… I quit my job. 4 more days sitting at my desk and then my entire life is about to be thrown upside down… in a good way. 4 weeks ago my partner and I booked a one way ticket to Istanbul, Turkey and have decided to get out of the small (and beautiful) nation’s capital and see the world. How long for and where we are going are questions we don’t have answers to but the excitement is through the roof.

On Friday I walked in to the office knowing that today was the day I would quit my job but for some reason those two short words “I quit” were the hardest words to muster the courage to say. Firstly I HATE confrontation. Sure having a loud personality in social situations or blogging about my life to the entire world might make me seem super confident but this was different. But why ? People quit their jobs all the time right and it isn’t like I am cheating on them, I am not even leaving for another job – I am leaving to travel. Still, I sat there white as a ghost my sweaty palms clutching at my resignation letter. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand then I chickened out. Ok Monday morning it is… I am not sure whether it was the fear of disappointing them, my ‘I don’t quit’ attitude or generally freaking out about change that I was scared of but after a brief phone call to mum I decided the only was to do it was fast “off like a Band-Aid” style. Monday morning rolled around and I walked over to the associate and asked if I could “see him” for a moment. We walked outside and I am not sure if it was the nervous look on my face or the white piece of paper shaking in my hand which gave it away but he knew. “you’re leaving?” he said. And about 3 minutes later it felt like a tonne of weight was lifted off my shoulders. I did it!! I quit my very first job and they were oh so wonderful to me.

Now what?

Sell everything I own, buy a bikini (or two… check!) and get a lonely planet guide and start planning. First up we booked a sail Croatia because apparently this is a MUST-DO for anyone going to Europe and it sells out months in advance. Website >> HERE. Although apparently in my super excited ‘bull in a china store’ state I booked the cheap youthful party cruise meaning we are going to be swamped by a dozen 18 year olds who can’t stand on their on two feet…. stay tuned!

Start rig building? Well unfortunately moving house last month to save money meant moving away from the gym and throwing my gym routine out of the window. Oh and then Fernwood whacked a whopping cancellation fee on me, despite my constant commitment over the last 2 years, so now I just resent them and refuse to show my face. Katie 0 – Fernwood 288… (dollars that is!)

Keep blogging? Well like it or not I am not going anywhere. I will still be writing about all the exciting things I do, see… and eat! And how to stay healthy and HAPPY whilst travelling and living out of a backpack. Snacks to have on hand, things to do on the plane, how to pack, what to read, amazing hikes, bike tours, sun smart tips etc etc! All the while exploring the great big world and chasing that European summer… and then the freezing cold winter! Here’s hoping for a White Christmas!

The first part of our journey begins next Monday morning when we pack up my trusty black Rav 4 and begin the 40 hour drive across Australia. Oh and did I mention it is my 25th birthday this Saturday!!! 5 days of car sing-alongs, M&Ms, endless deserted roads, beautiful coastlines and small country towns, podcasts (apparently this is all the rave?) and eye spy we will arrive in my home town of Perth. Welcome homes, farewells and birthday celebrations with my nearest and dearests that I have missed so much over the last 2 years will fill up the 17 days we have before we get on that big jet plane… and head to the other side of the world!

So goodbye to my desk job. My 9-5. My daily coffee, planner, outlook emails, meetings, lunchboxes, alarms and my corporate life (well I was never THAT corporate anyway but one can dream) and hello to the unknown. My explorer life. Call me Dora!

“The world is a book. For those who don’t travel read only one page.”