“I always wonder why birds choose to stay in the same place when they can fly anywhere on the earth, then I ask myself the same question.” — Harun Yahya

If I could, I would hop on a plane right now and see the world; but reality is banging [my head] on my door and I don’t want to answer to it. The truth is, the only thing stopping me, is me. It shouldn’t matter what society expects me to do because I am the creator of my own reality.

Somewhere along the way I started a mental checklist. Go to university: check. Finish degree: check. Get full-time work that makes three years at university seem worthwhile: working on it. Move out and buy a car: would if I could.

In-between ‘finish degree’ and ‘find job that doesn’t involve scanning items’, I managed to desperately squeeze in ‘travel while young’. I did this (to a degree) and while it was an amazing, eye-opening experience that only lasted a month, it was both a blessing and a burden. I unfortunately now know what’s out there beyond the great southern land. There is an entire world waiting to be explored, by me.

Nothing compares to lying next to the river in Rome, buying fresh croissants in France or standing on top of the world in Switzerland on a perfect day. Seeing historic sites that you don’t have to be a history buff to appreciate, embracing cultural differences and celebrating the fact that planes exist. But, I’m home now and left to wonder, “what next?”.

Reality. Anything could happen tomorrow. Too many are denied the privilege to grow up and experience everything that life has to offer. Therefore, shouldn’t I hop on that plane and do it now? Because the time is now and now is all we have.

All I know is that I want to travel and the harsh reality is you’ve got to earn it. But the experience, it’s priceless. Checkmate. Travel is the only thing you put money into that makes you richer. My new checklist is going to be a bucket list. Number one: travel as far as I can, as much as I can. Mum, I’m going to be rich.