As soon as we touched ground in Melbourne, I felt it. The healing of a 10 year hurt.

In 2005, I was supposed to travel on business to Australia but my body, mind, and life were broken. My neck and spirit were in a brace. It seemed that was my one and only chance to go and a person with 4 months with the company took my place.

Absolutely crushing to my soul.

I let that moment define a travel wound for a really long time.

Looking back, I could have saved up for and planned a trip over those ten years, but I had bound my hands with consumer debt and a first marriage to a man-child.

What was “expected of me” and “normal”.

“Normal” is broke and “expected” is miserable.

Everything seemed impossible.

Ten years later, my spine has healed with some “ticks” and when we landed in Melbourne yesterday, I saw the green trees out the plane window and the healing started on my spirit.

It’s the edge of winter here, “shoulder season” but so beautiful. I’m with the love of my life in New Zealand and have no insane expectations for each day. We have plans for things to see, but mostly it’s about the sights, smells, sounds and tastes.

Already, I had an incredible lamb dish that blew my mind and I can’t wait to see what each day brings.