I thought it might be time for a long-overdue update, so let me take you back to April, when I last wrote in Colombia which feels like a lifetime ago, and how my life changed in a matter of hours to become a seafarer in the Mediterranean Sea.
The past
Why does no one talk about the emotions of post-travels? I’m not talking about the blues or the need to get away, but more about the lack of belonging when you go back to your home town and have lived different experiences and realities to those around you. Lacking a sense of belonging I feel like is common amongst travellers, enhancing the need for more, the need for satisfaction elsewhere.
When I returned from the trip of a lifetime, I was happy to see friends, but after 6 weeks of being home the mundane life started to wear on me. I felt unproductive, unmotivated and like my relationships became less meaningful. Only about 5 weeks into my return, when I got into a routine again I began to appreciate home, but that wasn’t where my heart was. I love my friends, family, pets, and road trips around England and the fields near my house, but I wasn’t fulfilled. The original plan was after being home for a few months to hitchhike onto a boat in Greece or Brazil, I realised my safety was more important than having a wild story to write about, so I followed the rules this time. I knew I needed a job where I kept busy, seeing beautiful places and doing what I love; travelling. And that’s how I ended up here.
The present
Right now I am writing my blog from the bow of a 50-metre yacht in the Mediterranean Sea. It took persistence, but I achieved my goal and I am eternally grateful for all that I have, and here’s how I did it. I left my job at a small hotel near my house, did all of the relevant yachting courses and moved to somewhere with a large harbour, I chose Palma in Mallorca after gaining advice from others in the industry. After applying for around 80 jobs online, I found nothing, so the following Monday I packed a small suitcase and prepared for my next adventure. I remember sitting in the car crying to my mum about my anxieties of the unknown, but one thing I do love about myself is my ability to challenge and push myself, in turn, surprising myself. Even in the airport, I was overwhelmed by the unknown, I headed to Mallorca, while the rest of the flight was filled with lads heading to Magaluf for a weekend bender, my only goal was to find a job, build a career and more importantly, a career I could enjoy.
The plan kept changing and developing which heightened my anxieties. First I was going to go to the South of France, then I found a job, then I decided to go to Spain, then I found work in Monaco, then I didn’t. I applied for around 70 jobs online and had one reply, I had to head to a dock and find out for myself. I knew as soon as I got to Spain I would not head home until I completed my goals, found work on a yacht and made money. Even if that meant working in a bar, nannying, or teaching online to make ends meet, I was getting on that yacht.
That Monday, I flew into the airport and caught a bus to a hostel I had booked that day. Little did I know that within that hostel reception I would find other yachts with the same dream as me. They proceeded to tell me that they had been in that hostel for months, with no luck finding work and that soon their visas would expire. This filled me with little hope but I wasn’t going to give up that easily. Thankfully for me, my stars were aligned that day, because after feeling slightly deflated, I headed to a nearby beach, planning to walk along the dock with my CV’s the following morning. As I emerged from the water I saw a missed call, I answered it, and I hopped on the super yacht at 9am the very next day as a stewardess. They had seen my CV prior and I was missing no opportunities, I was getting on that boat. And now I’m here. And life is beautiful.
I have now been on the boat for 9 days, although it feels closer to 9 months, I feel settled and at peace knowing that my hard work paid off and I’m where I need to be in my life. I have learnt a lot, laughed a lot, and been stressed a lot but it is all part of the experience. There are 8 other crew members on board and I love them all in their own crazy ways, but I don’t know what me and my South African best friend would do without each other. As the boat constantly has guests onboard we don’t get days off, but we take every opportunity to experience life on shore from the Spanish coastal towns to Saint Tropez in France, at least once a week we try and find time to sip an Aperol and wander around. We are blinded by the sight of everyone relaxing, knowing time doesn’t exist to them on their vacations, even seeing a dog and stroking it becomes a pleasure to us.
The future
All in all, I’m proud of myself and who I am continuing to become, and I am excited to further my career in yachting whether that be on deck driving tenders or sitting in the laundry room for hours on end, I am grateful to be here. My future travel plans consist of generating my top 6 destinations (which I will go into further detail about in another post), pressing go and seeing where the generator takes me. So once the yachting season is over I will head home for a month, travel some more, and then prepare for my next season on board!
(Also, as my challenge is to see 10 countries a year, I am on my 9th and it’s July! So challenge accepted and almost complete.)
Bevs Backpacking📍 
Another great read, welcome back….
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