The summer of 2022 is my last summer before getting a full time job and arguably my last free summer ever. I decided to take advantage of this time and travel. From South Carolina to Ohio to Italy to Colorado and back to Ohio… I’ve been all over the place. I’ve been recording all of my lessons learned in my journal and want to share with you what I have learned about myself and my traveling style.
Who I’m Not
I’m not a backpacker. I tend to overpack and I’m not sure I have the strength to carry everything on my back all day every day. But I could be. I’ve always admired the minimalism and the community they form when they travel.
A camper. I’ve only been camping once and had a lot of assistance, but I really enjoyed those two weeks. I need to find people to go again with me.
Public transportation savvy. I got very stressed out by the Trainline app, kiosks, ferry station, switching bus lines and missing trains. It took me a while to get a grasp on the system, and longer to get comfortable with it.
A trained hiker. You will find me huffing and puffing up the mountain. Or even on a long walk. Yet you can bet on the fact that I will find a way around it. I may not chose the long scenic route or the strenuous hike with insane views. I will find the hike that my body is capable of. The one that I can walk on with family or friends and have incredible conversations instead of struggling to breathe. The hike that allows me to stop, look around and take pictures of the views without feeling rushed by the intense hikers behind me.
A history buff. I really wanted to love all of the museums in Florence but I’m not going to lie to you, I got bored. While I have a great appreciation for creativity and art, it is more in the forms of film, photography, design, and writing rather than sculptures and paintings. I think that because I didn’t understand the history of the art that I wasn’t really able to fully appreciate it.
A pro at anything. I can’t mountain bike without the pedal assist. Can’t fly fish without a guided tour with constant assistance. I won’t ski anything past blue routes and even that will make my legs burn and overwhelm me. I’m not a super strong swimmer either.
So why am I telling you all of these things I’m not? Because who I am is more important.
I am a learner. I will take any lesson and listen intently to absorb all of the knowledge so that I can improve on whatever it is- skiing, vespa driving, surfing.
A traveler. I love to see new places, both the touristy spots and the hidden towns no one knows about.
A connector. Connection with others is my favorite thing about travel. Whether it’s deepening the relationship with those you are traveling with, talking with the person next to you on the plane, the women at the beach, dancing alongside an old couple by the river, or networking with a storeowner. I will do anything to connect with others and hear their stories.
Give-it-your-best attitude. While I’m not a pro at anything, I still like to do it, even if it has to be modified. So what if I use pedal assist?! I’ve never biked long distances, let alone mountain biked. All that matters is that I was so excited to get on that bike and explore the trails.
Explorer. I want to see new things and sometimes that means doing it my own way. You won’t find me on the Angel’s landing hike in Zion, but I’ll be exploring by canyoneering.
Seeker of discomfort. In high school I was obsessed with the YouTube channel, Yes Theory. They encouraged their viewers to go out of their comfort zone, say yes to things you normally wouldn’t and seek discomfort because that is what allows growth. I believe this wholeheartedly. I like to say yes to things like spontaneously wandering cities, going to the beach during a overnight flight delay, inviting a stranger to lunch, and pushing myself past my expectations.
Documenter. I try to capture every essence of my trips. Through trip recap videos I make for YouTube, blog posts, photography for social media, and even making a scapbook when I get home. I let my creativity run wild when it comes to preserving my memories from my trips.
I catch myself in these thoughts that I will never be outdoorsy. That I am just a fake granola girl who likes to wear Tevas, bandanas and hang out in Eno hammocks. A phony.
I’m more than that though. Just because I’m not a pro at something doesn’t make me fake. My family took beach trips every year instead of camping, but that doesn’t mean I’m not capable of that trip. I just need to learn. This may be shocking, you don’t have to hike 15 miles to enjoy hiking!
This past week in Crested Butte really contrasted with my trip in Italy. I realized that I can be both a European city girl and a Colorado Rockies girl. Even though I’m not necessarily great at either of them, I enjoyed both immensely.
Bottom line?
Travel challenges me and that is why I thrive off of it.
