19/10/2026
Two weeks. One midnight madness sale. A whole lot of stuff. And a reminder that perhaps Iāve been underestimating just how much I still have going for me. š
When I look back on the last two weeks, itās funny how something that started out as a way to sell a load of stuff ended up giving me so much more than I bargained for.
The idea was simple enough. I had things to sell, a space to sell them in, and a limited amount of time to make it happen. What I didnāt have was a grand plan. I was figuring it out as I went along, making decisions on the fly and hoping things would work out.
And somehow, they did.
The books were the biggest surprise. This wasnāt a book pop-up; it was a pop-up for everything. Shoes, gadgets, books, all sorts of things. But the books were what people gravitated towards, particularly the FairyLoot and other collectible editions.
Iād underestimated just how much interest there would be in these books in the Philippines. Thereās a real community of readers and collectors here, people who know exactly which editions theyāre after and which titles theyāve been hunting for. Some of these books are difficult to find locally, and thatās precisely what makes them special.
Iāve sold about half my books, which is more than I ever expected, but thereās still plenty left. The pop-up showed me something I hadnāt fully appreciated before: thereās a market here, and an opportunity worth exploring.
Not that Iām about to become a bookseller. Thatās not the point.
What excites me is the possibility of helping people get the things they love from overseas. Thatās what I do through Bundle Padala. I work in shipping, and I understand the challenges of getting things across borders. If someone in the Philippines knows exactly which book, collectible or product they want, I can help them get it home.
The pop-up became an unexpected introduction to something Iāve already been building.
Some people who came by didnāt even know I was still in shipping. Others remembered me from ShippingCart UK. Theyād been sad when it closed, and they were genuinely happy to discover they could still get books from abroad through Bundle Padala. Some have already started ordering.
Itās a lovely reminder that when one chapter closes, it doesnāt erase everything that came before. The experience stays with you. The relationships stay with you. And sometimes, they lead you somewhere you never expected.
None of this would have happened in quite the same way without my brother Javy and my sister-in-law Lia, who lent me the space. Having somewhere accessible in the heart of the city made an enormous difference. People could drop in, browse, come back and bring friends. Iām not sure the outcome would have been the same if Iād tried doing this from home. Iām incredibly grateful they gave me the opportunity. š
And then there were the people.
The ones who bought things, trusted me with their purchases, spread the word, or simply came by to talk, laugh and keep me company. Some returned again and again, not necessarily to buy anything, but just to see how things were going.
Those visits meant more than you might imagine. The days were long, and thereās only so much time you can spend on your own before the silence starts getting to you. Sometimes, having someone drop by for a chat can change the entire feel of a day.
And to the person who picked me up, dropped me home, helped me with a hundred little things, and showed up for me on most days ā you know who you are. Your presence made everything feel less overwhelming. I felt your absence on the days you werenāt there. Thank you, truly. š
Thereās another part of this story that says a lot about where I was when all this began.
I had a ridiculous amount of stock to move. I told myself I wanted the experience of doing it myself. The truth? I couldnāt afford to pay Lalamove.
So I took the little trolley Iād shipped over from the UK and pushed it myself, trip after trip after trip.
And push I did.
It wasnāt some grand statement about hard work. I simply didnāt have the means to pay someone else. And, if Iām honest, my pride made it harder to admit that than it should have been.
Now, after these two weeks, I could afford to buy a second-hand delivery van if I wanted to.
I keep thinking about that. Not because Iām planning to buy one, but because of what it represents. A couple of weeks ago, I was pushing a trolley because I couldnāt afford another option. Now, I have choices I didnāt have then.
Sometimes you donāt realise your circumstances are changing while youāre in the middle of them. You just keep doing what needs to be done. Itās only when you stop and look back that you see how far youāve moved.
I didnāt orchestrate any of this. There was no carefully constructed plan. I was trying to make a sale work, one day at a time. Yet the right space appeared, the right people showed up, old connections resurfaced, and new opportunities emerged.
Call it serendipity. Call it the universe doing its thing. I donāt know. I just know that it turned out better than I expected, and I feel blessed. Truly blessed.
Iāve had moments when Iāve felt as though Iād lost everything. When youāre rebuilding your life, itās easy to measure yourself against whatās gone, what hasnāt worked and how far you still have to go. You can become so focused on whatās missing that you forget to look at what remains.
These two weeks made me look again.
I still have plenty to sell. There are books waiting for their readers, shoes waiting for their buyers, gadgets waiting for their next owners. Thereās a business to build and plenty of uncertainty ahead.
But I also have experience, ideas, people who show up for me, and the ability to take what I have and make something of it.
Perhaps thatās what I needed reminding of.
The midnight madness sale marked the end of these two weeks, but it didnāt tie everything up neatly. Thereās still plenty to do. What it gave me was something more valuable than a tidy ending: a little perspective, a renewed sense of possibility, and the feeling that my story is far from over.
So thank you to everyone who bought something, dropped by, spread the word, lent a hand or simply kept me company. You became part of something that ended up meaning much more to me than I ever expected.
I started with a pile of stuff and no real idea how things would turn out.
Iām ending with about half my books sold, other stock finding new homes, new connections, unexpected opportunities, and a little more faith in what comes next.
My journey continues. And sometimes, when you have no fu***ng idea what youāre doing, you end up somewhere pretty amazing. š
