In short, 2019 has been a simple & happy year. It has been a transformative year too and at this point, I’m just starting to perceive the changes it has brought and is still bringing.
I do look forward to this new decade and all the new adventures to come!
I hope you do too and cheers to a new decade!!
A 2019 personal overview
I was feeling slightly more optimistic than the year before, when I wrote my 2018 review / 2019 plan and thankfully, 2019 turned out to be a much better year than 2018! 🙏 Read: nothing bad happened to my dad! 🙏🙏
Now, it doesn’t mean I met any of my ‘goals’ but I don’t mind too much…
Let’s see…
On RTatW, I published 40 articles, this year. All in all, it’s not that bad. Almost 1 per week. It is less than what I used to publish, but then again my articles are now much longer than what I used to do. They take obviously a lot more time to write.
I also published 16 articles on my other site. So, considering the length of my articles overall, I’ve pretty much written a book this past year!
Yes, I have another site, which I have mentioned just on rare occasions before. The reason is that I try to focus on my travel here and I try to solely pour my heart there. Well, truthfully, it doesn’t always work! I do pour my heart here as well, in my Indian series and in my updates like this one! I’m a heart pourer it seems! I should admit it! 😂
Also as I had mentioned in my 2018 review / 2019 plan, in 2019 I decided to do a depth year. A concept I had just discovered and that resonated deeply with me. In short, I stayed focused on a limited number of projects and this approach actually brought major shifts, into my whole life. It’s been mind blowing.
In addition, in 2019, I had decided to not buy any clothes for a year! Yep, I did a no buy challenge!! This also changed a lot of things for me…
All in all, I feel like 2019 was a transformative year for me. The fondation of a new life to come. I do know there will be more struggles in the future, but with this decade just starting, I feel more prepared to face those.
One big achievement: a new map!!
Hey, I managed to publish one map for a road trip in Sweden! One year, one map! That’s a slow process! 😭
It’s a pretty cool itinerary, you should check it out! And I think it’s a very pretty map! As usual, it’s free to download as a high definition pdf, so don’t hesitate.
What lies ahead?
Hum… I don’t want to jinx it but I’m cautiously optimistic 2 things will happen…
A big trip for this year!
Last year, I couldn’t bring myself to plan anything substantial. The bitterness of the previous year’s failure was still too intense. This year is different and I am planning a huge trip!
I think I’ll be sharing my trip itinerary plans ahead of the actual trip because I’ve already started the map! Also, because of certain aspects of the trip, parts have to be planned in advance and can not be changed once set.
You know I like the freedom of road trips, and the ability it provides to just change plans, but this trip has to be a little different on that front.
My Indian will be fully restored before Summer
There are now something like 20 articles on my Indian restoration so I suppose you know what I’m talking about?!
In case you don’t, I’ll explain one more time: My dad & I are restoring the vintage motorcycle he bought when he was young. It’s an Indian Scout 741 from 1941, and is now getting pampered!
At first, I felt a little bad talking about it here, but then I thought that if others talk about their van restoration and fitting, I can talk about the bike that I will hopefully use, for some of my road trips!
It is now realistic to think that it will be ready by Spring this year, or at the very least by the Summer.
So the only option I will have is to go on an actual trip with it, right?! 😄 Scary!
So scary actually!
I’m not a motorcyclist. I’ve only rode one, a couple times. When I wrote that I was freaking out about the status of the restoration, I actually pin pointed last at what I was really freaking out about. It took me a while to realized the scariest part of this whole crazy project, wasn’t the restoration, but what would come next.
When I wrote that “The Indian doesn’t fit in my current world. It doesn’t even fit in my garage.” I wasn’t kidding, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around what lies ahead.
Honestly I don’t know. You can be sure I’ll let you know when I do!
For now, I’m just thankful I get to do something like this with my dad and will continue to enjoy the process for a little while longer…
Making no promises
Well this update is really short compare to what I used to write!
It is mostly because I feel like I shouldn’t make promises that I can’t keep. I have in the past planned so much, too much and not delivering. Now I’m just going with the flow!
I’ve been going with the flow for a while now!
It is also because I don’t want to sacrifice anything. Not my sanity 😉 but most importantly not quality.
It took me days to finalise this piece on the Convent of Christ in Tomar, Portugal. There was so much research involved, so many pictures to sort through… And you know what? It’s ok!
Somehow, I feel that I’m doing better and better in terms of content. OK self congratulation here! 😉 No, but seriously, I’ve improved. At least I think I have!
My articles includes a lot of information that you wouldn’t usually or easily find. Yes, I do cover the basics as well, but I do add a lot more depth and background. And depth takes time, and now I’m finally ok with this!
So I’m not making promises of quantity, but I am making promises, at least to myself, to continue to seek quality or at least further progress on that front!
To a great New year!
I wish you a great New Year! A new year filled with adventures, crazy projects, amazing dreams and steps forwards and most importantly lots of love & laughter!
If there is anything you would want to see on RTatW, if you have recommendations or else, do send me an email at MissCocoTravel @ gmail . com
Cheers to our best life, no matter what it throws at us!
PS: A little service announcement
This year, I received a couple emails from people providing ghost writing services. I kind of feel honored and weird at the same time about those.
Now let’s make things clear:
Road Trips around the World is 100% me! And will remain that way. My pictures, my drawings, my words…
Good or bad! It’s my little corner of the web.
Thanks you for considering ghost writing for me… I guess?! But I won’t accept any offers.
