Some of my favorite snaps from 2013

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Copyright: Photography by Hayley Garner.

A few more pictures from last years journey

Small hermit crab that I found and held on the beach

The mopeds we rented to explore the island

Sea turtle that was released back into the ocean

A friend of mine  cutting open a coconut with a machete.

He gave me the rather apt nickname of 'baby fish' - This is because there is a fish that lives in the sea around one of the neighbouring islands which apparently has a name similar sounding to mine and is very very small! 

NEW UPDATE COMING SOON!!!

One Love

One love. This is the organisation that I am praying I can be a part of that is being established by a man I have previously mentioned called Chris.

On Monday Evening ( Tonga's Tuesday morning) I was lucky enough to be able to skype Sam and Chris again. First of all... I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. I can't get over how cool it is that I can still hear and see them even though they are so far away. If I was to put my finger on a globe and poke England, Tonga is literally on the opposite side.

So... What did we speak about? Well we spoke largely about the camp. However we also spoke about Sam, and Chris and family's trip to the USA at the end of this month. I'm so glad they all get this time to go visit family, earn money and have a nice time as they all thoroughly deserve it. Although I do not know Chris or Ashley (Chris' Wife) very well I can already see they are amazing people with kind hearts and deserve a break! 

Chris also spoke to me about his visual ideas for the camp and they sound incredible and super creative. Think... Individual huts to represent the person living in them, a museum, gardens and a kitchen.

Although at the moment it's all only being spoken about I have faith that's it's all going to work out and at the moment it seems like it is all going to plan. I think Chris has spoken to Nobels in Tonga and very important people in Fiji and will hopefully get the land needed to begin One Love. 

Excited is an understatement. I am buzzing to get out there and help in any way I can.. Building.. Any physical work.. ( however I may have to work on my tiny muscles prior to this haha! ) teaching and absoloutely anything I can do to help.

I also recieved another letter from Sam explaining more about the camp which carried on from the previous one he sent. It was so exciting to see the envelope and open it up! He is also teaching me bits of Tongan which will be really useful! 

    Tongan stamps from Sam's letter ^

However, I am still desperately trying to find more ways to make money to fund my ticket etc. So if anyone has any ideas they would be greatly appreciated!

Hoping that my dad will be able to send a few bikes out there also which would be awesome to have at the camp. But as I say at the moment everything is still ideas. However it's all coming together which is pretty sweet!

As for Australia, I'm hoping to get a job out there as soon as I can, so again if anyone could help me with that that'd be awesome but I will keep looking! Thinking perhaps bar or cafe work would be good to meet new people! 

Can't wait to see my aussie family again too, I miss them loads! 

Will have a new update very soon!

To be continued!

Progression

Hey Guys!
Appologies for the severe lack of posts but in all honesty.. there hasnt been much travel related things for me to give updates on - although i wish there was!

Had a testing few weeks at home with various aspects of my life so im now even more focused on getting away!
I have met up with my cousin again since my last post and he visited our family in australia for a few weeks; which looked awesome.
Also he created an incredible video with his 'gopro' camera which gives a great perspective on the whole idea of travelling.

We have begun our initial plan of where we intend to visit which features a range of places throughout Thailand, Borneo, the east coast of Australia and also hopefully Tonga again. Getting these thoughts down on paper and looking at maps makes me want to get the ball rolling even more!
Speaking of Tonga, i am hoping to be able to visit my friends there and help out with a camp which will hopefully be created by some awesome people called Chris and Ashley. Chris and Ashley have a blog which i totally reccomend you take a look at its called: http://theadventuresoftongaman.blogspot.co.uk/
I am hoping to be able to go and help with their camp 'One Love' when it is fully established in order to help get kids off the streets and into learning useful things to help keep them out of trouble and hopefully give them a better future!


So... what have i been doing for the past few weeks?
well to begin i have been working most days, which i am not really used to but having an end goal (a rather exciting one) really helps. Its strange seeing everyone at uni and nearing the end of their first year, but at the same time - although it feels as though im missing out - i feel like im experiencing different, equally as exciting things so it balances itself out i guess!

A few weeks ago I managed to skype Chris and Sam in Tonga, it was so strange being able to hear their voices and see them from the other side of the world. Chris even mentioned possibly building me my own hut over there which would be amazing!

