Life Update & COVIDDDD

WOWOWOWWWW WHAT A TIME TO BE A BACKPACKERR EH!

So where do I even start. 

Life update maybe: things were starting to settle over here in Oz. I have a job – it’s a little far away but was manageable, then Jenny started there too which made it a lot more bearable. There are some really cool people there too and it was the first sober social mixing I had done here which was nice.

This is my third role in some type of insurance and while the corporate giant throws off my moral compass, it’s actually really lucky I’ve landed in this sector again for the sake of my job security with the current global mayhem. 

My overall body strength has significantly increased since using crutches. First under arm ones then after losing them – yep lost – I now have forearm ones. I’ve had a big mindset shift (temporarily at least) about using the crutches. My brother was in Melbourne for a little under two weeks and it was the first I had seen him since October 19. One night we ventured out to Moomba festival which was huge – location size wise. We wandered the whole way down one side of the event, it was like a massive shows/funfair so we stopped off playing numerous games, winning shite cuddly toys and spending numerous dollars. Once we got to the end of one side of the river it ran along, Dan asked me if I wanted to keep going and I think you could have knocked us both over with a feather when I said yes. Without the crutches there would have been absolutely no way I could have even made it as far as I had, which is fine – it was far, but it was a euphoric feeling being able to keep going ON MY OWN FEET. 

Don’t get me wrong, my feet felt like they were on fire by the end of it and it’s not something I’d be able to smash out on the daily, but it was class, just even to have that extra time to spend with Daniel. It also made me question (again temporarily (not a magic wand waved and all is fixed)) why would I not continue to use them coz I’m arsed what people will think?!

I think I have also concluded I am over ‘going out’, it might not be forever and may be combined with my weaker strength recently but I usually cannot think of much I’d rather do less than go to a nightclub. I still love going to the pub – providing I can get a seat but yeah – when did I get so old?

Speaking of, I turned 28. 

This is my third birthday travelling. 26 I was stuck up a mountain in Hong Kong, 27 I spend in New Zealand on a boat at Milford Sound and driving a camper van, and 28 we went and did Great Ocean Road. Thankfully it was just before the madness of coronavirus really ensued here and we still got to go before the new measures came into play. It was really special coz I got to spend it with my friends and Daniel was here. He also did all the driving so I got to drink a lot of beer. I put together a little IGTV video you can see over at @splintuplooksharp on insta. If you don’t already, give it a follow. 

So that’s a little bit of what has been happening, and before I go I just wanted to touch on a few quick things happening now. I feel like I’ll go mad if I hear corona or coronavirus much more so I have chosen to refer to it now as covid.

Much like everyone else, I’m feeling the anxiety over what the future holds. Most days it’s not too bad but others it does get a bit much. Like, even if you limit your screen consumption of it, everyone is talking about it and people are being rapidly affected in so many ways. 

I am extremely lucky to still be in a job, and as I mentioned, in insurance things don’t really stop. It’s bittersweet because we are still needed and they are doing what they can to get us set up for work from home, but the reason we are needed is our work is related to natural disasters which Australia have been inundated with this past summer. 

It’s no secret my mental health and wellbeing can be a bit volatile at times. While I’m not in self-isolation, I do really believe social distancing is so important. That’s a lot of downtime and not much getting out and about which is normally the situation I find myself in if I feel anxious and/or sad. It is playing with my head a little that this is now something I’m consciously doing, it does make me worried, and who knows what the next stages will be.

I’m also worried about my family and friends back home. Being in Oz I never think about how far away we actually are, it might pop into my head for a second here and there but now it is quite prevalent. 

Go home, you say? Is that the right thing to do? Should we wait it out? Should I buy a flight I can’t really afford, have to stop over in Singapore or Malaysia where covid is thriving? Go back to sleeping on my friends couch? Jump back in with other friends and have to self quarantine and not be able to see anyone there for a few weeks either? Consequentially quarantine whoever I move into the same space as and leave my job here to likely not get one at home for a while? Any decisions made affect others here and at home. Consider and decide before they close the borders. COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL.

That being said I do have a few things in the pipeline for if we do go into lockdown and also to help maintain my wellbeing in the current climate. First off, I used to absolutely love music. I still do but I don’t practice as much as I used to. I did advanced higher music with voice and keyboard as my instruments. So, I’m going to buy a keyboard and try to spend some time learning to play again. It’s also good exercise for my hands. I love singing so much and had planned to join a choir here but that’s obv gone to shit now. Maybe I’ll get back to that too, improve my ear and learn to sight read again. 

I also am going to pick up a few board games and hopefully jigsaws from charity shops to limit screen time. Hopefully do some more writing and maybe even some video content. I have some books I want to read and I want to give one of the yoga challenges a go. 

I think that’s all I have for right now. This is a crazy time for everyone, nonetheless when your whole disability/life started from a virus. I really hope everyone is staying safe and doing everything you can to keep yourself and others safe. If anyone needs or just fancies a chat, please reach out. We are all in this together.