And just like that the idea is born... When you have a passion for something it can open up a world of opportunity, my passion is animals, the animal world their conservation and to help educate people on the importance of their survival.
So I'm studying to be a zookeeper and I finish in Dec 2014. I had heard about 'Free the Bears' years ago and I've always been a big fan of their work rescuing Moon Bears and Sun Bears from bile farms, street performing and from the fate of living in a tiny cage behind a restaurant waiting for a rich customer to order Bear Paw Soup.
In all honesty the timing was just too perfect!!! I jumped right on board to volunteer with them in Feb 2015, one problem though, I have to travel alone and this is the first time I'd be #flyingsolo overseas.
I have spent years imagining all the wonderful animal adventures I'd have overseas one day and this will be the very first.
I'm not your standard backpacker, I'm not one to 'go where the wind takes me' types by nature I am a planner and an over thinker and shamefully as we speak my pack is sitting on my bed in front of me 4 months ahead of time with things packed in it...I'm not a complete loony I promise!
Wherever I go I want to become immersed in the culture I visit, I have a great respect for the people of the country, their beliefs and most of their traditions (keeping aside a couple of those animal ones such as Bear paw soup). I keep an open mind to the world out there and let's be honest as a traveller you have to..
My previous experience isn't really a lot but in saying that I have travelled to Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Russia!!! Yeah...I was hooked after that and have been craving that same feeling of awe and wonder ever since.
Those moments of contentment are what I CRAVE!!!
Trip Goals;
These are even more important to me this time around, no more excuses!
I failed miserably last time at one of my more materialistic goals...pack less and don't buy more BUT my flight is booked and because I'm a broke student...no checked luggage for me, which means 1x 7kg backpack and 1x small day pack will be joining me on that flight. (Hence my half packed bag on my bed), let me say thank you to YouTube and all those wonderful channels with all the helpful advice and videos probably a fair few hours of travellers tips and packing advice watched. Special thanks to @HeyNadine www.youtube.com/user/nayders07 and @KristinSarah www.youtube.com/user/hopscotchtheglobe who's videos I watched and re-watched.
So much to do and 4 months to do it...I need to relax, I GET SO EXCITED ABOUT EVERYTHING!!! Phew.. Ok calm down...until next post!
This is going to be an incredible adventure...
