Travelling Thoughts

Today’s prompt hits home hard because, right now, the horizon looks a bit like a stormy sea. In the next six months, the “safe and predictable” version of my life is going to be tested in ways I didn’t entirely expect.

What is the biggest challenge you will face in the next six months?

If you’ve been following HaveStories.com you know I’m not one for standing still. At least my mind is usually a whirlwind of thoughts that I then try to pen down for you to read. But there’s a difference between a scenic drive and navigating an approaching hurricane.

And if you are not yet a follower of my blog, please join our merry band. Now would be the best time!

The Great Relocation: Back to the Drawing Board

For a long time, we have thought of relocation, once again, and a while ago we decided where we wanted to be heading. We actually thought we knew exactly where the road was leading this time around. We still definitely know that we are leaving the sub-zero winters of Finland behind, but the destination has suddenly become a question mark again.

Spain vs. Malaysia: We truly went from “decision made” to “back to the drawing board.” Do we want to stay in Europe and embrace the Mediterranean lifestyle of Spain, or do we take a massive leap into the heart of Southeast Asia and the vibrant Muslim culture of Malaysia where my wife comes from?

The question is not an easy one; Europe seems to be anti-immigrant, far-right leaning, and generally a mess at the moment. There is no coherent leadership when it comes to policies that are supposed to govern us reliably—we have to keep on arming Ukraine, but couldn’t care less about a genocide performed by israel. And that is just one example.

But then again, our poodlies are just about 9 years old, so travelling to Malaysia with them is a lot of strain on their system, especially when they have to travel in the pet section and one transit. At least to Spain we could drive from Finland, once again. (Although I would love to drive to Malaysia from Finland… sponsors, hit me up!)

Moving a life—a home, a marriage, and a career—between continents isn’t just about logistics; it’s about finding a place where our “lifestyle” isn’t just a tagline, but a reality. And this is yet another aspect to consider. Spain is perhaps the only European country where both of us feels like home. But… so does Malaysia.

The Creative Leap: From “Opening” to “Selling”

If you thought that was the challenge of 2026, you are partially wrong. As free-spirited, creative people, we’ve built the infrastructure for our small business. We have the YouTube channel (Open Road Tales), the blog, which you are just reading, and our Etsy store Poodlies, which concentrates on experiences from our travels. You should definitely check it out.

But the biggest challenge in the next six months, regarding these is the transition from creation to viability. When making this transition one needs to realise the fact that a day only has 24 hours. And when you spend a part of that asleep (damn the physiology that requires sleep!) and part of it is spent at work… you see my dilemma.

It’s one thing to make art from your travel photos because you love them; it’s another to ask the world to buy them. Same thing happened with my first ever book—I love it, yet people don’t buy it.

The challenge we will face in the upcoming months is not just to find the time but to find our “tribe“—the people who see the world the way we do—and turn this passion into the engine that fuels our escape from the 9-to-5. You could be the starter that ignites the engine going, you know…

As a nurse, I’m used to high-pressure environments and situations, but building a business is a different kind of “emergency.” It requires a stamina that isn’t measured in 12-hour shifts, but in hours, days, weeks, and even months of consistent effort despite the “zero sales” notification on Etsy Seller -app.

Embracing the “Storm”

As said, I foresee storms ahead. The stress of moving, the financial risk of self-employment, and the emotional toll of leaving the familiar behind. But I’ve learned something on the ward: You don’t survive a storm by wishing for calm; you survive it by being a better sailor.

In six months time, I dearly want to be able to look back and say that the “drawing board” wasn’t something that became a place of defeat, but the place where we made a realistic decision and designed a better life for us.

A Note to My Readers:
If you’ve ever felt like you were standing on the edge of a massive change, you know how much a “digital high-five” means. Your want to support our journey would mean a Moon to us as we navigate these next six months—whether it’s helping us buy a camera for Malaysia or a coffee in Spain—you can do so here: Buy Me A Coffee.