Also I have received another letter from Sam that I need to reply to, reading the address hand written across the back of the white envelope makes me think of the tiny island of which it has travelled to me from. I find it much more personal and exciting sending letters rather than just facebook messaging or emailing people - it adds more of a connection. 

I am hoping to look into leaving in around September, however it's totally dependant on funds. 

A few weeks ago I came across an incredible deal hosted by 'STA travel'. They were offering a one way ticket to australia and a working holiday visa for around £498! However, as tempted as I was to take the offer it would mean leaving around June and I wouldn't have had a suitable amount of funding and I didn't want to rush into booking it.

So as it stands I am still looking at dates and I have figured out all the seasons and the places I want to go perfectly for if we leave in September, so that's pretty good as it all works out and can be altered if needs be. 

Hoping to skype Chris and Sam soon to catch up and to give more updates!

'Ofa 

(Love in Tongan)

The Letter and the Decision

Okay so, since writing my last post I have received a letter addressed from my friend Sam in The Kingdom of Tonga. It was awesome to have this appear through the letterbox and to open it up, knowing that it had been written on the other side of the world. 

Here is a picture of me with my letter from Sam 

Just so people don't get confused I have Sam, my friend in Tonga and Sam, my cousin in England. There's so many Sams! Hehe.

After reading the letter I decided I needed to reply soon - Sam's letter had been posted on the 22nd of December and it had only arrived in late January! After around 5 days I have finally finished my reply, it's six pages long and explains a bit about my background and what I've been doing since getting back to England; such as finding work and visiting friends. A large majority of my letter was focused around a huge decision I am currently having to make...to travel more or go to university.

I have been struggling with this decision since I have been back. On one hand university is a really valuable experience, and benefits you in the long run. However I also have good opportunities to travel again and that is where my heart is set. For days I have slipped in between the two choices and with friends and family giving me different opinions it has been really hard to decide. Has anyone else struggled with such a decision? Or is currently trying to decide? Let me know!

After about a month or so I sent a message to my older cousin Sam; Sam is an awesome guy, totally chilled and inspirational. We had a conversation regarding what was going on presently in both of our lives and he explained his similar passion for travelling and where he would like to visit. We found that we shared a common interest of travelling and also wished to explore the same places.

Our messages went a little like this: 

Sam: "I want to know all about your trip! We should meet up me you and my bro! xxxxx"

Hayley: "I was going to ask you what your plans where actually!! Regarding the whole travelling thing! I'm in a predicament at the moment and don't know what to do about if I should go to uni (cause I have a place) or travel more :( it's so confusing! Haha xxx 

But yes can we ? That'd be good :) xx"

Sam: "Well I'm going to oz and America the beginning of this year and then I'm guna save more and hopefully either end up in Thailand later on in the year or do some volunteering! But I would love to know about all the things you've done! Where would you go travelling again? I would say do as much travelling as you can when your this age! I still want Togo to uni and I'm 22! You can do that anytime! But yeah we need to meet up! When are you free? xxxxx"

When we met up we discussed mutual places we would like to visit and decided on a possible outline of an idea. Also I must admit I talked for absolutely ages about my travels and stories - poor Sam! 

After having a think for a few more days I had finally made a decision and sent a message to my cousin:

Hayley: Sammy!! I've made up my mind!

Sam: Hahahahha wooooooo

          What have u decided?

Hayley: Shall I start growing my dreads now or? ;)

Sam: Hell yeah cuzzeeeeee

Ah! So now to start my research! 

We have decided on three main places that we would like to visit Thailand, Australia and Tonga. If anyone has any tips or extra information on any of these places it'd be great to hear from you. Obviously I have already visited Australia and Tonga but any extra help would be awesome.

While I was trying to make this major decision in my life I found some pretty apt quotes which brought me some inspiration and will hopefully bring some to other people:

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. - Steve Jobs

"I just wanna go on more adventures. Be around good energy. Connect with people. Learn new things. Grow." - Kid Cudi

“The most dangerous risk of all– the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” - Randy Komisar

So now the hard work begins, saving up and working almost every day to make this happen.

One last thing. I have learnt from meeting many different people around the world that lots of people want to travel but believe it is near impossible or 'risky' in the idea that it is breaking the norm. 

Well I hope to keep blogging to prove that the world is here to be explored and that it is completely possible and hopefully show that not everyone has to go to university or earn lots of money to achieve their dream.

Stay tuned. 

Peace