Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here

Life Recently: Remembering Why We Are Here

Confession: I am really struggling to write this blog post. I have struggled with every post that I have begun writing in the past fortnight.

Every touch of a key is like completing a press-up. And I hate working out, Taran will tell you that.

In the past few weeks I have struggled to focus my time, my brain and my energy into anything other than working and saving, and the subsequent relaxing before and after.

I guess its like a throwback to my life of a few years ago, where it was all work, very little play and a lot of decompressing. There was little room for creativity or the mental capacity to express myself.

I lamented my frustration to a friend the other day, of how something I love as much as this blog has suddenly become an albatross around my neck. He very wisely responded with 'You can't really maintain a travel blog when you are not actually travelling', and he's right.

You don't feel like sharing the duller moments.

When you travel you have lots of free time, much of it filled with fun, excitement and relaxation. You cannot wait to share photos and stories, and we especially love doing so here on the blog and on our YouTube channel.

When you stop travelling to earn the money you need to travel some more, you undoubtedly lose momentum in general, let alone in the maintenance of a travel blog.

The sad thing is however, a life where you work more than you play is the reality for the vast majority of people I know. One day that may be my reality too. And in fact, its a reality I embrace the prospect of when I imagine doing a job I love or building on the next phase of my life.

But I still wonder, what will happen then, to my fundamental need to express, create, write and tell stories?

Will it fall by the way-side, taking my mood with it, like it has in recent weeks?

Will I sit wondering why I feel so flat, low and am endlessly seeking distraction, all the while knowing deep down, that it's because my hearts true creative desires are being quashed?

Having this conversation with you all takes me back to this post, where someone else so acutely and keenly summarized my feelings and I expanded on the point around not letting your job or need to work define you or how your life transpires.

But I made the big life change, I quit the job and left home, travelled some, and soon learned that I had chosen an exceedingly expensive country to spend 2 years in and so would spend much of that time working to support the lifestyle...

Caring a little bit less

As people we constantly chase time. We are acutely aware of each passing hour of each passing day because we always have to be somewhere, or complete some timely task. We live and die by the clock.

But just once and a while we need to care a little less about the things which seem so big and important, and stop perceiving them as so set in stone that we lose all sight of our inner truth.

I need to do this. I need to do it now, I need to do it in the future, when I have to stop and work again to support the travelling I so dream of doing.

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I need to accept that there is no true relaxation, without hard work first. There is no freedom and abandonment of convention without adhering to it for a while first too.

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I need to sweat the small stuff less, remember the bigger picture, and see myself as being in control, not beholden to some horrible boss or hectic schedule, because these things do not have to be forever, not for me, or you.

Am I saying that I'm unhappy?

No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying that I have itchy feet.

I never stop feeling the wanderlust even when the comfort of building a temporary home feels like a welcome respite from the constant movement.

I might feel relief at a steady income and a sense of financial security, but it isn't the feeling I chase, merely one I enjoy all the while knowing that I cannot wait to use those hard-earned wages to create more memories.

I need to always remember why we are here. We all need to remember why it is that we get out of bed each morning.

We have to place the pursuits and the people that bring us joy at the centre of the free time we do have.

We have to practise self-care before we practise chastisement, for feeling as if we aren't giving 110% to every facet of our complex lives.

We must try and grasp at our passions like balloons threatening to fly away forever, because whilst it feels hard, like a press-up for instance, it is the only thing that matters.

No matter if you're job demands the best of you, it isn't the best part of you and it doesn't mean more than your hopes, dreams or instinctive psychological needs.

I remember why we came here.

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I know why when I look up at the green palms blowing against the backdrop of a pure aqua sky.

I know why when I laugh at something somebody has said, a somebody I never would have met if I never came here.

I know why when I realize that I might be a little bit lost, and in the mindset of searching, but where there's exploration and curiosity, there's always possibility.

Here's an insight into what we've been up to recently:

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Thanks for reading!

Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!

Be social and come follow us across the virtual world!

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The far from perfect life of a working traveller [Fraser Update]

The far from perfect life of a working traveller - Fraser Update

A month or so ago, when we applied for jobs here on Fraser Island, we didn't know what to expect, but we hoped for a nice team, opportunities to see all that Fraser Island had to offer, and to save up for future travels. So far we haven't seen beyond our own slice of beach and we've been working on our days off...

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Chilling round the fire with our fellow islanders.

Truth: jobs when you travel can be just as stressful and frustrating as normal jobs! Shock horror....

