As I wrap up from almost 1.5 months of solo globetrotting, acquiring 4 new (6 total) passport stamps, thousands of miles and a mind full of memories, a bit of reflection on my experience is due to you, my readers.
Before I embarked on this 3 month trip, I had traveled alone to quite a few countries across the globe, but never for more than 2.5 weeks at a time. Additionally, much of my most recent travel has taken me to countries in Central and South America, due to its close proximity to my home in Houston, TX. I speak some Spanglish and consider myself pretty well versed in Latin country travel – I’m used to the culture (for the most part), the way and pace of life as well as the food, making it feel very comfortable and non-threatening as a travel destination. I also have lived and traveled extensively in Asia, so that travel feels comfortable and ‘easy’ to me as well. My first travels during this adventure took me to Guatemala and Uruguay, both which were relatively easy for me and while I loved visiting those countries, it somehow didn’t truly feel like I was doing anything different than previous trips and I still felt a little like I was on vacation. The length, scope and mental impact of my travel didn’t really sink in until I reached the Middle East, a completely new part of the world for me in terms of both geography and culture, both of which are an ‘in your face all at once’ experience as soon as you touch ground. As soon as I arrive in Jordan, I instantly felt I was outside of my element and on a truly new adventure.
Spending more than a few hours in cars and buses over the past ~40 days, I’ve had time to reflect and think about the answers to questions like; do I actually like moving around every few days or so, or would I prefer staying and living nomadically in a city? Do I enjoy the solitude of solo travel or do I wish someone accompanied me? What do I like most about my trip so far?
Moving around from place to place, packing and repacking my belongings is sometimes tiring, but for the most part, I don’t mind it. I do very little unpacking and even though I packed pretty light, am finding myself just wearing the same thing over and over. I also enjoy the ability to just decide the day prior where I’m going to be next; it’s almost a game to me – to figure out the best deal on a decent hotel or flight and then what I’m going to do. I did a fair amount of research before I began my trip, so I do have some aces in my pocket so to speak, but there is still quite an element of challenge to piece it all together. Additionally, I can’t say that I’ve discovered a place outside of Buenos Aires that I would like to visit again for weeks at a time, so moving cities/countries still feels very easy to me. Perhaps if I found a place I really wanted to stay I might feel different…the jury is still out on this one folks…
Traveling alone, as a 48 year old woman, is quite different than my experience would’ve been at 20 or even 30 years old as now, my style of travel is what I like to call ‘bougie backpacker.’ While I don’t spend money on the nicest hotels (that often, ok I do add in a splurge now and again along the way), I do have a level that I won’t cross (e.g. hot water, A/C, non shared bathrooms, cleanliness, safety, etc.) for travel and accommodations that might’ve been more acceptable when I was younger. To be frank, one thing that has surprised me thus far is the low number of friends I’ve met along the way; I haven’t met as many people (fellow travelers, in country friends) as I had anticipated when I began this journey. To some extent, my travel style has likely impacted this, that is if I were younger I might stay in more ‘hostel’ style accommodations where one meets and interacts with many other travelers on a daily basis. However, there are other potential reasons for the lack of connections; e.g. season of travel. In my first country, Uruguay, I visited during shoulder season, where there were few tourists and guests in the hotels I stayed in and places I visited. My second country, Guatemala, was visited with family, making most of my connection focused on family interaction; my third country, Jordan, was visited during the war in Israel, during a time that should’ve been high season, but was experiencing a 90% decrease in tourism. That being said, I actually do not mind the lack of fellow travelers as meeting people somewhat drains my energy and experience of a place; the few times I’ve had a guide during my trip thus far, because it was the only option available to visit a place, I’ve found myself tired and wishing I was alone! Haha!
I would say that the raw challenge true travel provides in terms of not knowing what to expect next, playing the booking game the day before I decide to do something, and having the ability to just decide to leave a place are my favorite parts of this trip thus far outside of the AMAZING things I’ve seen and done. I love finding out what will work out for me and just letting the travel gods lead me along.
What I hope to discover over the next 1.5 months are not only new places, but a sense of where I fit most into the world of travel and what’s next for me after this journey. How and where will I travel to next? What life lessons I will gain? This is only a brief chapter in my (travel) life book, but I can’t wait to read on!
