The 'why' behind OYOTR #2

It was peak of COVID when we started talking about this project. It was while we were confined at home or within our 5km that Alex started asking questions like "What if we did another stint on the road?" and "What would that look like?".

And close to 2 years later, here we are, officially on the road again. But then, in one of our discussions about where to go and when and how we realised that it sounded like we both had our own view of what this nomad year should look like. It became clear that while at a high level we were aligned on the idea, we each had a view of what it would actually be like living on the road again in practical terms. And more importantly, what we hoped for and expected from this experience

So, we decided to write this post, to really ask ourselves "why are we doing this?" and have it registered here, so that we can always come back to it later if we're ever unsure. I know (and hope that) opinions change with time, but it's good to have a starting point. So here we go...

We are just over a few weeks into Our Year On The Road 2023 edition - travelling and working our way around Australia. It feels like a good time to take a step back and reflect on the why behind this trip because it’s been a minute since we cooked up this plan.

Fernando and I actually dreamt up OYOTR #2 during lockdown on one of our many (many) walks around our neighbourhood of Naremburn. We were starting to get used to the whole ‘work from home’ lifestyle but were dreaming of a day when we could walk around any other neighbourhood besides those in our 5km radius.

Cut to 2023, and now here we are. I am writing this from our Uncle’s home in Melbourne (which he so generously has put us up in), and we are literally living out our lockdown dream.

It may come as a surprise but it's not in my natural tendency to scope out a clear 5-year or 10-year plan, instead, I am a bigger fan of aligning on my ‘why’ for both the short term and longer-term (but even 5 years feels too long-term). This helps me ensure I’m staying on track, keeping true to my values, what’s important to me at this stage of my life and ensures maximum satisfaction and joy out of the decisions I make.

So what’s my why right now?

I am 31, nearly 32, just shy of 6 months married, Fernando and I bought a house 2 years ago and for a while there it felt like we were on a really clear and classic trajectory leading to domestic bliss with babies and (very) happy grandparents.

But that trajectory didn’t give me a satisfactory answer to the question ‘why?’ beside the answer that ‘that’s the way it is supposed to go.’

So, we pivoted and made our lockdown dream a reality.

Writing this makes it sound easy and simple, of course, it never is. Being a 30+ woman, as I am coming to learn, comes with tradeoffs and agreements you need to make with yourself. This is particularly hard for me as anyone who knows me knows that Family is my strongest value (going back to my ‘why’) but I am not ready for that Family to extend to my offspring, just yet (sorry, Mum).

So, returning to my ‘why’ right now is all about me. And it’s both difficult and a relief to write that. I am consciously taking this year (and a good part of next) to explore myself and the wonderful world I live in with this amazing partner I now call my Husband.

Here are a few ideas/opportunities I plan to explore on this year around Australia:

1. Closing the gap on work-life balance 🤝🏽

One thing on my mind is getting closer to solving the ever-present question of work-life balance. As a recovering overachiever, is there a world where I can find satisfaction in my work but also switch off and enjoy myself (and find satisfaction and worth) outside of work?

We are so fortunate to have flexible jobs that allow us to work remotely while enjoying the satisfaction of solving challenging problems and aligning with our larger career ambitions. I can’t emphasise my privilege here enough, and it’s essential that it is acknowledged.

This year is about making the most of the privileged working situation I have found myself in with slow travel around our beautiful country, enjoying different cities and towns and making the most of every day. Using the mornings, nights and weekends to be curious, open-minded and explore, whilst still getting the challenge and satisfaction out of my work during the day.

2. Remote work as a reality and not a dream 💭

I am also very curious about remote work, am I going to enjoy it once the novelty fades? Whilst I am an introvert, I enjoy the occasional social and creative boost that going into the office allows. I'm curious to come out of this year away with a better understanding of whether this remote-working lifestyle is a longer-term play for me.

3. My relationship with myself and Fernando (and Summer) 💫

By stripping away my Sydney identity, my home, my family and my friends, I hope to use this year to explore both outwardly and inwardly (cringe, but you get the point). I am excited to meet new people, step out of the Sydney bubble and rat race, go on a million walks with Summer, and hone in on my hobbies and interests.

It will also serve as a time to get to know my husband in a new way. We are approaching nine (!) years together, and with that comes its own set of new challenges and milestones. I am excited to be on this adventure with him and continue to learn about him and how we work together. As we think about our future and the possibility of kid(s) on the horizon, I will certainly cherish this time as just the two of us.

For now, this ‘why’ feels completely right to me. I am excited for the adventure ahead, for the discomfort and challenges. It may not be a year of travel around the world, but this is a big adventure all the same.

We knew from the start that this would be a very different experience from our initial Our Year On The Road (aka OYOTR #1). We are strictly going to stay in Australia and continue working, and we are bringing Summer so that already made this whole experience entirely different. I've never thought of this as a "sabbatical" like we did last time and always saw it as more of a "digital nomad" sort of experience. We are also 5 years older than we were when we first travelled around the world, so that also plays a part on it.

With all that said, what is my why?

1. Break free from our everyday lives. As Alex nicely put it in her section, we were well and truly on our way to your classic trajectory of Engagement > Wedding > Buying a house > Having babies (in no particular order). The fact that we both decided to break free from that trajectory is truly invigorating. It was far from easy, as we had to sell/store most of our stuff, put the house that we love up for rent, pack our lives inside of a car and negotiate remote conditions with work. But we are now uprooted and free to roam. It's an incredible feeling. And as much as we both love Sydney (and believe me, we do), I am very excited to see what life is like in other parts of Australia.
2. Make the most of this new "work-from-home era". We are very privileged to be able to work from home, so if for no other reason, we thought we would use this opportunity and see parts of Australia that we have never been to, while still holding our jobs. Who knows when we'd have another opportunity like this.
3. Try to find a balance. Between work and life. Between tourist and local. Between stability and constant movement. Can we enjoy Australia outside of working hours? Can we see the touristy spots but try to live like a local? Can we build a routine while being on the move?

I feel like my "why" might change throughout this journey, and I am okay with that. As long as Alex and I can stay connected and discuss, I am sure we'll be okay. As the great Brazilian singer Raul Seixas would say, "I'd rather be this walking metamorphose than have the same old opinion set about everything".