THE HONEYMOON

(Written December 2022, published May 2024)

Immediately after the first blog post poured out of me I knew the second..

The second blog will be about the full circle moment that was my husband and I's beautiful honeymoon

We took our Honeymoon to Isla Holbox, Mexico. The very same place my backpack and I first unpacked on my two years of travel. May 15th, 2017 I left Cleveland, OH on a one way flight to Cancun, where I then hopped on a bus, followed by a ferry to arrive at Isla Holbox, Mexico. No idea what I was in store for, but absolutely ready for it.

On April 26th, 2022 - Nearly exactly 5 years later I found myself back on that tiny island, this time more found than lost, with my husband by my side. Celebrating a whole new type of Chapter in my life, still unsure what I am in store for, but absolutely ready for it.

That's full circle.

I love a full circle moment.

It was so fun for me to think about who that Colleen was compared to who this Colleen is. They feel worlds apart, yet both familiar. It snaps into perspective just how much can change in just 5 years. Reminds me how much time we have left to be anything we want to be.

The 2017 Colleen had no idea what she was getting into, which to be fair, was exactly the point. To dive off the deep end and be brave enough to face what you may crash into.

I discovered so many things, all of which brought me to discover the life I live today

I am so happy with where I am at today, and more importantly in where I am headed.

Not a chance I would be where I am right now had I not been brave enough to follow my gut, jump and crack my world right open. The confidence I gained from making the choice to live life on my own terms has been profound in my life. It wasn't the travel, it was the choice to actually do instead of dream. It gave me the confidence I needed to realize I can do anything I want to do. It produced freedom. Freedom to understand who I wanted to be, freedom to chose a life not bound by the judgment of others, freedom to let go of the things that were not serving me, freedom to comprehend the world through my own lens.

This lesson continually serves me in so many aspects of my life.

• If I can travel the world by myself... I can do anything..

• I can live in another country (Roatan)

• I can move to a place I never thought I would live and build a life from scratch (Florida)

• I can pick up a camera and become a photographer (check!)

• I can start a business (check!)

• I can start two businesses (check!)

• I can achieve anything and build the life I want (forever work in progress)

Traveling was simply my personal vehicle to arrive at this conclusion, but it doesn't have to be yours!

I'd always had big ideas of what my eventual honeymoon would look like...

A grand adventure or a luxurious European vacation. But when a honeymoon became a reality for me, it did not feel like something that needed to be larger than life. It felt more like a time that could only be defined by quality time with my new husband, ease and pure relaxation.

Isla Holbox

I fell in love with Isla Holbox the moment I stepped foot there. Partly because it was my first taste of solo travel and partly because it is just drop dead beautiful. The water is this insane blue that remains shallow for as long as the eye can see. The island is a 2 hour bus ride plus a 30 minute ferry from Cancun airport, so the island still feels a bit undiscovered. There are no high rise resorts, no paved roads or cars, only boutique hotels/resorts, dirt roads and bikes or golf carts. With some fabulous restaurants, like all out restaurants known for their food. Its laid back and vibey, it truly is a wonderful place.

It immediately came to my mind when thinking where to take our Honeymoon. It is not super well known but well known enough for us to be there with ease. It comes with a perfect mix of relaxation and a sense of adventure. It was the perfect place for Tim and I's first international trip together!

Tim has not traveled a ton outside of the U.S. He loves to travel and see new places, but I don't think big international travel was something he dreamed possible.

Until he met me of course.

So lets consider this our warm up trip, with the UK next on the roster and then I'll break him into somewhere he truly never thought he would go!

So how did it go?

It went wonderful. We did nothing, relaxed, explored the island, had amazing food, fell asleep in hammocks, practiced our Spanish, drank beer in the streets with the locals and just plain hung out. Just like most everything with Tim, it was easy and fun.

We went to the Hostel I stayed at back in 2017 and had a drink on the rooftop bar. It was exactly the same, filled with backpackers living the good life. I felt old. It felt kinda surreal, as if I was surrounded by my younger selves. But all the times I had there flashed in front of my face, I could remember the people I met, the trivia nights we had, the nerves I still felt for just having left the US, but the excitement of what was next. It made me smile, I love nostalgia.

It was really cool to share it with my husband, it felt like how you feel when you show someone special your hometown for the first time. Its showing them a piece of you they had only heard about but never seen. That's what it felt like. It felt great.

I got to squeeze his hand that night and hold it all the way home to our super nice two level vila at one of the nicest resorts on the island.

Again, I love a full circle moment.

My only regret - We should have stayed longer.

The corporate jobs held us back from that.

But not anymore :)