As a day-dreamer and mindless thinker, it never takes long for my mind to wander.
I'm lying in my nan's partner's garden, looking up at this:
A massive fir tree brimming with pinecones and a sky flushed with wispy clouds. I could be anywhere. With the sun, the warmth, looking up into a neutral evening sky. I could be anywhere.
When I was younger, I always dreamed that I would travel. As I visioned my life as a warden on a nature reserve, I saw Khaled setting rhinos free in Africa.
In your childhood, the world is your mind's oyster. When you're older, it really does become what you make of it: free to explore, free to use, free to exploit. And so, as I grew up, I became afraid of losing those childhood dreams. My mind would take me anywhere in an instant, and I'd be there. In the middle of a jungle, on a beach, in the Serengeti. One minute in my room, the next abroad. I soon began to realise that if anything I dreamed of was going to happen, I would have to make it: I'd have to plan, find the money, book the time off work. Moreover, (my current fear) I would need to find a job that would give me the flexibility of travel.
Suddenly, talking to my nan, I had an overwhelming desire to travel. Tomorrow I take my flight home. And whilst I get through plates of food without a second thought, watch films with rapt attention, take toilet stops with only the thought that I'm wasting precious TV/ reading/ sudoku time and snooze freely without concern for my poor snoring, sleep talking and dribbling habits disturbing others, I will pass countless countries. One of which is India - my promised land.
I once heard someone remark that England is figuratively seen to many as 'the promised land'. Jobs, housing, good quality of life and a relatively safe environment put it streaks ahead of other war torn and developing areas of the world. It gives, as the nickname may suggest, a lot of hope and promise. The vision I see of India is different.
India had such a profound mental impact on my life. I developed my soul (I felt) and experienced something so vastly different. India is my promised land for the soul.
As a 12 year old, if I had to pick the places that I'd love to visit, India would have been one, simply because of the sheer size and population. It's like China: I pick it as a place I want to visit because it's big on the map. It stands out.
When I write my bucket list (and yes, I have to write it multiple times a year), travel comes up quite a lot. It usually reads:
No. 483 - live in Australia
No. 484 - visit China
No. 485 - visit Japan
There are so many more corners of the globe that I want to see not just the big, almost continental countries. But the small places as well.
So you might have guessed, I've made another little list.
7 countries I just HAVE to visit:
1. The Tioman Islands
I had never heard about these islands before about a year ago. And since then, I haven't stopped seeing them on the Internet.
My friend went one time and she was desperate to go back. She sold it to me and I looked at photos of boats that looked like try we're floating in mid-air, the water was so clear. There are turtle rescue service there and with limited access to Internet and public transport, it sounds like a haven for me to embark on some soul rejuvenation!! :D
2. Borneo
Now, this is an old one. All I've ever wanted to do, since I was young, was go to Borneo and see the orang-utans.
As a wanna-be zookeeper, I couldn't think of anything better. But even though I've grown out of those dreams, I still had that wish engrained on my mind.
Orang-utans are my favourites!
3. Trinidad
There's no point knowing your roots if you don't make an attempt to engage with them.
My mum's side of the family is from Trinidad and, although it was different when I was younger, I never had a burning desire to go. But now I realise how important it would be for me to go to my place of partial origin.
4. Canada
I think everywhere is Canada. When I see a picture of tall 'Christmas' trees or I see one, like the one in my nan's partner's garden, I think I'm in Canada.
It makes me feel lovely and adventurous and I feel like I ought to go to see what it's actually like!
5. Italy
Italia! Need I say more. The food, the people, the rides on the gondolas. And it's so close! It would be silly not to go.
6. Brazil
If the national language of Brazil was Spanish, I would already have booked my year abroad!
I got into Brazil whilst watching An Idiot Abroad. The beaches look brilliant and the style of living even better. But it's more the dual vision that does it for me.
I know that there's horrific poverty there, interspersed with scenes of luxury - much like India.
It's one of those places that you can't be sure if until you go. So I'd better be off there!
7. Australia
Well, I HAD to put this one in. Everyone wants to visit Australia, right?
