Home of the Wandering Soul

Dear Reader, 

I come to you, once again, from the soft white sand of Mont Choisy 🤍 

A place of calm, where I've meditated much over the past weeks. 

Where oh so recently, I was finally fully reunited with my magic ✨ 

Yes. 

The past weeks have been strange. 

So beautiful, so loving. 

But always with an underlying sense of darkness. 

Perhaps the elections taking place here and elsewhere. 

Possibly memories resurfacing of moments better forgotten. 

Maybe a reluctance to allow myself to feel the warmth and kindness available to me. 

There is so much fixation in this world on identity, belonging. Ensuring that people know we pertain to this set of beliefs or qualities over another. 

That we are flawed. We have a mental illness, a physical ailment, something in our past, a thing, or many, which we choose to define us. 

And it is a choice. 

I'm a digital nomad. I'm a yogi. I'm a traveler 🌏🧘‍♀️✈️

But over the last few months, I've stayed in Mauritius, I've worked out in the gym more than practicing long yoga sessions, and I've embraced only one country. 

What does this make me? 

I have no true home. I don't even have a house. Nor a car, nor anything worth a few hundred pounds... 

...But as I wander, my feet tingle as I feel every speck of sand on my soles. 

I shiver as the ocean first strokes my toes when I walk along the shore. 

My legs take the form of powerful trees as I push myself in the gym whilst my glutes hold out for one more set...

...I nurture the sense of power I feel travelling down my arms, when out of nowhere, my hands are once again holding that ball of energy and controlling every sound and movement around me 💜 

When those I love offer me kind words of support, soft embraces and gentles kisses to my soul. 

The kundalini serpent sliding up my spine, to my eye, allowing me to see I'm not alone. I never have been, and I never will. 

Remembering, earlier this year when the sky danced, the mountains glistened, the waves roared. 

When I have loved, and been loved. 

We need not identify ourselves any more. There's just one collective, and we are the fragments which make it whole. 

My new boyfriend 

*** 

As I say goodbye to Pointe au Canonniers, I take a minute to appreciate how lucky I am, to have such wonderful hosts in Radha and Michael, to have such a great gym nearby, where my red fody cheers me on, to have the best cheese shop in the Indian ocean, practically at my doorstep... And to have met, yet again, such a wonderful group of girls through yoga with Adrienne 🤍

Most specially, to have been here at a time where someone else was close by, at the right moment, allowing us to start a beautiful adventure together ❤️

Pray for me, Dear Reader, as I will be in the gloomy Curepipe over the next few weeks, but with the power of the universe flowing freely once again 🖤 

And stay tuned... Because in one month, the time has finally come. I'll be in India 😉🇮🇳

...Until then, love your inner self, Dear Reader, because nothing else really matters ✨

To Paint a Rose 🌹

Dear Reader, 

🧡 💛 💚 

Single greatest candid photo of my life

In spite of the vibrant colours in this image, I touched the realm of shadows again lately 🖤 

It was a normal evening. I finished work, but this time instead of putting on mindless dribble from Netflix, or calling a friend, reading about the world's sorrows, or watching cats be weird on YouTube, I listened. 

To the tension. 

...As the colours began to change shape...

I was searching for the why... Then I realised what was wrong.

No, I'm not in Mauritian custody, t'inquiètes pas. 

I've been so busy listening to my body, exercising, nurturing, that I forgot to listen to my mind. 

...The thorns interweaving as I forget the steps...

The mind's prison, Dear Reader, is the one in which we find ourselves trapped.

With all the yoga practice, teaching, the mindfulness sessions that I lead every Friday in work 🧘‍♀️

Still I forget how easy it is to slip and fall.

...The fairy grows tired as she fights to be free... 

So I rolled out my mat. 

I lit my incense 🕯️ 

I switched on my noise cancelling headphones and started my binaural beats. 

And I sat. Humbled. Like a kid who has just been disciplined as I realised the neglect to my mind.

And this time, I used the correct eye for my quest 👁️ 

 

The cleansing fire as my guide

***

The refreshing warmth of my favourite ocean between my toes. My back sinking into the soft sand, the gentle breeze keeping me cool as the sun sprinkles its love on my skin 🌞 

Connected through time and space to my Little Slice of Heaven ✨

For the first time since that magical island, I am staying somewhere long enough to extend a visa... 

