There was recently a #DecadeChallenge trending on social media. Where were you 10 years ago, and where did you expect to be by now?

The more I think back to 2010, the more I realise what a defining year it was in my life. In 2010, I was footloose and fancy-free. I honestly don’t think I’d thought too much about my future back in 2010... By 2010 I’d completed my Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, worked for a year at an Architectural firm, studied photography for a year and was ready for some adventure.

I visited 5 continents in 2010 and was quite upset I couldn’t reach 6, or all 7 – but come to think of it, 5 is not too shabby!

We started the year with a trip to Hong Kong followed by Sydney and Melbourne (for my cousin Nicole’s wedding) and then a family-moon in Tasmania.

Next I went to the UK en route to the USA to work on a Carnival cruise ship as a shipboard photographer. The Ecstasy (my ship) sailed from Galveston (Texas) to Mexico and back.

In 2010 (while working on the Ecstasy) we worked hard and partied harder. Sleep was limited, and exercise was lacking. I learnt (later than I would have liked) not to always listen when people said somewhere wasn’t worth a visit. The Mexican cities were run-down and not worth visiting to some, but I loved their vibrance and chaos. You don’t have to look very hard to see the beauty that is all around.

Now 10 years on, I have my own home with a bathroom bigger than the approximate 1m x 1m ship all-in-one. My job challenges me to think out the box every day. I (try) prioritise sleep & exercise. I’ve learnt what I love and what’s not worth wasting my time on.

Watch this space for a bit more that I have dug up off an old hard drive from the last 10 years. Very entertaining to look back and see how far I have come.