SIX MONTHS ON THE ROAD - SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL
It's been six months on the road today.
DANG
Where has the time gone?
It's been six months since I've been in an English-speaking country... since I've had a job ... since I've seen my family and friends (aside from one!) ... or since I've eaten a chipotle burrito bowl (i miss you) !!
After my first month on the road, I wrote a recap of things I had learned... and for the most part those all hold true.
EXCEPT.. I’ve definitely had multiple cups of coffee since then, I mean I visited Colombia since then for goodness sake, how was I not supposed to have a cup a joe!?
(okay I have gotten sun burnt a few more times too)
In 6 months I have seen 10 countries, visited countless cities, ridden on a million buses, hiked mountains, laid out on tons of beaches and slept in way more beds than I could ever being to count.
Each of these countries forever holds a place in my life...
MEXICO
Forever the place I started my first ever solo adventure. Isla Holbox remains one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever laid my eyes on.
BELIZE
Forever the place I spent the night on the tiniest island I have ever been on while sailing down the coast of Belize with Ragamuffin tours
GUATEMALA
So much happened in Guatemala that I will never forget. Forever the place I survived climbing Volcano Acatenango... the second time around. Forever the place I made some seriously awesome friends whom endured the pains of attempting to learn Spanish with me!
EL SALVADOR
Forever the place I met Denise and spent the night on the concrete floor of an unfinished restaurant kitchen atop a volcano property owned by a man names Luis.
HONDURAS
Forever the place I went to my first ever barber shop.. in a local neighborhood where no one spoke English and looked at me like I was crazy when I asked him to straight razor my head..
NICARAGUA
Forever the place I volcano boarded at over 30 miles an hour down an active volcano
COSTA RICA
Forever the place I got rained on in the rain forest with Nicole as we celebrated both of our September birthdays with some surf lessons
COLOMBIA
Forever the place I attended my first fútbol game abroad with my partner in crime Meg.
ECUADOR
Forever the place I got my first selfie with a llama..
PERU
I’m going to leave this as a TBD, as I will be here for the next 2 months but so far...
Forever the place where I was able to reflect and unwind on everything that has occurred over the last 6 months. I've been on the beach Mancora, Peru these last two weeks in solitude, taking some time to unwind and re center myself... and write this blog! I had a lot of catching up to do!
FAVORITE PLACE
Roatan, Honduras where I found a little home away from home
LEAST FAVORITE PLACE
Granada, Nicaragua
FAVORITE MEMORY
Everything about meeting Alabama Dan
LEAST FAVORITE MEMORY
Getting ripped off at the Honduran border
Every time I feel like I have this travel thing figured out..
I get something wrong
I get the bus time wrong, or book a hostel in the wrong part of town or have a lonely day after a string of perfectly lovely days.
While a bit frustrating.. it's a friendly reminder that you never have everything figured out. You never know everything. And life is never perfect.
Each day has proven to teach me something new, or remind me of a lesson I may have already learned but let slip away..
I still get ripped off... but much less. I have the guts to say no, haggle, or walk away from someone who wants to over charge me for a damn avocado. Previously I would just pay it. Not anymore..
PATIENCE. My patience is tested EVERYDAY. People walk too slow, buses leave 2 hours late, hostels do not have my reservation, no where is open, the line at the bank is 2 hours long, the water is out, some dweeb from not America wants to give me an angry mouthful about United States politics all while acting as if I am personal responsible...
Me being me, aka the least patient person in the world, this has been the biggest challenge for me. A challenge I am truly grateful for, because I can see and feel a change in myself.
Make up... I have had the same tube of mascara for 6 months, and it is nowhere near empty. I believe I have used it twice since September. Now, I don't feel the need to put on make up all the time anymore. I used to put it on to feel...pretty. However, I don't rely on it in that way anymore. I feel pretty just being me.
Hola, Como estas?... Mi español es mejor y estoy mas seguro. (My Spanish has improved and I am more confident!)
However, I am also nowhere near what I want to be. I've have decided this is a priority and I would like to take Spanish classes again in the near future.
I have learned that pictures of hostels online ALWAYS depict them wayy better than they actually are, it's amazing... almost do not even know how they do it. I roll in there expecting it to be all cute and homey and.. nahh. I've learned to read all the reviews instead of just looking at the pictures.
I am not built to move around every 3 days for months on end.
This is a big one. I've learned I cannot move around constantly, it starts to take a toll on me. I get agitated and find I stop enjoying the beauty that surrounds me. Some down time is necessary, to unpack my bag, eat healthy and take the time to really get to know a town. I find a real joy in that. Like the 6 weeks I spent in Antigua or Roatan, or the 2 plus weeks I am here in Mancora, Peru.
This goes along with ..
The need to slow down. Something I have struggled with my entire existence. Slow down, take time for yourself, regroup and find your sense of self again. You don't need to see everything, you don't need to do everything, you really don't. Once I got over that notion, I was able to relax.
The friends I have made have blown my mind. Maybe it's because we are like-minded, maybe it's because we go through the same experiences out here, or maybe they are just bad ass people. I’ve met people who have changed my life. In big and small ways. You know who you are...
Plans change - I originally wanted to go to Antarctica this season, I don’t think that's going to happen and that is okay. My plan was to have no plans, and to do what makes me happy. So I am going to do that. I have some new ideas up my sleeve.. ones that I will share with you in due time!
I have learned the importance of trusting in my choices, trusting in my gut.
If you want to do something. Just do it
Live in the now and stop worrying about things you cannot change, because you’ll spend the rest of your life singing the blues if you keep thinking that way...
The definition of fearless: Being fearless isn’t being unafraid, it isn't having no fear. It’s living your life anyways, in spite of those things that scare you.
Juice out of a bag is delicious
People in Latin America celebrate everything. All the time. Any excuse to have a party, festival, parade or shoot off fireworks. These 'fireworks'.. by the way.. are in the middle of the day, and are not sparkly. Literally all they do is make a loud boom sound. One that gives me a mild heart attack every time I hear one. Took me like 2 months to train my mind to not immediately jump to 'GUN SHOT, RUN'
Lastly, you lose weight when you don’t drink 4 times a week..!
Lets sum it up...
This trip is incredible
I have moments where I feel lost
&
I have moments where I feel complete peace
But this trip has gifted me magical little moments in time where everything has been exciting
And NO, I do not know when I will be coming ‘home’
I’ve decided home is not a place, it’s a feeling
But maybe I’ll save that for another post..
In essence.. I still don't know where I am going, but i'll let you know when I get there
BUT WHAT I DO KNOW... is that my baby sister Kathleen comes to visit me for Christmas and New years and I AM SO EXCITED!
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