But check this out, Dear Reader... I am even choosing to spend my next week off in Mauritius 🦤 

I know right?!

Okay, technically I am still flying somewhere, as I will visit the remote island of Rodrigues...

But for now, the gentle nudge from the universe is dormant, only stirring something foreseen in December 🌛 

Whilst I am not certain where I will be in 3 months, metaphorically and physically, I feel ready for anything 🪷 

***

And you, my Dearest of Readers... Where will you be? 

Are you sure you're still touching the soft petals around you, or do they feel sharp? And if so, what are you going to do about it? 

...For when the shadows engulf the meadow, her wings begin to tear...

***

🎨 Like I lead in my meditation yesterday, I invite you to paint your name in your mind...

Notice how the images form on the canvas before you...

The dark tones, the light, the paleness and vibrancy, the textures, and all the things which spill across your mind...

How do the colours feel? 🌈 

Leaving the canvas blank for you ^^

...And as the brush delicately strokes the darkness, so does the fairy rest among the roses🌹...

Tu es merveilleuse...

Dear Reader,

How are you today? 🌞 

...Do you feel the light of the sun in your soul?  

I invite you to take a moment to reflect on what it is you really feel, right now.

*

I am surrounded by lush flora and fauna here. When I'm on the treadmill, the same little red bird cheers me on each time. Heck, I made human acquaintances the last couple of weeks, by joining yoga classes and even a local Braai 🇿🇦

Thanks to Fred, Jackie and Zander 💛

But I didn't spend so much time near water as I feel I should recently... And the weather this week has made the beach less appealing. That and the mild sexism I encounter when I walk down the street without the protection of my friend... 💋

Maybe it's not that. Perhaps it is the ripples of time interweaving, as my subconscious mind takes me back to things I was sure I had forgotten. Things I wish had stayed locked away. 

There's that cycle again... 

The firm breeze here reflects my anger. The rainfall at night releases my anguish. And the smiles on the faces of the people I meet, the warmth that I choose to accept, shows me that in spite of the nightmares, the revelations are beautiful. 

A whole life ago 

Wherever our past lies, our present moment is all that matters. Life is so short. So precious ✨ 

We can actively focus on the now. But sometimes, our subconscious and even our body, has other plans. 

And in those moments, I urge you to sit with it. Close your eyes and allow your mind to guide you where it wants to go. Watch the images unfold and feel whatever comes up 🪷 

And when you're done, arrive back, to the now.

Whatever decisions were made, were not the wrong ones at all, but in fact what you needed to find where you are today. 

Balance...

*

If you're powering it out in the gym all week, then you find yourself eating a brownie the size of your face for breakfast, that's okay. 

As is being unable to open your eyes fully in photos when you visit the island's rum distillery. 

*

And guess what? When you go to your fromagerie and are inundated with tasters and end up spending 10x what you were supposed to, because the staff are just so nice and they brought their adorable baby to work that day... That's okay too. 

^^ me speaking to myself... I think you, Dear Reader, may have some kind words to say to yourself as well? 

🩵

I believe there is a lot of love for me in Mauritius. And all around the world, where my favourite people reside. But I am closed these past few days, focusing my attention elsewhere. 

...Like the delicate frangipanis which lie on the path, endlessly drifting towards the perfect moment...

I must open again and allow myself to receive the love which is offered. I deserve it.

Thank you for reminders, Shael 🌷 and Stéphane 🌹

And you, Dear Reader...

Did you know that you are amazing?... 

*

*Photos de Stéphane 🌻

Fellow Wanderer - Protect Yourself

Hello my Fellow Wanderers,

It has been a long time since I left my travel tips for you... 

Perhaps you've been on some adventures since then... If so I'd love to hear from you ☺️

Mauritius is treating me very well, but I never forget that it is only with many trade offs that I can learn to enjoy myself...

Photo de Stéphane ❤️

So here is a small entry, as a reminder for those who are taking a trip soon, whilst flights are cheaper and weather is milder... 

Protect Yourself:

⭐Smile with caution🙂

A smile is a wonderful way to feed some joy into someone's day. A way to extend a greeting without saying a word. 

But for some Travelers, particularly solo females who find themselves in certain parts of the world, a smile can mean an invitation that you may not wish to extend. 

