It’s been five years since I started my travel blog Arimo Travels. To celebrate the occasion, I decided to write this little summary about things my site and I have gone through during the last five years.
2016
After a night at a concert in February 2016, I woke up with ringing in my left ear. As the tinnitus continued, I visited a specialist two times. The doctor told me my ringing should disappear by itself.
I had no time for more visits to the doctor. In May 2016, I started a 2-year trip around the world. Before the journey, I launched Arimo Travels to write about my travels.
2017
Asia, Australia, North America, South America… I spent the whole year on the road. My tinnitus continued, but I assumed I got some sort of hearing damage during the concert. I switched the focus of Arimo Travels from my own experiences to more general travel tips.
2018
During the last months of my trip, I got a few bouts of vertigo as I went to lie down. This only happened a few times, and after 777 days on the road, I finally returned back to Finland with long hair and a scruffy beard. I got back to my psychology studies and I started working as a part-time teacher. I hitchhiked home from work twice a week and I love it.
I went to see a doctor about my tinnitus as soon as I could. I went to a hearing test and I learned that I’ve lost some hearing on my left ear. The doctor sent me to more comprehensive tests.
2019
I decided to re-brand Arimo Travels to focus on sustainable travel. Later I put Arimo Travels on an indefinite hiatus.
In May, I finally learned the reason for my tinnitus, hearing loss and other issues. The doctors discovered a rare tumor (acoustic neuroma) inside my head. Acoustic neuroma is a rare type of tumor squeezed between three nerves: one for hearing, one for balance and the third for facial muscles. This explains all my symptoms. The tumor is not cancerous, but it had grown into the size of a golf ball. I heard very little on my left ear anymore and my left cheek was feeling a little numb.
I had a brain surgery in October. It was a success. My left ear went completely deaf (except for the tinnitus), but the doctors managed to remove most of my tumor. After a week in a hospital bed, I got back home. I felt happy when I realized I could still ride a bicycle.
2020
Well, we all know how this year went. The world entered lockdown and nobody went anywhere. In other news, I accidentally broke my blog’s website. Instead of trying to fix it, I left Arimo Travels in a broken state.
2021
This year I made a quiet return to travel blogging. I was able to fix my blog’s previous issues. I revamped the site and gave Arimo Travels a new layout and a new logo. I’ve also written several new blog posts about sustainable travel routes and other things. I’m busy working full-time, but I enjoy writing for the blog during my spare time.
In other news, I’m dealing pretty well with my acoustic neuroma tumor. My left ear remains deaf and I have some other minor issues, but the tumor has not grown and I’m able to live a normal life.
* * *
Today marks the fifth anniversary of Arimo Travels. By a weird coincidence, this date also marks the beginning of Acoustic Neuroma Awareness Week. I’m now living with a benign tumor in my head, but I’m glad I’m still able to do the things I love.
Who knows, if the global pandemic eases in the near future, I might start traveling abroad again. Until then, I am enjoying a more settled life here in Finland.
2 comments
Wow, Arimo, what an odyssey! Glad to hear the ear issues are sort of resolved or stable. Great to hear the blog is alive again!! I’ve learned that “easy” as blogs are to get started, it can be a project to keep them alive sometimes. The various evolutionary steps to the current Sustainable Travel focus all make sense.
Bad as the pandemic has been, Climate Change is the bigger challenge/terror of the 21st century. I’ve been studying the life of Marie Antoinette the last few weeks. All the crap she endured 240 years ago, while different, reminded me of all the crap we subject ourselves to today. We are a primitive species! In the case of my own country, a government that served people instead of corporations would be great! Still, as individuals we do bear responsibility and travel can be climate unfriendly, so it’s definitely a good time for your blog’s focus.
Your update didn’t say too much about school. Are you still in school? Did you finish? How’s work going?
I’ve been teaching at “Zoom University” since 13 March ’20. I think Zoom is a great business tool and an OK education tool. It gets the job done, but students really miss “The College Experience.” My avatar opened a coffee shop in a virtual world, so that’s where my socializing and travel has been! 😛
Congratulations on 5 years of Arimo Travels!!!
Thank you Glenn! 🙂
I’m currently doing a 5-month psychology internship. I still have one more month to go before I finish my studies! Work can be exhausting at times, but I’m enjoying it. It feels great to do work that can directly help other people.
Zoom University sounds like a great idea. Even if it cannot replace the real college experience, I’m confident you can make the most out of the current situation with your enthusiasm and endless curiosity.