Everyone walks their own path
For a long time, I thought Solo Down Under was a website about Australia. And in many ways, it still is.
Australia has given me some of the happiest memories of my life. I celebrated birthdays there, drove along endless roads, watched the sun rise over unfamiliar landscapes and discovered the freedom that comes from travelling alone.
But over time, I realised I wasn’t only writing about Australia. I was writing about life. About choices. About finding the courage to take a road that may not look like everyone else’s.
No traditional life
When I look back, I can see that my life has rarely followed a traditional script. I chose not to have children, I travelled solo, I built a career that mattered to me and I started my own business. Eventually, I found my home on a small farm in the north of the Netherlands, surrounded by animals, open skies and the changing seasons. None of those choices were made to be different. They simply felt right for me.
That doesn’t mean they were always easy.
Sometimes choosing your own path means explaining yourself. It means standing alone in a decision and wondering if you are doing the right thing when most people seem to be heading in a different direction.
Australia taught me something important about that. It taught me that there is more than one road worth taking. Some roads are busy and well signposted. Others stretch towards the horizon with little certainty about what lies ahead. Yet those quieter roads often lead to the most memorable places.
The same is true in life.
Over the years, Australia became more than a destination. It became a backdrop to a much bigger journey. A journey about freedom, curiosity, resilience and discovering what truly matters.
Recently, life asked me a different question
One I wasn’t expecting. A question about uncertainty, trust and courage.
As I move through this chapter, I often find myself returning to lessons I first learned while travelling. Take one step at a time. Stay curious. Accept that not every answer is visible from the start of the road. And remember that a meaningful journey is not always a comfortable one.
Australia is still part of my story. The wide landscapes, the long train journeys, the conversations over coffee, the wildlife, the sense of possibility — they continue to inspire me. But these days, Australia feels less like the destination and more like the setting. The real story is about life. About making choices. About setbacks and recovery. About finding joy in unexpected places. About creating a life that feels true to who you are.
Everyone walks their own path.
This is mine 🌏