As Facebook reminds me of being in Slovakia a year ago, I lift myself cautiously out of bed.  It’s a tough manoeuvre that hurts slightly as I sit myself up, legs on the carpet.

My core body strength is limited.  Small pains shoot through my bones as I haul myself up.  Another day commences.

I wasn’t like this a year ago.  I walked effortlessly around Bratislava and Vienna.  But I’d already taken two huge decisions.  I’d given my notice at work and I’d decided to travel for as long as I could.

Those decisions were huge for me.  And my gradual decline over the year confirms I got them right.  I still have hope of getting overseas again, but that’s a slim one.  For now I can let Facebook remind me of my travels and recommend that anybody faced with a similar diagnosis should do everything they can to fulfil their dreams before the passage of time steals the idea from them.

Looking up at the night sky from the hot tub yesterday triggered more memories of my travels.  The Atacama desert in Chile’s north where I’d witnessed the planet’s clearest night sky with Chris.  A night on a ranch in Utah where I got a real kick from Rachel’s excitement at seeing the Milky Way in all its glory.

There’s no doubt in my head that doing what I’ve done, going where I’ve gone and spending the money to do it has been the right course of action.  Although I still want to get a bit more out of life I’m happy I utilised February to September 2017 as I did.

I got it right.

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