So if you find yourself inviting unwarranted attention, even if you are simply trying to spread some love, or you are unconsciously smiling to someone who takes too much meaning from it, just keep your calm, politely decline any unwanted attention or offer, and proceed with your day. 

Being firm is not being rude. Hold your shoulders back, look confident and walk quickly. 

In many situations you are probably very safe, but until this is guaranteed, take it from someone who has made the mistakes before: smile cautiously 😁

 ⭐ Share your location 🌏

Yes yes yes, I'm a hypocrite. 

But as my wonderful host here checked on me one evening when I was out late, living life to the full, I had my lightbulb moment 💡 

It's not so hard. There is an option to share your ride trajectory on Uber, share your live location on Google Maps. Whatever you're doing, let someone know. Even if they are a friend on the other side of the world. 

This is not to say your date will kidnap you, or the friends you meet on the road have bad intentions. This could also help in case your car breaks down, you get caught in a storm or some crazy 127 hours sh*t goes down... 

Let someone know where you are 🙏

⭐Never sacrifice safety for money 💲

In all my travels, this is one of the most important and toughest lessons I ever had to learn. 

Backstory: I am Irish (worse, I'm Northern Irish). We are hagglers by nature. Always looking for the best price or bargain. So naturally I extend this when I'm abroad. 

I am not known for my planning when it comes to travel, but one thing I am meticulous about is my finances.

I will never go somewhere if I don't have the means to fly back Belfast, if I don't have a safe place to stay. 

But this should extend to everything you do when you travel. If you're doing water sports or adventuring, pay more to ensure you have good equipment and professionals guiding you. 

Don't buy food that looks dodgy because it will likely result in you spending the rest of your holiday in the bathroom.

Don't accept lifts from people or hitchhike if the vibes are off. Hire a car and plan your journey to make the most of it. Enquire about the public transport options. 

Don't trust that everyone around you will be as innocent as you hope they are 😔

Obviously there are many more things to consider when to globetrotting, in order to keep safe... But these three will serve as an excellent foundation...

Protect yourself, Fellow Wanderer, so you may continue to wander as long as you wish 🤎

Seeds of the Pomegranate

Dear Reader,

I come to you from the white sand...

Not the soft beiges of my Little Slice of Heaven, but a firm and crisp glaze of ivory, that lines Ile de Maurice 🩵

The gentle taps of my favourite ocean along the shore takes me back some weeks to Crete, and my peaceful moments with Meditation sea. 

The playful breeze helps to cushion the hum of nearby traffic. 

Only the occasional tropical bird can be heard adding to the blissful serenity of the waves 🌊 

Much like the calm I felt last week during my week of réunionnais magic 🪄

My lava bed 

My last few days on Reunion were as magical as the first. Beautiful forests, waterfalls, ocean and whales 🐳 

A new age. 

A reconnection to nature and the things which matter most.

Customary basic b**ch pose

I was sad to say goodbye, but was comforted in knowing that I will return one day, to a place where I can be at ease. 

And where courgettes could kill a man with one blow 

Mauritius. 

Mauritians 😏

So entranced by me when they learn that I speak French or when they learn that I speak English. 

So different to what I expected. 

This is not an English country. It is a Creole island with a massive preference for French 🥖 

Yes.

I am well suited here... 

I followed a loving scent...

I joined a gym, I made friends, I learned new yoga poses. 

And I haven't even explored the island yet. So much to come. Perhaps I will stay longer here... 

Reflecting. 

It's Autumn in the Northern hemisphere (for those who celebrate 4 seasons), but down here, it's Spring 🌱 

...Well, technically it's still Winter, but as I basque in the 26 degree morning sunshine, I will allow myself some poetic licence... 

It is also Spring again in my life 🌺 

And you, Dear Reader, in which season do you find yourself? 

Are you planting the seeds for something to grow? 🪴 

Are you healing and holding yourself in the wake of pain? 💗 

Perhaps you are in full bloom, taking each day in your stride ☀️

Me, I'm watching the "fair maids stand in the snow"...

🤍

...Saying goodbye to Hades for another while until the wheel turns once again. 

Thanks for the seeds...

Losing balance forces us to reconnect 

💘 

Wherever you find yourself, close your eyes, enjoy your connection with the earth today. Feel the gift of life in your lungs, running through your veins, and in your spine, holding you strong ✨

La Magie de la Réunion

Dear Reader, bonjour, 

I write to you from my warm spot outside my little Airbnb in Saint Pierre, à l'Ile de la Réunion 🌴 

Yes. 

