Clazz’s 2017 Challenges: May Update

Woah, what the hell happened to you, May? After a manic April, you were supposed to be calm, collected and chilled out. I planned to slow down a bit – I wasn’t getting many shifts at my second job, so I was able to utilise days off to explore and catch up.

Fast forward to a few days into June, and today is my first day off in over two weeks. For better or for worse, the company I’m doing market research for won another contract, and suddenly I’m being offered double the amount of shifts interviewing tourists for them. Last week, I did four shifts in as many days, and I only actually had one of those days off from my full time job. The week before, I spent both of my days off working at my second job and still managed to fit in some interviewing in between. Honestly, I’m still exhausted just thinking about it. Bank account, you can thank me later.

But today! Today I’m off! My Facebook memories have reminded me that it’s three years today since I sold my business in England and put plans into motion to travel the world, which was a huge stepping stone to finally living out my dream. I may be working as hard as ever right now, but I have more of those dreams, and I know that what I’m doing right now will help me to live those, too. If you’re currently saving to travel, let me tell you: I know it can be a struggle, but it’s 100% worth it!! You won’t regret any of this.

So I hope you understand why I’ve been a little bit quiet on the blog front. I have a few posts in the works (in fact I got loads of writing inspiration this month, just I didn’t have time to perfect the finished articles!), particularly some more about where I live in Scotland! If you haven’t read my introductory post on what Orkney has to offer, you should check it out here!

Anyway, onwards with the challenges. The usual suspects are cropping up as failures, but some, as you can probably figure out, have been exceptional. Hopefully I find some time this month to fit in some more reading!

Make £50 £100 on side hustles

Last month, I wasn’t sure where to draw the line because I hit the target just on my second job in retail. This month? I made even more just on my market research job. Last week alone, it netted me an extra £150, so I’m even questioning whether to up this target again.

I also had a couple of lovely guys in the hostel asking if I knew anyone who could drive them around Orkney – that “anyone” ended up becoming me, and they very generously gave me £50 petrol money which is way more than I think I was worth, but thank you!

I haven’t even had time for surveys lately, but that’s something I really want to get back into before I get kicked off their panels or something.

Shop job: £68
Market research job: £220
Driving: £50
Total: £338 … yeah, okay, I think I might have smashed this one.

Get fitter

Somehow, I’ve found time to do quite a bit of walking this month, and found some nice trails around town that I might even start running. Ha!

I spent a couple of hours walking up the hill above town and finally found a cairn (tomb) I’ve been looking for for months! The entrance is so small that they’ve put a ladder in the top, so you have to open a trapdoor, roll it back and climb down into the tomb! I should add that I was by myself, on a deserted hillside… and YES, I went inside!

Write for other publications / read 50 books

I mean… I found Bill Bryson’s A Walk In The Woods on the hostel bookshelf, but have I read it yet? Nope. Alright then. You would never guess that I used to be a huge bookworm who devoured books in every spare moment, would you?

I’m planning to contribute to some blog collaboration posts this month and I’ve also got a couple of things lined up to pitch to some blogs, particularly local ones.

Learn something new

I have to say, my progress has really slowed down on Duolingo, so I must get that going again.

I’ve also been reading up on some European history, does that count?

Other things?

May hasn’t exactly been my most exciting month. I’ve discovered a few new places in Orkney, we’ve hosted a couple of couchsurfers, and OH! OH!! I finally saw a PUFFIN!!! In fact, I saw about 15 of them!! That was my aim for this year, and I achieved it within a week of them arriving in Orkney.

Expect super cute pictures to follow at some point – unfortunately, the zoom lens on my camera has broken! I am sad about this. Saaaaad! (But no worries, I’m due an upgrade on my camera, I think!)

I have been building up my Instagram though, starting with my most popular photo to date: a slightly different view to usual of Moraine Lake, Canada!

Here are a few of my other most popular ‘grams from May.

Do feel free to follow along on my Instagram HERE! I have loads of destinations lined up bursting with pretty photos from previous travels until my next trip in August!

Plans this month include trying to find time to get over to at least one of Orkney’s many islands which will hopefully involve an awesome hike to the iconic Old Man Of Hoy, and then doing the opposite by trying to find time to sit down for five minutes.

And get a good photo of a puffin.

And not vote Tory.