When Life Gives You Drama, Make It a Show.

Chaos is my kingdom, messy is my lifestyle. I’m just a chill girl… fucking around and finding out.

Trying to come back to the things I love, to make sense of it all in the middle of this existential crisis / emotional storm / whatever this is.The beginning of 2026? Steep.

I had high hopes, big expectations, but I was also prepared for something intense, because I’m starting to understand how things work.

So I thought: this could be a fun story to tell. And also… therapeutic.

Synopsis

She just quit her job. She’s ready for holidays: starting in Sydney with friends, followed by a dreamy road trip in her van across New Zealand. What could possibly go wrong?

Episode 1 — Sydney, Sunshine & Delulu Dreams.

So yes, I went to Sydney, and it was everything I wanted!

Now, let’s ignore the minor details before departure: the van engine dying ($6K, love that), visas still not approved five days before leaving (fun), and AT80 being sick (perfect timing). Honestly, the universe was testing my patience, but once we landed everything clicked. Sydney delivers! I did a lot of things from my list: The first things I’ll do when I go back to Sydney (my latest article). We celebrated Christmas and New Year with our familia quente, met their new puppy, went to the beach, to the cinema, tried new spots, did some shopping, worked on a short film with the team…

It felt perfect... and very hard to leave.

Episode 2 — Van Life… But Make It Robbery.

We land back in Auckland, pick up the van, throw our suitcases inside, and go grab a quick coffee before starting the road trip.

One hour later: window smashed, backpack gone, computer gone, expensive work gear gone. Just like that.

What follows is a series of disappointments: no help from the parking security, no help from the police, no help from the insurance. So in less than 60 minutes, we lost: a computer, brand new gear we had just bought in Sydney, $700 for the window, and our sense of “this is going to be a fun adventure.”

Episode 3 — This Van Is Cursed, Burn It.

At this point, I’m not even joking: the van is cursed. Since day one, it’s been issue after issue, expense after expense. So we did what any emotionally stable, rational adults would do: we decided to sell it immediately. No plan. No backup. Just feelings.

Was it impulsive? Yes. Did it feel right? Also yes.

Episode 4 — Two Weeks in a Parking Lot (Character Development Arc)

Selling a van in Auckland after a bad van-life experience? Not exactly original. The market is saturated, the buyers are rare, and patience is required. We had none. So we waited. In a car park. For two weeks.

The Margaret Griffen Stadium car park turned out to be the perfect setting for an unexpected study of human behavior and personal limits. I even wrote a private article in my notes: “How the fuck did I end up sleeping in a car park?” (Might publish that one day.) Our daily routine became a mix of false hope and small adjustments: clean the van, update the ad, retake the photos, lower the price, smile for potential buyers who may or may not show up. Meanwhile, life around us continues like nothing is wrong. Chickens fighting, van lifers smoking weed (yes, cliché but accurate), locals going for a run like this is just… a normal Tuesday. 0/10 experience. 10/10 character development.

Episode 5 — One-Way Ticket Home (France).

At some point, the energy just wasn’t there anymore. Tired of the uncertainty, the constant moving, the visas, the endless “what’s next?”. So we started reviewing our options: stay longer in New Zealand, try Australia again, wait for Canada…

And then, the idea of going back to France didn’t feel like failure, it felt like ambition. We realised we don’t just want to survive adventures, we want to build something. A project, a life, something creative that lasts longer than a visa. And for that, we need a home. Somewhere to feel safe, slow down, let things grow, and maybe stop self-sabotaging for a bit.

So we did something very on brand: we made a life decision quickly, emotionally, and with minimal overthinking. One-way ticket to France, as soon as the van was sold.

Bonjour comfort zone, peace, stability. (Or so we thought.)

Episode 6 — Kidding. Nothing Has Changed.

Now, let’s be serious for two seconds. Did you really think we would just go back home, settle down, and live a calm, stable life? Absolutely not. “Hi mum, hi dad! We’re moving to Bordeaux. No, we’ve never lived there. No, we don’t know anyone. No, we don’t have jobs yet. But looks cool.”

So here we are. In an Airbnb. In a new city, a new map unlocked. Starting from scratch… again. Bordeaux is beautiful, sunny, close to the ocean. It feels like a good place to find a home, to host our future creative projects. So no, nothing has really changed. Still dreaming. Still fucking around. But this time… we might finally find out.

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To be continued…

Next episode: home tour, second-hand makeover, and whatever plot twist life has planned.

Love you. Good to be back. Bisous 💋