“But why think about that when all the golden land’s ahead of you

and all kinds of unforeseen events wait lurking to surprise you

and make you glad you’re alive to see?”

~ Jack Kerouac, On the Road

The above quote is scrawled in an exuberant flourish of ink close to the front of my very first travel journal. It seems just as appropriate now as it did then. Life continues to surprise me at every turn.

In 2000, I sold a backpack and 2 weeks later I found myself in China for a year. True story.

In 2003, I went to Korea for a year. Seven years later, I was still there.

In 2010, I made plans to come home. I wound up in Thailand for four years instead.

In 2014, I was ready to move to Montreal. I moved to Calgary.

Like takes some unexpected turns, and all you can do it live it. One step at a time.