First.

I am beginning this account just over five weeks into my trip....but better late than never, I always say! It is something I have considered since before I left home to embark on this journey, but unfortunately I haven't felt completely ready to start writing again until now. Even if nobody ever reads this, I hope that I will be able to continue writing throughout my travels so that I'll always have a diary to look back on.

38 days ago I left home to begin a five-month (if all goes according to plan) trip around the world! (Around South-East Asia, Australia and maybe New Zealand if I'm lucky). This is my first time travelling solo, and even in my first five weeks away I feel that I've already learned a lot. I hope that with my experiences so far, I might be able to help even one person who is planning a solo trip. I'm not saying that I've 'found myself' - still looking, for now - but I feel that travelling by yourself enables one to learn a lot about oneself and others too. Despite being a literature graduate, I feel rusty in my writing style, having not written anything for review in about 9 or 10 months. I will try my best, and I hope that my style will improve as I go on!

Please watch this space for far more interesting posts including exciting photos and hopefully some travel advice!