A year ago I decided to go to South Africa instead of Réunion. I have reflected on this and all the parallels over the past days. Speaking with the same friend, this time in another part of Paris. 

Fabulous Lady 🌹

Reunited with old artists, creating something new. This time understanding the significance of our encounters is an essence of cosmic lore 💜

I am building a garden... 🦋🦋🦋

Once again, Paris gave me a familiar hug goodbye as I embarked on my new adventure...

...Arriving to this island, laden with palms, exotic flowers and even my old favourites... 

Being reunited with a lovely soul, part of a trio that once went on a trip in search of whales in South Africa 🐳 🇸🇸

💛 

This island is a wonderful place, rivalling Sri Lanka for its diverse landscape. Each day, I have done something completely different. I started with incredible botanical gardens, then I took a road with 400 bends to Cilaos, where I went hiking in the mountains, then I went to the coast and basked in the glory of the vast waves as I marched along the dense sand dunes...

🩵

The next day I climbed into a volcano 🌋 making all the mistakes a traveler could make, resulting in me having to run back to my car (and up 15 minutes of vertical steps). Yes, even experienced travelers like me f**k up. 

Before the sprint

But the stars above me decided to be kind and alas, Fjorda (my hire car) survived my temporal idiocy. I'll let you guess...

After my volcano shenanigans, I wanted to cool down - In fact it was cold and wet on top of the volcano but it's more poetic when I say it like this - so I decided to chase some waterfalls ✨ 

Grand Galet was sublime, and my hike to Cap Blanc was beautiful. I even had a quick nap on top of one of the rocks. 

This week has been exactly what I needed, reconnection with nature and that which makes me whole. And it's not even over yet. 

I hope to see some whales this afternoon, and brave the bendy roads once again tomorrow, before I enter a new stage of my life 🐳 

As I sit back and allow myself to be still, I bask in the comforting sounds around me: birds chirping, palm leaves dancing in the breeze, the insects singing and magic unfolding 🪄

Face before coffee

The warmth of the sun hugging me tight, I feel welcome in this world 🌍 

I will take up space. 

I will listen. 

I will love. 

I will live. 

So should you, Dear Reader. Find a place to sit still today, and just be 🫶

...🦋 Reunite with that which feels good...🦋

Sunrise

Dear Reader, 

🌳

I missed you. 

I know how long these letters take. 

But though I am tired, tonight, I want to speak to you. I hope my voice reaches you in whichever ways serves you best today 🌛

Forgive me. My last correspondence was so very long ago. In a far away land called The Past.

How much has changed in so little time. 

People, places. You. Me. C'est la vie. 

It's all the same, but a little different.

The familiar person is not walking the streets. There is a sensation in the spine, something forcing me to stand straight as I face what comes next. 

I was so close. To slipping back. To the old ways. But the mindset changes as soon as you're free and you wonder where you went for 10 weeks. 

This doesn't help.

I rested. I reminisced and I cherished. But as the stars above me die, so do the strands of the past, one petal at a time, before the seeds of dreams flourish once more 🪷 

Yes. 

Nothing will ever be the same again. Even since you started this letter, Dear Reader, you have changed and lost everything until this moment. Right now is the only thing we have. 

I understood this for years, but I was obsessed. The claws of time pierced my skin like the meadow of thorns. And they will continue to do so 🌹

But just once in a while, I snap my fingers, and  control time once more, watching the light radiate as my universe unfolds 💜

I left England feeling refreshed. Replenished. Its talons held me strong near the end. But here I am. Flying towards the warmth of uncertainty, the eclectic melting pot of cultures and life that shape our world. 

As I walk the streets of Paris, I remember how well I know this odd place. So many parts I have explored, with so many people, in so many different stages of my life. It is my home, unlike anywhere else. A place I have always felt accepted, unjudged, and within an essence of magic, which I have found rarely, even in Asia 🪄

Places I love are gone, yet this feeling has not altered. I'm still connected, if only in my memories. 

There is a switch as I oscillate from nostalgia to novelty. The spectral shift that guides me, illuminates the streets and sounds. In every glance, I see life. But I protect myself. 

