Experience: I travelled the world delivering letters to strangers
I have always loved travelling, and have spent most of my adult life either on the move or planning my next adventure. In 2014, I was living in London when my dad, Eric, was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND). I immediately moved back to my home town of New Plymouth in New Zealand, to help and spend time with him.
When he passed away in October 2022, I wanted to find a way to process my grief, and I was desperate to get back out into the world.
In early 2023, I took off to the Galápagos Islands for a much-needed break. While there, I visited Post Office Bay, on Floreana Island. There's an old whisky barrel there that is used as a postbox. It was first used by sailors in 1793 to send mail back home: they would leave a letter and take any that were addressed to their next port of call to deliver them by hand. It's still used by tourists. People will leave a letter and take one that they are able to hand-deliver to their next destination.
The barrel was full to the brim with postcards waiting for delivery. I took a couple home with me and delivered them with glee: one to a teacher from their pupil, and another from a girl to her boyfriend. The recipients were incredibly grateful, and it felt wonderful to have brought such joy.
I delivered a love letter to a man only to find he'd since broken up with his partner. Weeks later, they were back together
Weeks later, I couldn't stop thinking about the letters. I'd already planned to do some more travelling, but then I thought: what if I spent a year delivering more letters from that postbox? I realised I could keep my remote job, and at the same time travel the world delivering post, using air miles and working along the way.
I decided to document my journey on social media, partly to keep a record of my adventures, but also to help raise awareness of MND. I had watched Dad lose his ability to travel and physically communicate, which was devastating, so I wanted to remember him by making meaningful human contact.
In March 2024, I set off for Galápagos. I picked out 55 letters and postcards that covered a large geographic area. I aimed to deliver one a week, covering at least 52 countries and spanning all seven continents, starting in Central America and finishing in Europe.
I avoided using social media to get in touch with people, going purely by address. If they weren't there, I'd ask around locally, then use social media, doing my best to hand-deliver the letter. Sometimes, friends who had joined me for part of the trip could help translate, but I had to rely on Google Translate a lot. Usually, people were initially confused, but that would turn to complete joy as they read their letter.
I was extremely nervous about the first few deliveries. I didn't know how people would react to me knocking on their door unannounced. I'm 52 and very outgoing, but I'm aware that nowadays people are wary of speaking to one other.
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Usually, once they understood what I was doing, they were really warm and welcoming, but there were a few exceptions.
Delivering letter number 50, in Bergen, Norway, I almost got arrested. The lady who answered the door didn't believe my story and mistook my selfie stick for a weapon, so she called the police. I had to show the officers my Instagram journey to prove what I was doing, and we all ended up laughing together.
In Belize, I delivered a love letter to a man, only to find he had broken up with his partner. Weeks later, I got a message to say they were back together.
My favourite delivery was letter eight, in Mexico City, from a daughter to her mother, thanking her for letting her follow her dreams. The mother had been very ill, and her daughter wanted to come home from her travels to look after her, but she insisted her daughter continued with her trip. I'm still in touch with both of them.
When I finished my challenge in March this year, I held a party in London and invited everyone I'd met along the way. People came from all over the world – I was so touched and humbled. I've made friends for life.
Now my challenge is over, I've decided to write a book and help develop a film about my travels, but I'm already starting to get itchy feet. The only problem is finding a way to top my last adventure.
• As told to Heather Main
Do you have an experience to share? Email experience@theguardian.com
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