These epiphanies aren’t a typical list of “lessons learned while traveling.” From acknowledging my privilege, to changing my diet, to letting go of who I thought I was and who I thought I wanted to be, this list digs deeper in the journey I took inward, while traveling through Southeast Asia.
I tried to keep the thought to myself, not wanting to jump the gun. But before I knew it, I heard myself asking my mom… “do you think it would be helpful if I came to Chicago and took care of the baby while she wraps up the school year?”
Before we get into the details of my return- like how long I’ll be here, what I’ll be doing, and where I plan to go next, let me tell you a few of the things I missed about America while I was away!… (Warning: Some items on this list are basic.)
When I was 25 years old I made a sweeping declaration that I would never ride a motorcycle, dirt bike, quad, ATV, or any other two-wheeled or off road vehicle again. They scared the shit out of me… Well, four and half years later, who whoulda thunk it? I’m not only driving scooters all over Southeast Asia as a means of transportation but I drove a motorbike through the mountainous Ha Giang Loop in northern Vietnam! As cliche as the sang is, “never say never.”
When you have knowledge but don’t put it into action, an internal struggle between what you should be doing and what you are doing develops. In 2018 I was reminded over and over again the importance of self-discipline and eating right, yet I chose to remain inactive. Not only inactive, but I often went directly against what I knew was right. It was conflicting and frustrating. In 2019 I am turning this knowledge into action and that action into power!
Marketers sell us a belief. They make us believe that if we have a certain car we’ll be successful and if we wear certain clothes we’ll be desirable. The stuff makes us feel good for awhile but because cars don’t actually make one successful and clothes don’t actually make one desirable, the belief is fleeting. It becomes a never ending cycle of wanting, buying and collecting… Here are a few minimalist tips on gift-giving this holiday season!
People often ask me, of all the places I’ve been, which is my favorite, and I never knew how to answer them… Until now… The answer is INDIA!
Travel friendships are uniquely different than any other type of friendships. People who don’t travel, or who have never bonded with other travelers on the road, might not realize how fast and deep travel friendships develop.
Now, experienced with long haul buses in Vietnam, I convinced the Londoner to take the bus with me instead of flying- insisting it was something he had to experience! He agreed. The other guy was going to take a day longer than us to get there since he was traveling by motorcycle, so, before we left the island, we all pre-booked our hostel in Ho Chi Minh and made plans to meet up.
