It's early morning and I'm working through the business of the day.

It never ends and is part of the job even on holiday.

It occurs to me that in all reality Keith and I  would not be here sitting in a nice apartment in Cape Town if it wasn't for my choice of career all those years ago.

"Choice of career" is not actually correct, in essence, the journey just happened and I took the gamble and it ended up this way.

The pathetically shy, introvert person I used to be has been pushed to the limit and emerged the person I always wanted to be.

But this life is not for the faint hearted.

I often see online that other Tutors are about to embark overseas, but there is more to it than that.

Of course there are work visas, paperwork and a lot of hard slog in the background to make it all happen. Days and weeks in the studio at home in preparation are all part of the tour.

Co-coordinating plane flights that often don't fly to schedule, learning the psyche of flying and having a back up plan. Coping with different cultures with dignity and professionalism is pretty much par for the course.

On the road I've met Tutors who do it well and more often than not, those that buckle under the strain and are really ill prepared.

Homesickness happens every time I travel but communication has improved and last night as we chatted to our son in Russia and made all the grandparents noises to the new baby it prompted me to reflect on how things have changed since I began traveling.

The first time I was here in South Africa, I had a paper ticket.

Unaware that the attendant had taken two tickets out instead of one at the ticket desk in Johannesburg when I checked in on the first flight, I was left with no ticket for an onward  flight…. so I had to purchase a new one there and then.

Now we don't even carry tickets.!!!

Physically you need to be aware of how your body reacts to flight and travel. To standing on your feet for 10 hours in a class day after day and being mentally alert to be the best you can for 25 students day after day.

Jet lag is a killer and you need to manage it with rest and diet.

That's why I try to stay in a hotel rather than home stay, to wind down and get the brain and body back to normal before the next day of class or trip.

But here we are.

Keith and I travel at least once a year together, we've gone to places I would never have imagined going to had I not have experienced the life of a traveling Teacher.

I consider it a gift and along the way, I've met the most wonderful people, been to  places I only dreamed of and learned things I could never have found in books.

Traveling has added so much to my creative expression that no teaching fee could ever come close to covering.

12 years on the road and I'm still excited at everything I see and do.