Don't get me wrong, if it was terrible here, if we weren't living on a beautiful island, with the promise of experiencing it somewhere on the horizon, we would have left by now. We hope to see much more of it, maybe even coming back and renting a 4x4.

But the problem is we've come into new jobs right at the start of the peak holiday season in Australia. We've been learning the ropes of a new job, new team, and also witnessed one person start and last a grand total of 2 days before they were sent packing... The boss doesn't suffer fools or people with attitude.

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The crazy big 'Bull Ant'

So we have been plodding along, keeping our heads down, working hard and trying to quell the pangs of cabin fever that are inevitable when you work 10 days straight without a break. We aren't the only people here who are working hard. The team are great and can all appreciate how stretched it is right now. But it should all improve once new staff arrive, as they are expected to in coming days.

This isn't the kind of blog post I thought I would end up writing whilst in Australia. But unfortunately jobs can suck no matter where you are in the world!

Life can suck even if its playing out on a sandy beach beneath endless blue skies in temperatures of 25 and above. Or maybe just up from a beautiful beach in a busy resort where you are on your feet without stopping for much of the day.

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The awesome night sky out here!!

But what keeps us from giving up and giving in is that we know it isn't forever. Most things are tolerable if they are temporary. In fact it's a beauty of travel that no jobs last for too long. You never have to stay in a filthy cockroach ridden hostel for weeks on end, nor do you have to live in a two man tent for more than a month if you don't want to. We did both those things and came out fine.

Even this being the most testing and tiring episode of our travels will one day just be a memory, an experience that will we inevitably take some positives away from. 

And that is the thought we just have to carry with us when we wake up and put on our uniforms! We are employed, earning, saving and are probably the envy of some backpackers, who are scraping by on their last dollars and willing to do anything.

You just have to take it day by day, whilst also remembering why you are doing what you are doing.

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Thanks for reading!

Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!

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Living And Working on The World's Largest Sand Island! [Fraser Life]

Living And Working on The World's Largest Sand Island! - Fraser Life

Just 2 weeks ago we got some awesome news, we had secured paid work on Fraser Island! Now we sit here a few days in, having seen our first Dingo, amazing night skies and having hanged with a sleepy python.

We only got here last week and yet we continue our record of managing to see all the famous Australian animals some people manage to evade the entirety of their time here.

Back to where this all began...

Having accepted this hard-fought for job opportunity, we would be leaving our farm-life and pretty much beginning new work right away. It was a whirlwind of change, and it was a rushed goodbye. I would of happily stayed on the farm longer, in our lovely home. But another beautiful setting was beckoning us on.

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Arriving on the island via a tiny plane, it was a pretty amazing way to show us the vast sand island that sits adjacent to Rainbow Beach and Hervey Bay. A rickety 4x4 ride later and we found ourselves at our new home. Mixed feelings of apprehension and enthusiasm meant our first few work days were a bit intense. Lots of new things to learn as well as people. Hospitality is something fairly new to us both, although it suits us quite nicely.

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I work in the store (which is also a coffee shop, cafe and reception desk). It is the centre of the camp's operations, and it is a super well-stocked shop, so you are never ever short of work to do. Taran is in the yard, doing maintenance and cleaning across the site. We no longer see each other all day as we did on the farm, so its always lovely to return to our little two room tent each evening. No TV's or luxuries here, just our laptops to play games and write blog posts on. No internet either. Well its available, either at cost, or at the top of a sand-dune out the front. But when its not easily there on tap you use it more wisely. And you don't waste time scrolling through nothingness!

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Sharing our tent with a few ants and some spiders (which remain outside and are remaining alive to act as our fly-guard team) we live nearby the other workers caravans. It's a mostly British team, so I don't think we will ever feel lonely whilst we're here. I did have one moment not long after we started work, which bordered on panic. My brain was already working at full capacity trying to take in all my new surroundings and responsibilities, and suddenly, I found myself thinking 'I'm on an island. I'm trapped, I can't get off'. It sounds funny even to myself now, but at the time I was a bit overwhelmed.

Travelling has been all about changes, making transitions and starting over, and each new change has brought us new skills, knowledge and fun! Sometimes we've approached a new change with too much fear or too much excitement, neither emotion based in reality. You usually find something much different, sometimes worse, but mostly better.

Nothing has been a waste of time on our trip so far. Everything has been purposeful. Even the weeks on end where it seems like you are doing little to nothing, those weeks make the ones where you work yourself silly much more bearable.

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We hope to see all of this sandy paradise bit by bit over the next 3 months, all the while just enjoying our good fortune. Living on a remote farm to living on an island, we aren't doing this Australia thing in half-measures. And we've never been happier.

