I'm Back!: A Lesson About Life on the Road

Well, I have been neglecting/avoiding/ignoring this blog for the past few months. I kind of disappeared from all forms of communication with my life outside of travel – Instagram, Facebook, e-mails, phone calls. They were not completely gone, but what once was a constant flow of communication dwindled to a few obligatory drips. Here’s why: the past 4 months of travel have been challenging. A combination of factors led to a day-to-day blasé. I was not interested in doing much more than hanging out in my hostel. Getting out and doing anything required significant effort. 

After Cambodia, I slipped slowly into this slump which hit its lowest point six weeks later during my last days in Vietnam. That was when I spent two days frustrated, fed up, and seriously considering returning home. For the first time in my combined 10 months on the road, I wanted to leave and that worried me. In my core, I knew I wanted to continue traveling. I did not recognize this apathetic version of myself and it was time to fix that.

So I got to work. I left Vietnam and returned to Thailand at the right time. I spent two weeks with Tess in Thailand filled with long talks, kindness, honesty, and hugs when necessary. I stayed a month in India with family and was showered with love, generosity, and familiarity. I remembered that I was not unknown or insignificant in this world, which is a feeling that creeps in when I am constantly in new places where no one knows me. I reunited with travel friends in the UK and started recovering from months of stomach issues. I went to Spain, drank espressos, listened to locals speak in Spanish, wandered the streets for hours, and talked with everyone. I started writing again. Not for this blog or to anyone, but in my journal and to myself. I gave myself daily goals to get me out of the hostel. I started regaining my energy and strength. I savored days alone in my own company as well as days filled with new friends and our adventures together. And now…

Now, I am traveling the way I dreamed I always would. New cities excite me. Walking and exploring are a necessity rather than a goal. I talk with locals and travelers. Because I feel that I lost two months due to my slump, I have a fervor to fully experience my last weeks on the road. I am in Europe and the unfamiliar entices and thrills me.

And here is the lesson that I learned in all of this: life on the road is just that – it’s life. There are difficult spots; obstacles that I have never dealt with before. I am not on vacation. This is a lifestyle and each day consists of joy, challenges, pain, and happiness. As in any other difficult time in my life, I had to pause and heal and take care of me until I could recognize myself once again.

With that said, I am back (and it feels SO good!). Lots to catch up on – stories, pictures, tips, experiences galore! A new feature on my blog is the CONNECT page – you can subscribe to my blog, catch up on recent posts, and find my Instagram and Facebook pages there. This will help notify you when I release new content. Talk to you all real soon!