Final travel stats & The real real on extended solo travel

I am writing from Mexico City, 9 months after I left for this lifetime adventure, a final jaunt to visit a friend before I go back to the real world.  I still don’t know what my real world will look like yet, I have a few things in the works right now, but my trip is concluded.  I am not entirely sure on my next step in life, this transition period from nomadic back to regular life will be challenging, but whatever happens next I’ll embrace it.2BD79555-14E7-4760-9E5E-66889AF4EEFC

I want to sincerely thank my family and friends for supporting me along the way, reading my blog, and putting up with non-stop spam over the past year.  I truly love all of you so deeply.  I also want to thank my web developer for her help in creating a site that reflects my personality.  I couldn’t have done this blog without her.

A few things I have learned on the road…

  • Travel writing is hard, major props to people that make this a career.  The minute I have to write, my will vanishes.  I’m not a trained writer, I took one class second year of college called Intro To Freshman Writing and that’s the extent of my writing studies.  I hated writing papers in college, and I was often scrambling twenty minutes before class printing at the library after heavily augmenting the font and margins to meet criteria. Unencumbered writing is all I can do, so I don’t think a career in travel writing is something I can hack for the rest of my life.  For a hobby, absolutely.IMG_1570
  • Your problems move with you, whatever demons you have, they follow you on the road.  I cried as much as I laughed on this trip and the truth is, you can never leave yourself behind.  You are always wherever you are.
  • I love sleeping in hotels.
  • Believe it or not, I did not see everything I wanted to!  The world is just too big, and there isn’t enough time or enough money to do it all.  I saw so much though, my current taste for wanderlust is completely satisfied in ways I can’t express in writing.IMG_0607
  • I felt like I took this trip for me as much as for everyone that needed inspiration to live their life, therefore, my advice to everyone: If I did this, you can do it.  I know from the outside on my blog, my instagram, it looks like I have THE LIFE, but I have internal struggles that don’t make a public display so trust me, when I say if I can do this, you can do anything.  If there is something you want in life, just do it.  Make it happen, stop excusing yourself, make a plan, make a budget, take risks, and just freaking do it.  IMG_0102 2 (1)
  •  I have absolutely no regrets over the last year.  From the idea to sell my house, to the endless flights, to the friends I have made and sights I have seen.  My life has been changed for the better.  I look at everything in a different light, I am utterly grateful for the Western world and I will probably appreciate water for the rest of my life.
  • I wanted my story to end with true love, but it ended with true love for myself.  This might be surprising to some, but I never found myself physically beautiful until I was forced to look at myself everyday and become my best friend.
  • The ups and downs of this year and this trip made me realize I can go through anything and survive. I can camp in the Namib desert, swim in the Indian Ocean, meet incredible people, get surgery, fall in love, hike a volcano, swim in salt flats, see penguins at the end of the world, eat dinner at a port in New Zealand, arrive in Nepal at night alone, go see the Taj Mahal, and be grateful for my life.IMG_2553
  • This year was as hard as it was amazing.  I slept in, woke up pretty much whenever I wanted, ate the best food, saw sights of a lifetime. Constant travel, separation from friends and family was hard and I value my relationships more than I did previously.
  • Nothing is ever as it seems, whatever is behind instaworthy views and drool-inducing foods, is never as it seems.  Keep that in mind when you compare your life to what you see online.
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FAQ

Was it lonely?

Yes and no, you experience so many amazing things but you know you have nobody to share it  with, but it also feels empowering to be alone and knowing you can do anything.  There are times of deft loneliness, the kind when everyone you know is sleeping, the only human you know is the gal at reception and the thought that if you simply disappeared how long would it take for anyone to notice?  When I was with friends, I was definitely not lonely. IMG_1917

Was I scared?

I can only think of a few moments over the last year where I was actually scared, the day I listed my house on the market, once where I was ripped off in a taxi in Istanbul, and when I was robbed in broad daylight in Uruguay.  I was prepared for these instances and overall I was not scared.  The world is full of good people, but the news only reports on the bad people.

How did I do laundry?

In developing countries I would send it out to a local service and pay between $5-$10 per load.  In developed countries I either didn’t do laundry, or I filled up a bathtub with shampoo and hand washed them.

Was it tiring?

Yes, the constant moving over the last year has been exhausting and I am truly looking forward to having a place to settle down again.  Travel fatigue is real and it is important to stay fit, hydrated, and well rested along the road.  It is ok not not do everything. IMG_2795

How did I pack?

I will still write a blog on this, but I had one carryon sized suitcase and one purse.  I realized I really don’t need much to get by at all.  As long as I have chapstick, headphones, and a hoodie my life is pretty great.IMG_0110 2 (1)

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STATS

Number of flights: 60

Number of flights missed: 0

Number of times baggage lost: 0

Number of times my bag came out first: 2

Best airline: Air New Zealand, Emirates

Worst Airline: Aerolineas Argenitnas, Turkish Airlines, Bangkok airways, Air Berlin

Miles flown: Too lazy to add them up

Continents: 6

Countries: 27

Cities: 55

Money spent:  A lot, exact amount unknown, but pricelessIMG_3513

I love all of you …. until the next trip … xoxox

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10 Comments
  • Danny Secrest
    Posted at 20:08h, 07 August Reply

    My hat is off to you young lady! I admire your sheer chutzpah to going on this great adventure. I think we both share a wanderlust for knowing what is around the next bend in the road or what adventure lies in the next city at the end of the next flight. I know that other adventures await you when you return home. What is the REAL world anyway? After nearly 30 years in the corporate world I can tell you THAT is not the real world. I hope to see you at some family get together in the coming months. Good luck adapting back to life on this side.

    • HighHeelsAndALaptop
      Posted at 10:08h, 15 August Reply

      Thanks Danny! It was a great year and an awesome adventure!

  • Lianna
    Posted at 20:10h, 07 August Reply

    I love this, really inspires me to go on my own around the world journey. It sounds like you grew a lot as a person, which is wonderful. I’m a new reader so it’s sad that I have to show up at the end, but I’m excited to go back and read all about your adventures!

    • HighHeelsAndALaptop
      Posted at 10:03h, 15 August Reply

      Thanks Lianna, I hope you enjoy all the stories from the past year 🙂

  • steph
    Posted at 21:44h, 07 August Reply

    I love that your story ended with true love for yourself!!!!!!

    • HighHeelsAndALaptop
      Posted at 10:05h, 15 August Reply

      Thanks for all of your support this year Steph 🙂

  • darwinontherocks
    Posted at 03:00h, 09 August Reply

    Very inspirational, it’s good to read the pro and the cons, it seems real. I like the fact that nothing was perfect, that you had to face some challenges 🙂

    • HighHeelsAndALaptop
      Posted at 10:05h, 15 August Reply

      Thanks, it was definitely an adventure!

  • Sima
    Posted at 12:40h, 20 September Reply

    I love this reflection of your time traveling. I’m getting ready to go on another solo adventure soon. Posts like this keep motivated to keep going.

  • Tenley B
    Posted at 10:15h, 18 September Reply

    You are so amazing! I cried re-reading this post this morning.

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