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Thanks for reading!

Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at NomaderHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!

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8 Realities of Farm Work [The good, the bad, the eight-legged]

8 Realities of Farm Work - The good, the bad, the eight-legged

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It's one of the few ways you can obtain a 2nd year visa in Australia, and for some, it is a bit of a scary prospect. It can be a completely alien environment for many, especially those not used to outdoor work or Australia's heat. But now, nearly at the end of our 88 days, we are no longer scared of it, or apprehensive about what's involved.

So do you fancy living and working on a farm in rural Australia? Well here's some useful stuff we've found out along the way....

Weather

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It will be hot, and you will pray for cloud cover when your out in the fields. But not the grey kind, cause rain means mud! Of course the crops need a nice shower now and again, and drout is a terrifying reality, but if it does rain, you will struggle to have anything to do. Although if your house relies on water in the water tank, rain will be a mixed blessing.  Basically you will experience the extremes, and you will celebrate the rain and the sunshine, as long as they come in balance!

Early Morning Starts

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Because of said hot weather, you do have to begin your work whilst it's not yet horrifically warm. At first waking up at 6am will seem beautiful, the farm is always a pretty site just after sun-rise. Maybe 5 days in, you will be thankful for even an extra hour in bed. But soon enough you get used to it. Your body clock adapts, and even at the weekends you want to get up early enough to make the best of the day. Plus sleep will be a warm blanket of beautifulness each night.

Cute Creatures

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Whether it's moths trying to invade your house at night, spiders trying to sneak in with your laundry, or frogs hopping on your veranda, you will share your farm life with a whole host of nature. There's also the cuter ones; the roo's, the wallabies and maybe a farm dog.

Crawling Critters

By the end of your time you will be less likely to want to squish each and every little bug that harasses you.  You will become a better more tolerant person for allowing these guys to share your house and your bedroom curtain.... Who am I kidding this spider dude was removed from the house, but not killed. I'm getting there!

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Sweat And Dust

Never will be a hot shower be so welcome as after a day where sweat and dust fuse to create an extra new layer of skin. But you will shed it and regain it by the end of the next day. Just embrace it. Revel in it. You will be clean again one day. Definitely bring a lot a bumper size of body wash and a nail brush.

Remote Living

We were quite lucky at our farm, as it's only a 40 minute drive from the nearest big town, and ten minutes from a small one. A lot of farms are much farther in-land, and this can lead to a bit of cabin-fever over time. Food shopping will be a bit different too; it might be weekly or even monthly. It just takes some getting used to and some well-though-out shopping lists.

The best way to push through the remoteness is to enjoy all the relaxation that can come with being in the middle of nowhere. Look after your home, enjoy it, walk around your farm and explore it. Sometimes you have some beautiful local gems, like our farm, that has a lagoon about a 20 minute drive away, as well as Fraser Island and other beaches an hour down the road.

If you aren't so lucky as to have lots of attractions nearby, use the time differently. Maybe read or learn a new language. Make time to truly rest. You may want to invest in a wifi dongle and some data though, staying connected to those you love will still be important, and will help you through the weeks or months.

Pump Those Muscles

It's part and parcel of farm-work, that there will be some lifting, throwing, chopping, digging and then there's the old vehicles with temperamental gear sticks. I hate to admit the amount of times I tense my right bicep to see how it's coming along. It's worrying, but so satisfying to see your body change and strengthen amidst the hard-work.

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Bum-Fluff And Grease Those Nipples

Yes these are actual farm terms, this post didn't take a weird turn. As you'd expect, your face, hair and clothes will inevitably get a good coating of dirt, but your hands too, these bad boys will be the hands of a mechanic by the end. Be prepared to work on the vehicles and tractors you use; before you know it your changing oils, and greasing nipples, which is as it sounds, applying gooey grease to certain parts of the machine to keep it all moving smoothly.

If you find yourself doing a tree-pruning job, remember to bend your knees when you bumfluff; the water-shoots or weeds around macadamia tree's will sometimes need you to hand-prune them, and so bumfluff, you must!

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We wouldn't swap any of the sweat, spiders, 6am starts or greasy hands for having been anywhere else the last 3 months. It's been a really awesome experience, made even better by living on the farm, getting to admire and enjoy the results of our labours from our veranda, with a cold cider

It's natural to be afraid of the unknown and to want to avoid the difficult, and farm-work isn't always easy. With positivity and a good attitude, you can get out as much as you put into your farm-work, and it will end up being a really memorable phase, where you at first adapt, and then thrive.

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Thanks for reading!

Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!

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