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Hello readers,

Let me introduce myself: I am Noortje (Noor for you), a 27 year old Dutch writer, traveler and more so, a person who wants to chase and catch dreams. That is why I am sitting in a small room in a noisy house in Lima at this moment, completely with a water problem, a landlord who was once a handyman celebrity and recovering from food poisoning.

I left Holland a little over two months ago with the goal: making a living out of (travel)writing. I didn’t knew if things would work out, people at home were skeptical and I knew things would get though, but still, I didn’t care. Live to the fullest and if it doesn’t work out, at least you have a huge amount of (life/work) experience without having to say “what if” on your death bed. Not that I am planning to die any day soon, but.. ah, you get my drift.

So after chasing jobs in Ecuador (which, among things, led to a man calling everyone he knew in the town I lived in to warn people for me, because apparently I was “crazy.” As you might have guessed, that was one of my disappointments on the road of my dreams), right now Peru is the victim of my goals. And as probably many of you know, traveling doesn’t come without wonderful, crazy,  interesting and inspiring situations. And I am here to share them with you.

I hope you will enjoy my blog just as much as I do, because I can always use some support in this crazy little thing called life.

Four Years ago when my first born was just  7 and 1/2 months old, my husband and I decided to brave the world of south east asia for four months…backpacks, baby and all.

It was the perfect time for us, as I have yet four plus months left of paid maternity leave and my husband, who had previously been awarded an educational leave,  was nearing the completion of his course.

So with passports, child and optimism in tow we escaped to the great unknown. At least for me it was. My husband had already done the requisite ’round the world’ journey in his early twenties…so foreign countries were…excuse the pun…not that foreign to him.

Needless to say from the moment we touched down into Bangkok international airport I was hooked.  My senses were overloaded with everything from bronzed skin vacationers about to head home, to humidity in the air that one could cut through with a knife. It was intoxicating!

The one thing that took some getting used to was the constant grabbing of my precious baby bundle. It seemed my daughter was an irresistible delight to the local women, and not something they were at all used to seeing.

We traveled to 7 countries in that four months and I will always look back to that time with pride and fondness. Not only did that trip instill precious memories that I will never forget, it has ignited a hunger for travel that I soon hope to satisfy once again.