let’s talk about charlotte …
I’m Charlotte, born and raised in Sheffield, UK.
First disclaimer, I’m dyslexic therefore my spelling and grammar is shit. I’m an introverted extrovert, and I have a potty mouth.
Now that’s all sorted. Let’s begin. I help people who suffer with their mental health and show them it doesn’t have to stop them travelling the world.
I love to travel and go on adventures. And have been doing so as much a possible since the age of 17. I don’t come from a wealthy or adventurous family and a lot of them think I’m ‘quirky’ in my ways. Growing up I went to Spain, and Benidorm was a firm favourite of my parents, which I loved. But as I began to explore myself I’ve been on a road trip around the south west coast of America, camping in Oman and island hopped around the Canary Islands. I’ve had some amazing experiences whilst travelling and am the person I am today because of those experiences.
Now these are two very different ways of travelling. And at 17 I swapped the all inclusive two week all inclusive beach holidays, for trips where I could explore more, I could experience local culture and do things I never dreamed of doing. I loved the holidays from when I was younger and am forever grateful to my parents. I just needed to feed this urge to explore. Naturally when you go into the unfamiliar, of having a travel company do everything for you, to you being your own tour guide that’s a pretty big step. And for the first time in my life I began to experience my mental health, intertwining with my love of travel. And I now needed to be responsible for travelling with mental health, and be my own safety blanket.
FUCK
This wasn’t something I had ever encountered, at a time where I didn’t fully understand my mental health (and I’m still learning), and when it wasn’t as widely recognised for its seriousness and the suffering it can cause. I had a choice, to stay within the safety of what I’ve grown up with, always wondering ‘what if’, or just think fuck it, and do it anyways. And as you’ve probably realised I chose the latter, and decided to start travelling with mental health.
IT wasn’t an easy choice, and it’s a choice, for VERY small times in my life, I’ve really bloody regretted. Just thinking ‘Come on now Charlotte, is this all really worth it?!, why can’t you just be ‘normal” And that’s because I’m Charlotte and I try really hard not to let my mental health be my barrier.
Then in September 2016 I got the idea to write a travel blog. Giving an honest and sarcastic perspective about travelling. You see I suffer from several mental health issues as well as being dyspraxic, therefore simple every day situations to me can be quite difficult and I struggle to regulate my emotions and understand social cues. I spent a lot of my life thinking I was doing ‘travel’ wrong. As on the internet it seemed so easy, fun and carefree. And I don’t always feel like that with travel, I get cross, scared, overwhelmed and will ring my family and friends back home crying my eyes out sometimes. And that’s ok. Because travelling is still life, and sometimes its shit and can go wrong and you just need to call your mum and have her tell you to get a glass of wine, calm down and all will be well.
Therefore, a fair few years later (cheers imposter syndrome), I have decided to do this blog, to show you, that travelling and going on adventures is what I live for, but also it’s ok if sometimes you want to fuck it all off and just cry. My posts will show the places I’ve seen, the experiences I’ve shared and a story to keep it interesting. I want this blog to inspire you, because anyone can travel, you can travel and live as adventurously as you want.
You just need to take the first step,and, leave your comfort zone ♡
Me, charlotte Blackburn
