When I called for room service last night the man on the end of the phone asked me where I’d been. I realised two things: 1. I haven’t eaten at ‘home’ in my hotel room for the last month and 2. The month prior to that all I ate was room service. When I walked into my room before midnight for the first time in the last two weeks, I face planted on my bed and fell asleep. My phone was still in my hand when a text message woke me and encouraged me to order food, watch an episode of Homeland, take a bath and then sleep again. These three things have become such luxuries to me over the last month I’m really looking back and wondering if it was all worth it.

What I enjoy about working hard is the contrast it provides me with when the job is done. I have always been somewhat all or nothing, and in terms of work this is especially fitting. I still have reports to write and reconciliation to complete, but my focus has now moved to life beyond work. After spending two months in a large white tent on top of a sand pit, all I want to do is be outdoors. My only thoughts during the last 8 weeks have been work and flashbacks from the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s really weird the memories that flash back all of a sudden. A campsite, a lake, a view. Small inconsequential moments on the trail are what I miss the most. Quiet peaceful solitude and simplicity. Perspective. I think I lost some of that over these last two months.

Someone asked me recently if they should hike the PCT, if it was worthwhile and a life changing experience for me. In my opinion you should do whatever motivates you if you have the means to do so. Why wait? I read something my friend Leigh wrote recently about the notion of retirement. It mirrored my sentiments entirely: http://remoteleigh.wordpress.com/2014/03/02/by-living-more-i-needed-less/

So what’s next? Right now I’m on my way to Oman so I can extend my visa to the UAE for another 30 days. The driver and I are having some trouble finding the correct border to cross. These things are never simple. In fact to renew my visa my driver needs to drop me at the border, I then walk through the pedestrian access point to get an exit stamp, then take a cab 35 kilometres to the passport office in Oman, get another stamp, a cab back to the UAE border, and then an entry stamp back in. Sure, easy enough.

Before divulging my next adventure I thought I’d complete my recent experience here with a few pictures from the event. I’m on the home stretch now and almost ready to take my next leap of faith to another part of this big wide world!