It is important to remember that some darkness cannot be illuminated, and we must accept that those shadows spread, as we dance in reach of the sun 🌞 

Thank you for waiting for me, Dear Reader, for allowing me the time to rest. And now, I'd like to invite you on an adventure... 

As I step forward, into my travel boots, heading for an unknown blend of beaches and waterfalls, mountains and forests. Cafes and smiles, love and magic.

Won't you join? 

Who knows the friends you could make? 

🐘 

South Park

Dear Reader, 

Finally Summer weather

I have travelled less in these past weeks. Apart from a few days in London with the padres and a visit to a friend 💂

Everyone is an artist.

I am beginning to feel like I am part of it again. The cycle of home, where you get up, gym, work, eat, chill and sleep. Over and over. A feeling that brings comfort to many, boredom to others. To me, it feels calm and easy. So easy to slip back in and exist here 🥀

People talk of "finding yourself" when you travel. I don't know if that's what I do - I'm pretty sure I found myself already. I don't always know what I want, but most people don't. Or they don't admit it 🌹

People are so complex. 

Wee babe.

I found myself reunited with old colleagues again, this time from teaching. A lovely, random group of people who all ignite in me a familiar feeling. We are of all ages, nationalities and yet have been brought together, multiple times now, because of teaching. The sharing of knowledge. I always did love it ☕ 

And now I have just returned from meeting my colleagues at my remote company. A surreal day of food and laughter. I know who is tall, who gives the best hugs, who likes to be centre of attention. Who is just like I expected them to be, who was better. And I have been reminded, once again by the universe, that everything is balanced. There are those who are kind. And those who are not. 

Once is a mistake. Twice is a deliberate decision. Thrice defines who you are. Yes, I said thrice.

I watched an episode of South Park this morning... Too rude for some, unfunny for others, hilarious for many. 

For me, this brings me back to when I was young (no, my parents did not let me watch it, read on)

I remember seeing my Grandad, in his wheelchair, right in front of the television. Whilst everyone else was elsewhere. He sat in the dark, chuckling. "You can watch it when you're older" he said...

Many years later, as I sat laughing at a random episode, I realised why it looked so familiar. I had seen it fifteen years previously.

Anyway, this morning, Eric Cartman tried to claim a joke as his own. His pal Kyle calmly told them that he believed him. He believed that Cartman really thought that he had created the joke. He explained that this is because Cartman's ego was so huge, it had left him absolutely convinced of his own truth. 

At the end of the day, that's the best anyone can do. Or is it?

I have been left, not for the first time, in a quasi state of mental paralysis. Like many women. And men. My ability to evaluate feels currently incapacitated. Not because of South Park. 

I am a victim. Of many things. But mostly of egos. Those of toxic men. Those of nasty women. The worst, however, being of my own. 

If you know me well, you may be thinking that I am hard on myself. Maybe I am. But you, Dear Reader, are you not also hard on yourself? 🤔 

Or perhaps we are not hard enough? Have you considered the consequences of your actions on other people? The forms that those ripples take as we swim through life's challenges. No matter the intent, how are the consequences? 

Yes.

I am a victim of my ego, no matter what you think. The shadows have taught me much, but this is one of the most important lessons. Coming together like the clouds on a sunny day 🖤 

My reality is my own. No matter what those around me do. I will love the universe, even when it's a vacuous space. 

Never will I forget.

Those who worry for me when I travel, I believe they are wrong. Some of the worst danger I have experienced has been in the safest of places. 

...It is when we are not true to ourselves, that we enter the meadow of thorns...

So, I will no longer let my pride inhibit me from grieving, from feeling pain when I suffer. (Throwback to the Gili Air women's circle 💚)

I will allow myself to wallow in the waters, so that when it is time, I can swim again, with the current, channelling the strength collected from the beautiful places I visit. From the wonderful people I meet. From the vast ocean and the night sky 🌙 

There is a branch just beyond my reach. And when I stand straight, humbled and healed, I will reach it 🌿

And you, Dear Reader, where are the shadows in your life? What are they teaching you? 

Are you the darkness, blocking the light in someone's life? Your own life perhaps? Are you sheltering in someone else's shadow? 

Whatever the answers are, keep swimming though the shadows. Embrace your power. But please, use it kindly 🍂

We live in a world where Tim Tams are now available in Tesco. Let us be better to each other.