Albert Einstein once said "The measure of intelligence is the ability to change"

By his definition, I have determined that I must be pretty darn intelligent!

I have done a lot of changing in the last 4 years. Some of it thrust upon me unexpectedly. Some by choice. But in the end, all of it welcome.

Today my world changes again. Just when I'd got the hang of this new life in Arequipa teaching English, I'm up and leaving it. Totally my choice to do it, and it feels right. Albeit, a little scary not knowing what's next. Not having a clue in fact. Not even an inkling of a plan! That's intimidating for a planner and organiser like me. A little ironic and the lesson I am here to learn perhaps?

I recognise how fortunate I am. Not everyone can drop their responsibilities and take up an unplanned, live each day as it arrives, type of lifestyle. But this is my journey. For now, at least. Rightly or wrongly, this is where I have ended up.

I thought, well actually I "expected", to finish my 6 month stint here in Peru not only a different person but a person who knew exactly what she wanted and what was next. Disappointingly I have had no lightbulb moment. No tap on the should from the universe. No blindingly obvious signs leading me to my future.

I spent a number of weeks stressing and worrying about this predicament. I started to doubt my time here in Peru; had I not made enough of it? Had I relied on others too much? Many back home were saying how brave and inspiring I was, yet all I felt was failure. How did I get to this point of self-discovery and not have a clear path? Am I expecting too much? All these questions and doubts adding to the pressure.

Funny how we do that to ourselves isn't it ….

One day as I was watching a hungry cat stalking a pigeon in the long grass I realised it's all about perspective .....

The cat was wriggling its butt like cats do, preparing to pounce. Only to be bested by the pigeon who took off into the air with one flutter of its wings, as the cat made its grand move. Not to be outdone, the cat waits in the grass as the pigeon taunts it by sitting on a nearby ledge. Knowing full well the pigeon will make an attempt to land again, the cat waits patiently. Within minutes its theory is proved right and the pigeon attempts to fly down to the ground, at which point the cat leaps into the air under the mistaken view that it too can fly! It narrowly misses the pigeon for the second time and comes crashing to the ground - landing on all fours of course. It settles back down into the grass for the next attempt. Never giving up. Never expecting it to be easy. Never using the same techniques.

As I watched this cat Eckhart Tolle's saying popped into my head; "The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it"

So, what is a girl to do when there appear to be no answers and no clear plan?

She looks at it differently. She trusts the bigger plan. She kicks off her shoes and settles in for the ride. Planning for no more than a couple of weeks in advance.

That being said ….. After being a "tourist" in Arequipa for the past week and visiting exquisite places such as the Santa Catalina Monastery, the Cloisters, Alpaca farm and the Basilica Cathedral (which has dominated so many of my photos during my time here) I am now heading off to Pisac with a good friend.

Pisac is about 30 mins from Cusco, in the Sacred Valley of the Incas, which is on the route to Machu Pichu. It lies at just under 3,000m above sea level and has a population of around 10,000. I'm a small-town girl and living in a very chaotic city of 1.5 million people over the last 5 months has drained me. I'm really looking forward to moving into a small community for a week.

Pisac is a very spiritual place, with its own temple and citadel ruins, similar to its famous neighbour a few hours up the valley. Researchers believe it served to defend the southern entrance to the Sacred Valley and the border of the rain forest. It was most likely built around 1440 but the Spanish destroyed it in the early 1530s. The modern town of Pisac was built about 40 years later.

The freedom I am starting to feel as I board the bus tonight for a 13-hour trip, is exhilarating. No one demanding anything of me. No one wanting my commitment or dedication. No one with agendas of their own. Judging with harshness what they think they see in me.

I am free to choose. Go left or right today? Sleep in or get up early? Talk to people or put in my ear plugs and switch off from the world?

Yes, it's scary … but it depends which angle you look at it from.