Moving toward a life unplanned: Happy Anniversary to me (part 2)

At 5am this morning, I was getting on a boat in Malapascua, Philippines, heading out to SCUBA dive with thresher sharks when I realized that exactly one year ago (adjusting for the time change), I was getting on a plane at National Airport, heading for an unplanned overnight in Newark before going to Oslo. I had told work I wouldn't be back for 13 months and was taking a last look at the city where I had spent most of the last 18 years. I can honestly say the main thought running through my head was some variation of "Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself?" And I can honestly say I didn't - and still don't. One of the major reasons I love traveling so much, especially longer-term travel, is that it removes a lot of the preconceptions about what I'm going to be doing this afternoon, or tomorrow, or next week; it's all a bit of a present waiting to be unwrapped.

The reason I came to Malapascua: the Oceanic thresher shark

Almost every morning, if you're willing to get up before 6am and sink 100 feet down, you can see them coming in to get cleaned of parasites by other fish. Otherwise, they spend all of their time 200-300 feet down in the middle of the ocean

Now before all of you friends of mine with a more optimistic bent of mind start saying "But that's true everyday! Even when you're at home!", let me say that yes, I agree with that affirmation... in concept. The problem is that after a few years doing the same job, in the same place, with the same people, I forget that I don't really know what's actually going to happen every day, and when something unexpected pops up, I don't pay enough attention to appreciate the moment. It's much easier to live in the moment and pay attention to what's going on around me when I don't know where I'm sleeping tomorrow night, or even what city I'll be in. Not to mention when there's a spectacular island sunset, or I'm 100 feet underwater watching sharks swim by, or trying unidentified street food in Bangkok.

So I'm lazy at living the moment... sue me.

The beach at El Nido, Philippines

If you look carefully, you might see the smallest clownfish I've ever seen hiding in the anemone

I love ribbon eels, and not just because of those silly flaps on their nose. But it's a big part of why.

Anyway, my point (if I had one) was that I had some anxiety a year ago about not having a major theme, or a purpose, or a reason, or some guiding principle in my traveling. Now that I'm approaching my return to the States, I'm glad that I didn't, or didn't try to hard to make one. I had some set down an itinerary and some "guidelines", but for anyone paying attention, you can see that the longer I journeyed, the more and more I deviated from them. In fact, if I have any regrets from the past year, it's that I planned too much. Most of the best memories I have came from those moments when I took an unexpected turn, made a spontaneous decision, and let the wind push me on a different path. Rest assured, if (when) I ever get the chance to do this sort of traveling again, I will be leaving with substantially less of everything I took with me last July: less luggage, less planning, less money, less anxiety, and less uncertainty.

Seahorse!

Another sea horse! (Look closely)

A not-very-friendly cuttlefish

A much friendlier banded shrimp

Last post, I said I was going to answer one of the most common questions I've gotten this year - "What do you miss most?" But it looks like I've rambled a little long already, so I think I'll save that one for a couple of days. I know I'm posting more in this month that I have in the three before it, but there's a very good reason for it - I'm on a tiny tropical island with nothing but a beach, SCUBA diving, and good food, and I need something to keep me busy in between books. There are worse problems to have, I suppose.