welcome to thatgirl adventures
this is the origin story
I’m back at my computer for another postcard to the world, because no amount of AI will ever beat writing.
As I reach the end of my sixth contract at sea, I ever so slightly mourn the fact I never started this passion project sooner. I’ve also realised I’ve never formally introduced why I even started TGA in the first place.
This is why.
A HISTORY OF THE SEAS
In June 2022, I closed down my first business and headed into a life at sea, specifically on cruise ships.
In my first contract at sea, I was juggling newfound identity, a broken heart, travelling around Greece and the Adriatic and adapting to a completely new way of life. Everything is amplified on ships, so I learnt a lot in those six months.
In my second, I faced growing out of habits, into new ones, as well as coming back home to parts of myself I wanted to hide. It was a test of identity, growth and resilience. I looked inwardly and started to write, something that was a constant since I was six, but I had dropped amongst the business of adult life. I also visited the Caribbean for the first time.
My third contract forced me to evaluate what career I wanted from sea, if any. I left this contract earlier than planned as I knew I wasn’t in the job at sea for me anymore. I escaped down under and to Hong Kong – this was where I made the account for TGA.
This was now February 2024.
My fourth contract was a jump in responsibility but it almost meant a dream job I wanted. I had no time to balance both my new company and my passion project. I made the TGA website but barely posted.
Only in my fifth and now sixth contracts have I started to write and post publicly. I had the privilege to live all these experiences, so starting so late seems like I’m too late in sharing past experiences, the question of relevancy whirring in the back of my mind.
The truth deep down is I felt guilty.
Guilty that I got to travel.
Guilty that I get paid to do it.
Guilty that I’m not a self made travel girlie.
I don’t backpack full time, nor do I live in a camper van as a full time nomad.
I felt like a fraud starting a travel account when it’s so easy for me to talk about travelling.
Yet I’m still writing, and you’re hopefully still reading. So what changed?
everyone has a story
Everyone has their own unique experiences within life. Watching travel creators create stunning reels, self development girlies helping reshape your habits, even which tools are best to help film videos – there is an audience.
So why should I bury away my experiences.
Believe that my journey isn’t worth sharing.
Thinking that my experiences, adventures and life lessons won’t help any other women who travel in their twenties.
And I know I’m not alone in these worries.
As uncomfortable as it is, something you’ve got to lean into the sails of who you are in order to start going in the right direction. I’m a sailor, so forgive the nautical analogy, but if you’ve ever imagined leaning on the fabric of a sail, it would likely feel quite flimsy and unnatural.
That’s how figuring out how to finally start coming home to yourself and your desires feels like. It feels stiff, and flimsy and not very comfortable.
But once you realise you’re supported, you feel the wind pick up as you start moving. Leaning into it further, knowing nothing bad will happen to you. Sure, you may hit a storm every now and again. But ships are built to weather storms, and you’re no different.
- A dream date in Positano
- The city that made me fall back in love with solo travelling
lean into the sails
The more you lean into what you want to do, who you want to be, what would you remove from your life, and what would you add in? It can be tiny. For me, I’m posting this with minimal graphics. Why? Because as much as I’m visual, I’m a writer at heart – not a designer. Does it goes against marketing a blog? Absolutely. But it feels right for me.
Think, what doesn’t feel right for you. What do you want to create. How do you want to go towards what feels aligned for you? Hopefully my story of creating TGA will inspire some of you out there to feel like you can share your lived experiences.