My life on board the ‘ship on wheels’ began a year ago, which led me to reflect on what I have experienced, as well as ask a big question - what next?

Making the transition from selling my homestead in the sticks (which facilitated the rewilding experience) to my current mobile abode, was a big deal. Far bigger than I had expected. I christened the ship ‘Freedom’, in anticipation of my new life. But, in retrospect, I realise it was the end goal of the transition and that a true sense of freedom had to be earned, or rather owned, over a period of time, as it’s more than just shedding responsibilities and physical possessions.

I found that the transition took a surprising amount of courage, trust and tenacity. Of course, there was a honeymoon period when I felt elated. But after this, I found myself reverberating around in the vastness, unfamiliarity and fluidity that comes with complete freedom, and it took some time to work out how to be comfortable with it.

Of course, this meant plenty more personal growth and spiritual development over the last year. All in all, I am pleased at where I have arrived within myself. I feel a very different version of me now, which was the intention (different me, a different life) - sharpened intuition and awareness, more connected with the ‘all that there is’, more tolerant, patient, peaceful and my body is rested after years of over-use.

But the year has also been isolating, which was another surprise. I hoped to move out of this phase, which characterised the previous six rewilding years. The global shut-down and being on the move, however, precluded this. So, having done seen much of the beautiful British coastline, I am inclined towards a period of stability, and have decided to ‘drop anchor’ for the next few months, and possibly over the winter, in a part of Wales I love, not too far from my previous home. This means I know a few people in the area, can put down temporary roots and feel part of the local community. I have already been out walking with a few other people and, yesterday, I gave a book reading in the community café. It feels good to have opportunities to meet people, especially as many are like-minded.

There is also another matter to consider, and that is the practical issue of ‘resilience’, given the unstable global economy, which is likely to temporarily worsen over the winter from what I can tell. This means ensuring continuity of power and water in the event of cuts and access to locally grown organic food, in case there are food shortages. Backups exist where I am now based. I have also stocked up on dried and jarred food, and have invested in a food dehydrator which will fun to play with, whether or not it becomes a necessity.

So, ‘what next? It’s important for me to always have a purpose, and I am feeling the need for a new one now. Initially, working out how to manage the ‘ship’s’ technicalities, acclimatising to life on wheels and travelling, was a good enough purpose for the first six months. Finishing the book and getting it published then took over. Going forwards, I plan to develop book-related themes through audios and videos on this website, which might also lead to other opportunities and collaborations. This might well be the case. But something is missing and I have been struggling to put my finger on it.

This nomadic existence was intended primarily as a stop-gap before moving abroad to live. I have been biding my time aboard ‘the ship’ until this is possible without hassle, as I don’t subscribe to the mainstream narrative about what’s going on in our world. I have invested much time and effort over the last 8 years or so, educating myself on how our world really works. While multiple crises of our current times are not pretty, at least we can now see clearly what needs to change and where innovation is needed. I absolutely know we are going to create a better world. The seeds are already sown, albeit under the radar. I also know I must play my part in this, which was the catalyst I needed to complete the book. I was compelled to get my information out there, about how we can harness our innate abilities to take control of our lives. This is the ultimate way to ‘take back your power’. But still, I pondered, ‘what more’? And a few days ago, in a moment of clarity, I got the answer.

The need for a ‘proper’ home is starting to press on me. But in what country? The only thing I know for sure, is that it’s not the UK. As every country is in a state of flux and instability right now, nothing stands out. Then there is the question of whether I do this alone, or with others. If it were simply a question of buying a property, it wouldn’t be such a big issue. But I intend to build my own self-sufficient, ultra-low energy home. Doing this in a country where I don’t speak the language or know the system, will be challenging, especially on my own. And, frankly, it would be much more fun to do it with others.

Another piece of the mix is, now that I am a free agent, I thought that should I meet a fine man, this could bear an influence on the question of ‘where’.  But as it has not yet happened, it’s time to crack on. So, I am going to do something that has been in the back of my mind for quite a while, and that is to look for a small group of like-minded people who would be interested in creating a rural co-living project overseas.

More than that, I envisage it being a showcase of harmony and utility - socially, structurally, architecturally, ecologically and aesthetically, which could act as a blue-print for others who might also choose a different way of living. To this end, I am thinking of making this project public by tracking it from the seed of the idea all the way through to fruition, via blogs, podcasts and videos, covering the inevitable trials and tribulations, challenges and, of course, successes.

It may prove to be my biggest challenge yet (and I don’t underestimate it), but I am confident I have sufficient skills, gained through a variety of means, to manage it and, with the right group of people who all have something unique to contribute, make it a reality. I might even meet a ‘fine man’ along the way!

In the spirit of walking my talk, the first step (as I explain in my book), is to breathe life into the vision by manifesting it energetically with the power of thought, before I take any practical steps. Then I will do what I have done many times before, and simply ask the first question.

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