where-as others will have to go out thereand find it. If you’re the latter and have the means to go out and travel, I urgeyou to.

And for the rest of us recovering travelholics, rememberthat balance is the key to all things in life. If you’re not happy with whereyou’re living, you have the ability to change it. And if you can’t, then maybeyou just need to book a few more trips away to satisfy your cravings. On thatnote, I’ve just booked a weekend break to my favourite city in Europe next week….Tot ziens!