Personal Stories
I have been on one hell of a personal journey over the last few years.
Life was an emotional rollercoaster and back in 2013 it made perfect sense to me to quit my job and escape to Peru.
In the beginning everything was confusing despite being sheltered within the umbrella of an NGO where I was volunteering. I didn’t speak the language nor understand the customs. I thought that I would never get to grips with the local bus system or be brave enough to set out on my own across South America a I initially imagined that I would.
It’s no word of a lie – I was TERRIFIED – but there is something about the travelling community that encourages strangers to connect, share and open up with each other. I guess we all recognise that we are adrift in a strange place and a long way away from family and friends. People meet you and get to know you for who you are, without the influences of gossip or knowing about your past.
Problems are shared, dissected and solved and it was my nomadic travel tribe who persuaded me that my strengths lie in mentoring and supporting others until eventually Jane Clements Life Coach emerged from the ashes of anxiety and fear.
I have met some incredibly generous people along the way. People who have been generous with their time, possessions and love; and these are the people who inspire me to continue with my journey and to mentor and support others who need help.
In this section you will find some of my more personal stories plus the stories of others who are inspirational in their own way.
Feel free to contact me if you have any comments or if any of the issues resonate with you.
Does Travel Change You? (part 2)
Change, like laughter lines can creep up slowly when we aren’t looking. One day you look in the mirror and things are different. My previous article which asked 'Does Travel Change you?' (you can read it here if you missed it) showed WHAT some of the external...
Does travel change you? An unexpected side effect of travel (Part 1)
A rolling stone gathers no moss There is a saying - ‘Travel changes you’. Any search for a one-liner relating to travel will turn up hundreds of quotes. Since people began writing down their feelings and thoughts it seems that anybody worth their salt has had an...
What stops you from travelling?
The only limits to travelling are the limits which we impose on ourselves. People have jobs, mortgages and loans. Children and dependents and a life. Most people are more than happy with their lives but some feel a constant itch and a desire to see new places, and...
It’s Launch Day!
If you are reading this message then hopefully you have been diverted to my revamped website. It has a new title – Scarlet Jones Travels – which incorporates the journey and adventures of Scarlet Jones with a feast of new travel features and advice. The beating heart...
Reasons to Travel
There are a lot of different types of traveller and I probably encountered most of them whilst I was on the backpacker circuit. I am going to chat about backpackers here rather than the travellers who prefer to stay in AirBnBs or co-living spaces as they tend to be a...
Pebbles. Diversity is a good thing.
I remember my grandmother offering me sweets from a jar every time she returned from her holidays in Bournemouth. The pebble sweets always fascinated me, partly because of the real and present danger that I could crack a tooth. I always worried that somehow a real...
…moving on
As you read this I will hopefully be somewhere in the Andes on a little adventure with some of my friends from the NGO. I can't believe how quickly the last three months have gone working with the NGO. Peru has got under my skin and whilst it would be so nice to stay...
Reflecting on 2013
What an amazing year 2013 has been. I still wake up every morning with a big wide grin. I have had some low points and some scary moments but overall I am having the most marvelous adventure. I made this happen. I quit my job, I sold the majority of my possessions...
Meeting People
Meeting people There is an old folk story of which I am often reminded when I am travelling. I’m sorry that I don’t know to whom it should be credited, but it goes something like this. Once upon a time, in a land far away there lived a wise old king. The king had...
What comfort zone?
The cab which I shared with Mia and her lovely nine year old son Nicholas crawled along under the majestic cliffs upon which Miraflores is balanced, delayed in the horrendous early morning traffic. On our slow journey from the airport I looked up at the towering...