A New Year: a new set of reflections

It’s New Years Eve.

I’m just about to leave my apartment and head to a house party when a message pops in to my inbox.

It’s from Tom. We met last year at a mountain bike race in Nepal and saw the New Year in together with our fellow competitors after 5 days hard racing. Its a fond set of memories we both share.

I write a hurried reply before leaving. Stepping out on to the street those memories are quickly lost amongst the heat, humidity and hum of traffic in downtown Buenos Aires.

Arriving at the house party I’m quickly absorbed in conversation amongst a new set of friends, people I met barely a week ago. As a new year arrives we spill out on to the street to watch the fireworks and enjoy the atmosphere together.

As we emerge on to the main road the noise of Latin drums meets us and we make our way toward the source of the music. What starts off as a collection of around 30 people congregated around the band slowly builds to somewhere in the region of 200 people as more people are drawn to the music and throng of people. It is a unique and surreal experience.

A year on from spending it with Tom in the Nepali lakeside town of Pokhara, I’m stood in the middle of road in Beunos Aires’ trendy Palermo district.

The train of thought lost as I left my apartment returns. Times where my stress levels were tested, my own sanity questioned. Self doubt festered. Old friendships cemented, new friendships born. Self doubts were banished and the lingering sense of dissatisfaction with modern life melted away.

Adjusting to a new way of life, one of simplicity distilled in to the items I can carry. Its nomadic, transitory, simple conversations, sometimes merely a smile or a wave enough yet a connection is made. A lasting impression, a memory. A feeling of a life lived in the moment, nothing postponed, nothing put off for another day.

I think back over some of the photographs I’ve been lucky enough to take. Places, people, moments. Without that simple act of commitment none of which would have been possible.

Pennine Bridelway Bikepacking

Tour De France

Spiti

Chandra Tal

Rice field Sikkim
Kids in Sikkim

Picking Tea

Bhaktapur

Making Raksi Manaslu

Girl in Phillim

Porter Larkya Pass

San Telmo

What a journey.

I hope 2014 brings you new found inspiration to pursue your own challenges and adventures no matter how big or small.

A dream becomes a plan through the simple act of commitment.

Dream big!

2 Comments

  1. Nic
    17/01/2014

    Well you always liked to use your holidays wisely, you’ve certainly had an eventful couple of New Years. You are going to have to go some to beat the last 2 next year. You never know you might be at the other end of the landmass at Prudoe Bay, Alaska next year. Great to see all the photo highlights from your flicker stream, seeing them again reminds me how much we have shared this journey, even though my seat is a little more comfortable than yours and I have only turned 2000 miles on my bike to school and back. Keep up the adventures and let us all know how Antarctica went. All the best for the rest of 2014, I sense it’s going to be an eventful one.

    Reply
  2. jamie
    18/01/2014

    Brilliant to see some new posts at last !
    Merry New Year to you too ! Brilliant to be somewhere New and vibrant at New Year in stark contrast to my NYE in the North Sea.
    Looking forward to sharing more of your adventures .
    Stay safe and may all your pedal turns be mech free
    All the best Jamie

    Reply

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