Rookie Mistake:
Once I get there I won’t be thinking about/worrying about/caring about/etc..
If we go somewhere we always bring ourselves along. And that’s a good thing. But do not assume that your habits, thoughts, concerns, etc. will not be right there with you.
I enjoy my travels most when I have few expectations and get immersed in my surroundings. It is not that I am leaving who I am or what I know behind, but rather allowing myself to be refined by the new.
There is this show you would love to see and no one you know wants to go. Or you have some free time and your friends are not available. Perhaps you are almost out the door when you start to think, “What will they be saying? I’ll be all by myself.”
We are often concerned with the opinions of others. But if you are occupied with how others are viewing you, then what is everyone else doing?
They are far more concerned about themselves. You’ll see.
So go.
With a little bit of practice, and it won’t take long, your self-consciousness will dwindle, your self-confidence will grow and you will be out there in the moment.
Won’t that be nice?
I recall a man lamenting his circumstance and said, “Well, it’s all in how you look at .” “Wouldn’t that be nice.” he replied.
“Yes. In fact it is.”
Many years ago I told a friend my trepidation of flying in the rain.
“But it’s my favorite time to fly!”
She enthusiastically explained how the sky was most dramatic and described in detail some of the wonders she had seen.
Flying in the rain was never the same.
Photos of a Lenin statue in Yekaterinburg, Russia
I met a young man who had spent months preparing for a solo-survival trek in the mountains. He had anticipated spending at least one month without companionship or assistance and had brought with him packets of “astronaut” food with other various life sustaining equipment. Enroute to his destination he found himself enjoying the local culture and encounters. He continued however to the mountains. After a few days, he realized that the experience he was really seeking was not the one he was having. The people of this land beckoned him. He headed out towards the touch of humanity. Looking back on his decision he had no regrets. On the contrary he was content, even delighted, that he was strong enough to accept his change of heart.
In my previous post I espoused upon the advantages of staying at hostels. Somehow I suspect that you are not thoroughly convinced of its merits. Perhaps you are thinking, ” But who stays there?”
In Ulaanbaator, Mongolia I met an archaeologist who worked for the US govt. His job was to determine if sites, before they were used for armament testing, had any artifacts that needed to be spared. He had been invited to attend a conference and decided to stay awhile. A linguist from Finland had enrolled in an intensive three week course to study Mongolian. There was an earthquake expert, studying Chinese in Beijing, who was taking a break by traveling for a couple of months. I spoke with a missionary couple who were in town to pray for someone very ill. They seemed less than impressed that Joni Mitchell came from their hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. But maybe that’s because they had never heard of her. A young Israeli intended to buy some horses that he would ride up to Siberia. A woman had been traveling throughout Asia for eight months and was now making her way on to Europe before heading back to her home in Japan . A man from France had just finished four months of WWOOFing (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, or Willing Workers on Organic Farms) and was catching his breath before determining what he was doing next. An Irish woman, who had been raised in Hong Kong, was enroute to visit family friends. A couple from Latvia were taking a long awaited vacation. There were a number of college age students, from various countries, who had chosen to take a gap year or were taking advantage of their summer holidays.
All of the above were folks I met, at the same hostel, within a four day period.
And the list goes on.
Creature comforts and costs are a few of the primary concerns when traveling. Our idea of comfort usually stops with a fancy hotel. But expensive accommodations are likely to be the loneliest and they will markedly compromise your funds for travel . If you are willing to forgo a bit of privacy, and this is easier than you may think, stay in a hostel.
Very often after my arrival I am sharing tales, having a meal, a drink or arranging an outing with someone I’ve just met. At the very least, its a great way to get information and ideas.
Its almost like having a welcoming party at each destination.
Hostels are virtually everywhere, they are open to all ages, they are wonderfully reasonable, clean and offer a place to call home. But quality does vary, so do a bit of research and check the reviews.
Although I begin my travels alone I am rarely alone.
Speaking to those in a different land continues to remind me of how many ways there are to live one’s life.
The circumstances and choices people have made are as varied as the places are.
Conversation with travelers I meet, perhaps just moments before, flows freely. We already have something in common. We have both decided to be here.
So you went for that dinner/movie/trip/etc. alone.
Been there. Done that.
Thanks, but no thanks.
Yet something initially inspired you.
Doing something altogether different for the first time is never easy.
Do you always come home after that dinner/movie/trip/etc. with someone else elated?
I thought so.
Give it another try.
Fear is tough to tackle.
Most of us prefer to stay in the realm of what we know and what we are familiar with. It is so much easier and it seems so much safer.
But life offers no guarantees.
We can not insure our future.
Take that first step, no matter how small.
It is lovely to look back and see where we have been.
Days have a tendency to take on a routine.
Some of this may be beyond our control, but it doesn’t take much to see the day anew and to shake up our senses.
Doing something we have done a thousand times before can seem different with the proper perspective. Our environment is constantly changing and all we need to do is take notice.
Let us try not to judge too quickly what we like and what we dislike. We might shut out something that ultimately appeals to us.
Let’s be open to the unexpected and look at all things with the intent on actually seeing them.