About me

There’s a lot of people I know who tell me that I’m ‘So brave’ for travelling as much as I do. The truth is, I’m simply a person with an interest. I have a dreadful fear of heights, large animals, small animals, flying, walking on uneven ground, driving around corners or on bumpy surfaces and even sometimes people. Most people would think ‘well if you’re scared of all that, why travel for long periods of time, all across the other side of the world?’ The answer is simple. I believe that fear doesn’t stop the world from turning, so why not get to see it?

The fear of flying doesn’t take away from the excitement I get knowing I get to go to a new country. The fear of scary animals doesn’t make them less interesting to see or learn about. My fear of heights doesn’t make the view beyond that steep cliff drop any less breath-taking.

I used to see travelling as going on holiday to an all inclusive resort and never stepping away from the pool bar. Don’t get me wrong, I’d never say no to a cheeky relaxation holiday in the sun but I’m very lucky to have been put in a series of situations that changed my mind.

I’m a strong believer in the butterfly effect. Fortunately, my butterfly effect has led me to a place where I am open to learn about every country and culture - then to explore it. That doesn’t mean I was always like that. I was definitely victim to believing the stereotypes that are put on a lot of places and allowed the stigma’s made by the media stop me from going off the beaten path. Then, certain people and experiences changed that perception and now my goal is to help others see the world the way that I do.

Don’t you think it’s beautiful how many areas of natural beauty there are? Or how we can have cultures so distinct that you can think of a country and immediately imagine the taste of the local dish or drink - or picture one of it’s fantastic landmarks?

I recently had an epiphany that was strangely related to ‘Where’s Wally?’ I thought, we spend our lives looking for Wally, whether Wally be a purpose, a partner, children, a job. We forget about seeing the whole picture. There’s a whole page, filled with different characters and designs. Look back even further, there’s lots of pages with probably thousands of different interesting little easter eggs or stories. Even further, there’s a whole team of people behind each scene, each page. There’s an illustrator, an editor, a publisher. Maybe they go out for the occasional drink, maybe one of them steals peoples lunch from the fridge in the staff room.

When faced with a stunning sight, I have previously wondered to myself ‘how am I meant to look at this and find anything else as beautiful?’ Usually, post-thinking this, my view of the world becomes even more vibrant. Every time I return home for a big trip, where I see the grandest thing, I will be filled with the strongest sense of gratitude for the things that have always been around me. I think that’s because of my ‘Where’s Wally?’ theory. The more I see, the more I start to notice the whole picture and appreciate the small things along the way. I’m not just looking for Wally anymore, I’m looking for the light shining through the trees on a chilled autumn day or a kind interaction with a stranger.

Elisha.C.Harris@outlook.com