No I am not orange, or a throw back from a 70's childrens tv programme. I know it's tacky but the zipster has travelled around the world with me for years...it's hard to break the habit and has now become a ritual of sorts. Hi how are you? My name is Sonia and I'm from the UK. From an early age I have always been interested in travel and whilst most of my friends used their spare money to buy clothes, shoes and going out on Friday and Saturday nights - I spent my cash on holidays to exotic and distant lands. I was also quite lucky on the work front and was allowed to take off a month at a time. During my travels I met many interesting people, and I have alway been green with envy at those taking a year off to travel. Well now at the grand old age of 36 I have finally managed to pluck up the courage to jack in my job, sell my house, say goodbye to my friends and family and leave for an adventure of epic proportions. Michael Palin eat your heart out!.........Firstly I am starting my adventure on the 21st May 2008 with a little 40 week trip from Alaska to Rio. I then plan to go on to Nepal, Tibet, China & Japan. Followed by adventures in Oz and Africa - All in all I hope to be away for at least a couple of years.
To be honest giving it all up wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Where as a lot of my friends my age are settling down and having children - this has never appealled to me.....in fact I have always run kicking and screaming from any type of 'normality'. I often look at these people and wonder why they are happy in their small and compact lives. There is a quote that I like.....'the more you travel, the bigger the world seems'. I cannot remember who said it, but it has always stuck with me....
I have no idea whether this trip will answer all those questions I have burning inside me or whether it will make me a better person inside....but at least I will have a darn good time finding out! ;-)

---

---