From Dusty Cupboards to Silver Linings

From Dusty Cupboards to Silver Linings: The Post-Event Debrief Nobody Asked For (But Here It Is Anyway)

Sip. Deep breath. Post-event Day One. That’s what I’m calling this phase, like the awkward Monday after a messy weekend. It’s taken me ages to unpack the past 45 days, and not just my kit bag (which, yes, still smells faintly of ambition and regret).

Truth be told, I’d already “blogged” the whole journey as it happened, via voice notes. I’d ramble into my recorder like a caffeinated pirate, then later transcribe and edit. It turns out speaking truthfully is much easier when you’re not worried about punctuation. And what I captured was raw, accurate, and very me.

Now, with that chapter metaphorically stuffed into a dusty old cupboard, next to a half-full, half-empty mug of metaphorical tea, I’m finally ready to move on. Though, let’s be honest, I’d have preferred the saga end with a sparkly trophy on a light-up plinth and maybe a confetti cannon or two (ha ha!) Instead, we got… well, emotional whiplash and a blog (can't have everything!!)

Here’s the thing: I was down. Not just "oops, I dropped my toast butter-side down" low... actual low. Because the event didn’t pan out like I had imagined (which involved more high-fives and fewer awkward silences). And returning to familiar faces post-event was... surreal. People seemed almost normal again. Kind, even. (After the post event meeting!) Which only made things more confusing. Was it me? Was it the event? Was it Mercury in retrograde?

I expected some of the unpleasant behavior to linger like an unwanted group chat, but nope (apart from being told by a lot of people that negativity is still mentioned right now! Which is a shame!) Besides this, everyone kind of reset. Maybe they thought the things that happened would stay buried. Maybe they should have. But you know what? I’m not great at pretending. I find it very difficult to lie when people asked, “How did it go?” I didn’t want to grin and say, “Amazing!” when it wasn’t. I’m allergic to fake cheer. So I've found myself avoiding that question, or saying things like, "it was definitely an experience!".

But no more rambling about that. This post isn’t for picking scabs. It’s about moving forward. Fresh page & absolute positivity. The thing I said I was all about, remember? The thing I am all about, even if my glitter sometimes gets smudged.

So what’s next? Well… a lot, actually.

I dont know if I said, but I did get the world record as well. A new world record non the less! For this we wracked up about 20'000 pieces of evidence. Massive shoutout to Pam for her help with this, who diligantly took a 2 minute video every hour I was moving, and photos, and videos besides, of roadsigns, and anything which would give an accurate representation of where I was wheeling. A huge thankyou, for handing out forms and business cards to people on the way. That was truly amazing. No one could have done a better job.

And to ALL my crew, I thank you so much. Truly. I couldn’t have made it to the finish line without you. Through the good bits and the messy middle, you were part of the story. Events like this aren’t supposed to be perfect. Humans + pressure = chaos. Everyone reacts differently when thrown into an unfamiliar blender of emotions, logistics, and expectations. It’s messy. It’s real. It’s growth.

So here's to the next adventure. With an open mind, hopeful heart, and eyes firmly on the glitterball ahead. I’m excited. The crew’s excited. And I promise: the next round will be packed with joy, lessons learned, and hopefully fewer existential crises.

Catch you in the next post for a behind-the-scenes peek at how we got from post-event blues to silver-lined highs.

And hey, if you’ve read this far? You deserve a trophy too!

— Still metaphorically standing (and occasionally spinning),
Your resilient event survivor 🫶