I’m Shelly. Welcome to Wherever shall we go now? my travel journal for grown-up adventurers (because we’re not twenty anymore and no complaints there). This is where I share the practical stuff, the funny bits, and stories that I hope will spark a little curiosity and excitement about what might be around the corner for you. It’s about optimism and reimagining possibilities, discovering new things and laughing at the inevitable hiccups (even if there is a bit of crying to start with…), in both the big trips and the everyday adventures.
The dawn of time
I met Tim, my lovely, patient husband and main travel buddy, back at the dawn of time when we were at university and I was studying history and philosophy. We lived in London for many years and also Spain before returning home to New Zealand to raise our three children. In our early twenties, we were basically “slow travelling” before it was a thing, haphazardly meandering from place to place, no bookings and ready to take a detour whenever one presented itself. Then came the family years of short breaks and poolside holidays, when just being horizontal for a few hours in the sun felt like luxury. These days, with more freedom, we’re circling back to slower, more relaxed adventures, the kind where you don’t just see a place, you settle into it for a while and let some unexpected things happen.
a whiff of freedom
I am fortunate to have a happy, healthy family and to have been able to work in careers that have been stimulating and rewarding, but now that our children are older, the routines aren’t quite as rigid and responsibilities have shifted, suddenly there’s space to ask: what’s next? Somewhere along the road, many of us quietly shelve a few dreams to look after everyone else.
Travel is my way of pulling a few of them down from those shelves again, blowing off the dust and reacquainting myself with a version of me I faintly but fondly remember and haven’t finished with. The person who had the time and inclination to be always looking up and around and noticing things (rather than concentrating at the job at hand and paddling furiously), and the time to not be quite as intensely organised as I seem to have become!! Stepping a little outside my everyday is enough to catch that delicious whiff of freedom.
Wherever shall we go now…
I’ve worn plenty of hats over the years, mum, wife, friend, student, designer, teacher, (cordwainer even – look it up!) and I’ve realised that travel brings it all together. It feeds my creative bent, my love of history and learning, it gives me a chance to connect with new people, and it reminds me not to take myself too seriously. I’m here to experience the world in ways that feel fun, interesting, and sometimes delightfully messy. So, Wherever shall we go now? That’s the adventure. Whether it’s a weekend away, a trip with friends, a family holiday, or something solo, I’ll be sharing practical tips, insights, and the laugh-or-cry moments that make travel what it is. Hopefully, you’ll come away with ideas for your own adventures.
Shelly