This is a question we have been asked many times in recent months, why do we want to spend 6 months walking from Mexico to Canada? And the answer is quite simple ...why not!
It would be very cliche for us to say that we would like to 'find ourselves', or have had a difficult life changing event to overcome ... but the truth is we are too old to be 'finding ourselves', more like a mid 30's crisis!
In all seriousness we want to attempt the PCT to challenge ourselves, to stretch out of our comfort zone and to LIVE!
We both work full time and are very fortunate to have goods jobs, something we don't take for granted. Each year we have savoured our holiday time together exploring the world 2 weeks at a time, 1-2 times a year, but 2 weeks is just never enough.
There are many articles about people who have sold up to travel the world and haven't looked back since. This has always appeared to be a risk in my eyes, not knowing where your next pay cheque is coming from, not having a single place to call home, being away from friends and family for extended periods of time. I wish in some respects I had more of this mindset, but I know this is just not how I am wired! So we won't be selling up anytime soon!
Being away from home and everything I deem 'normal' for 6 months will be a huge step into the unknown but this will allow me to be more open to experiences and adventures, to worry less and enjoy life more. Doing the PCT will be so far out of my comfort zone in more ways than even I realise myself.
So leaving home, my 'safe' job and my fur baby for 6 months to walk everyday is terrifying!! But it is also very exciting, scary, daunting, a once in a lifetime opportunity, challenging both mentally and physically and something that we will remember for the rest of our lives. I don't want to look back in years to come and have regret.
We are both very fortunate to have employers who provide career breaks which means that we can return to work after 6 months. How we will feel about that will be another story!!
We will be starting our PCT adventure mid April, with 65 days to go, our family, friends and colleagues are getting ever more intrigued, "how long will it take you?", "why?", "are you mad!", "is it safe?", "what, you will be walking everyday?", "where will you stay?", "what are you going to do with your stuff, will you be carrying it?", "why don't you just drive?" ... you get the idea!!
When explaining the trip to people it's been very interesting to see peoples reactions. People either understand the enormity of the challenge and also how incredible the adventure will be, and others just cannot comprehend what we will be doing, merely putting it into the 'travelling' category.
Some nights I lie awake thinking of all the things that could go wrong, giving myself nightmares. But I have realised that you cannot live life in fear, if you allow fear to get the better of you you will deny yourself the chance to experience something that could be incredible.
I realise that not every day will be sunshine and rainbows, we are going to have some incredibly tough days, painful days but also some very happy days. It will be an adventure!
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