Life Around...The World?

'Home is an invention on which no one has yet improved' 

- Ann Douglas 

The Netherlands vs The World

About a month ago I decided to go 'home', to The Netherlands, where my parents live. I am not entirely sure if this is my main 'home' as I have had many places that I called this over the last years. Also Austria is home and Berlin and I even sometimes consider New Zealand as my home. But basically: For me 'Home' is where my teddybear and my pillow are. These two items are, at the moment, located in my bed in Hulst so I guess The Netherlands is 'Home' for now. 

In order to understand this post better I will have to give you some background information. Hulst is the city I was born and went to school till the age of 15, after that I decided to change and finish my high school in Terneuzen (a city 20 km away from Hulst). After my graduation I lived around many places in The Netherlands and Belgium but moved to Austria about 6/7 years ago. As you can imagine I left many people behind, friends and colleagues, and learned to be a World Citizen. The longest period of time I have spend in Hulst, over the last years, has been about 10 days. I guess you can imagine what a change it is, being here now for 1 month and staying for another 2 months. I went from a World Citizen back to an 'Abandoned by Young People City' Citizen.

Back to the 'Normal' World

Being back in the city I was born in is interesting. Let's say; I enjoy the conversations with my parents and the temporary work in doing next to Bacon and Eggs Tours. Apart from that; Being back here made my think about my life more than ever. And the thought are, sometimes, shocking and there have been many moments I thought: Kim, seriously, what did you do with your life!

Being here confronts me with the people that stayed here, with their marriages, their children, their relationships, their homes and houses... It confronts me everyday with all the things I do not have and makes me wonder if I did the right thing. There has never been a stronger moment in my life than now where I can't help but wonder: Is my life how I really want it? 

Yes, I do not want to swap my life with any of my former class mates that have all the security of a  family, home and job. I admire them for being able to cope with it, to take care of their relationships and all the things that come along with it but I, no, Im not ready for that. I might not be made for that, at least.... not now.

An Alternative Lifestyle

I have chosen, myself, all the paths I went over the last couple of years. Of course I sometimes  wish I had it done a different way but I am happy with all the things I did, the choices I made because they made me into the person I am today. I might have chosen an alternative route, an adventurous route, a challenging route which sometimes worries me. But I absolutely love my life at the moment!

Bacon and Eggs Tours

Bacon and Eggs Tours represents everything I am. A relaxed company, made out of love for Travelling and New Zealand, made for all those people who want to learn about this countries culture and nature and are, just like me, a little adventurous. Having your own company is for sure not easy and I experience that everyday. It worries me, stresses me and gives me sleepless nights BUT it also makes me laugh, makes me happy and very proud of myself for getting through even if when it gets tough. Being back in Hulst, back 'Home' makes me fight more for my company and my lifestyle and every time I have to listen to the question marks about my life from the people around me it makes me want to fight more, and never, really never, wanting to give up the awesome and amazing life I have. It might not be a secure way but it for sure is an awesome and adventurous way! 

Never give up your dreams, they might be 'weird' to the world around you but they are your dreams. Admire them & never let them down!   

Travel Mate or Horror Companion

'It's easier to find a travelling companion than to get rid of one'

- Art Buchwald

Two might be one to many: Backpacking & Travelling Companion

Im selfish, I want to do what I want to do, I want to see things I want to see and if I have the opportunity to travel alone, I will travel alone. This first sentence sounds like I am one of these socially awkward people, an 'Einzelgänger' and impossible travel companion. But nothing could be further from the truth. I enjoy both, I love both and like to combine both. During my stay in Thailand, about a year ago, I travelled alone around this country and it was wonderful. After a couple of months in New Zealand with travellers and backpackers around me 24/7 it was just delightful to be on my own, to enjoy the silence, the beauty of my surroundings and living my life and only my life. I did notice the easiness of meeting travel buddies, travel companions or travel mates which seems, in my opinion, way less complex than when you are travelling with somebody already. It's like you send out a scent, a sign for people to detect, the indication of solitary. And suddenly you are not alone anymore, your solitude is over..... you find a travel bud.

Travel Companions, Travel Buddies and Travel Mates: Online and Offline

As I said before, I have the feeling that solo travellers send out a message to fellow travellers and suddenly contacts are way easier made than at home, than in every - day life. It might be the fact that all these people do the same thing, are in the same boat and therefore become 'friends', travel friends. For me this is a well known phenomenon as I have seen this happen many times before, but for many 'beginning' travellers and backpackers it is a nightmare to even consider travelling alone. It is therefore good to know we have something called the internet, a connecting people network where 'soon-to-become' travellers can find other backpackers and arrange trips and meet-ups months or weeks before departure. As I am searching for travellers that want to join my three exclusive and affordable bus tours in New Zealand I have found some good websites although one website developed itself as my favourite.

Find a Travel Companion: Find My Travel Mate

For me it was sad to see that many websites ask money for contacting fellow travellers. The sign up is for free, the searching as well but as soon as you find the perfect person to travel with these websites poor rain on your parade. Good to know that there is one website My Travel Mate that does not do this. This start-up makes it possible for you to create your trip, with all details included, and promote this trip on the My Travel Mate website. As I am searching for some 'travel buddies' I signed up, created a trip, added some pictures and tried out if this could work. And yes, it does. I am not one of these people that goes around to promote other websites, except my own, but My Travel Mate is something that makes me happy in a virtual world, with 100000 travel buddies websites and forums make it impossible for me to find one that has it all. My Travel Mate does this and therefore I would like to thank this website for making my life easier. And of course I recommend this platform to every traveller who wants to meet people, its easy, its fast and even better.... for free!!! 

Are you looking for somebody to travel with? Go Bacon and Eggs Tours for New Zealand and check My Travel Mate in any other case ;)