No Husband, No Kids And Loving It!

Christina Patterson on having a rich and fulfilling life whatever the circumstances

As the dance ended, we clinked glasses one last time. I was in a nightclub in Addis Ababa with two young Ethiopians and a young Nigerian after a week of working together. We’d just been served a slap-up feast and watched some very vigorous traditional dancing, including a group of women in tight cardigans who vibrated their torsos so their breasts bounced. I laughed so much I had to wipe away tears. The young Ethiopians were laughing too.

The call had come out of the blue. Would I go to Ethiopia to interview some coffee farmers? A couple of weeks later, I was sipping freshly roasted coffee while gazing down at a pack of hyenas. The next day, I was eating a local delicacy with a family in their mud hut.

This was four months ago. I’ve since been to Tuscany and Dubai. I can do these things because I don’t have a husband or a family. I’m free to drop everything and just take off.

The dating years