As a traveler, not while traveling

As a traveler, not while traveling

Kia takes stock of the past year and shares what it's like to stay in one place

The last 12 months have brought immense change for us here at Atlas & Boots. A year ago, Peter and I were living out of Airbnbs while house hunting in the Yorkshire Dales. We viewed 22 properties, half-heartedly offered two of them, and then saw our 23rd house that we fell in love with. It wasn't perfect (no outdoor space and a lot of work needed), but the 300-year-old stone house with its wooden beams and cobbled street seemed perfect for a writer. If you poke your head out the skylight you can even see a castle.

And so we moved to the country 240 miles north of London. I've written about the ups and downs and what I miss most about London, but I also know we made the right decision.

• alt=“auf den Landweg wechseln“>
• alt=“Ein kurzer Spaziergang nach dem Umzug aufs Land“>
• alt=“Peter bewältigt einen Dales 30-Umzug aufs Land“>
• alt=“Der Gipfel verlagert sich aufs Land“>

After settling into our home in September, we pretty quickly headed off to Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini and later Costa Rica where we welcomed in the New Year.

This year, however, things were quieter for me. Aside from Costa Rica, I traveled to the Faroe Islands for four days earlier this year, so I was hardly away.

For those of you who don't know why, I have a book coming out this year. The follow-up is due in November, so I've been holed up at home, writing, presenting articles and doing interviews, occasionally venturing out to literary festivals.

alt="Equipment List for Everest Base Camp – Warm Clothes">Atlas & BootsPeter did the trek to Everest Base Camp without me

In the meantime, Peter has gone off to do the Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal and now the Arctic Circle Trail in Greenland without me. It's bittersweet, firstly because we love traveling together. This is much more fun than traveling alone. Secondly, I wasn't allowed to go to Nepal or Greenland!

I know how this sounds (“Boo hoo, I can't do my dream job because of my other dream job”), but after four years of traveling a lot, it feels very strange to sit still. Here are some of the things I noticed.

I'm not jealous...until I am

The thing about life is that we often feel lacking, no matter how wonderful it was, unless it is wonderful now. It doesn't matter that I've traveled the world; Now if I'm home and you're somewhere cool, I'll probably be jealous of you.

alt=”Countries we most want to see, Mongolia”>DreamtimeI really want to visit Mongolia

I run a travel blog, so of course I know a lot of travel bloggers and it's fine if they're in cities I've already seen or traveled to countries I don't know yet, but as soon as they're in one of the countries I most want to see (Mongolia, Nepal, Greenland), I feel restless and excited to hit the road. Life is basically FOMO until I die.

I get my color back (or lack thereof)

It's a strange thing when your skin color changes semi-permanently. In 2014, on our trip around the world, my color deepened dramatically.

alt=““>Iceland (2011) vs. French Polynesia (2014)

Here I am in Iceland with my color as it has been since birth, compared to me in French Polynesia after six months in strong sunshine. Since then we have traveled regularly to warm climes, so I have never gone back to my original color.

After seven months in the UK, despite a quick trip to the Faroe Islands (hardly known for blazing sun), I'm slowly getting back to my original color, which of course feels strange now because I'm so used to being tanned!

Speaking of skin, mine looks kind of amazing

My skin is the healthiest it has been in a long time. Some of this no doubt has to do with our move to the country (my pores literally darken after a week in London, yuck). This also includes staying protected from the sun, feeling rested and getting enough sleep consistently.

old=““>Atlas & BootsThe phone doesn't do it justice

Life on the street can be stressful. It's difficult to get into a routine, eat healthy, or exercise regularly. Being at home means I can take care of my body, which has made a visible difference.

I worry that I'm not doing my part

Regular readers will know that we publish two posts a week: travel reports on Wednesdays and practical tips, current debates and happy lists on Saturdays.

Trip reports tend to be more time consuming as they require not only insight into what we did, but also practical information about how you can do it, in addition to taking photos (reviewing, selecting, editing, uploading, crediting and labeling all of ours). and a video (albeit a lo-fi video).

old=““>Atlas & BootsPeter holds his ground

Saturday posts, on the other hand, are easier. Since I'm not traveling at the moment, Peter has written the lion's share of travel reports in the last few months, which I'm a little sorry about.

He insists that if my book becomes a bestseller it will be worth it, but given that about 4,000 new titles are published every week, only 40 of which become bestsellers, the chances of a non-famous author are somewhere between zero and 1%. (And even if you make the list, you might earn less than two thousand pounds.) ¯(ツ)/¯

It made me question what I wanted in life

I've dedicated so much time and energy to my book over the past year... and now I have to write another one. I say “have to” as if it wasn’t my dream, because I’m mindful of the things I can’t do while I’m writing a book.

Peter asked me recently, ‘What would you do if you were offered a three-book deal?’ and the question filled me with trepidation.

alt="Atlas & Boots Top 10 Posts">Atlas & BootsI had to choose writing over traveling this year

I had to seriously think about the answer. We sacrificed a month in Canada and a trip to Alaska this year because of book commitments. Peter spent weekends and evenings without me and often walked alone in the Dales.

“I think I have to say yes,” I told him. Writing books is a privilege and I'm not sure I could ever say no, despite the many sacrifices. No one tells you that the price of dreams is other dreams and sometimes you have to let one go.

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Main image: Christine Bird/Shutterstock

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