Solo Traveling Goals | My Journey As a Solo Traveler

MY SOLO TRAVELING GOALS

So, the last time I took off from traveling the world was when I was working on my doctorate. I’m talking 2015-2018.  I wasn’t writing for fun nor traveling as much, as that form of writing literally sucks all the life out of you, and the last thing you want to do is put a sentence together. The amazing part of that was that I began traveling and continued to work on something as significant as that, but I also figured out how to enjoy work and play in locations around the world.  Here is a snip-it from that time of my life when I needed a bit of a break from the chaos.

12 May 2018 (Bali, Indonesia)

Today, I most joyously report that my hind end is on a plane flying from my first stop in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia, to my second in Lauboun Bajo, Indonesia, to find and check out the dragons; the Komodo type that is.  The last two weeks were amazing and a much-needed period of relaxation from the homework.  I sold almost everything I owned and bought my ticket to Bali. 

So, I’ve decided to take off at least the next year to see the world, or so says the plan of my life, or the lack thereof.  The next 2 ½ months will take me from Indonesia and throughout parts of Asia.  I’d love to get a grasp on what the various countries and islands have to offer to be able to choose which places I want to see again later and more in depth.  For now, I’ve decided that I’m headed to Indonesia and Asia, but once those pieces are complete, I’m headed onto the next continent.  Which one will come next?  Choices, choices… but overall, I’m starting with a year in mind, and we’ll see how it goes.  The only goals that I have thus far include:  

Relaxing Tips: 

Goal 1: Relax!!!

Goal 2: Get seriously tired of getting massages and facials

Goal 3: Start planning out the other parts of my trip.  Decide where the fates are going to take me and let the universe guide me to those locations I need in my life. 

The most frequently asked question I’ve received to date is: “You’re going by yourself?”  As if this was the end of the world if I thought of doing this on my own.  My answer: Um, “Hell Yes, I am”.  I’ve waited years to do this Solo Traveling Goals, and while I could have waited to have someone to tag along through all of my adventures, but then I may have never left.  I’d have to say my life officially has begun. 

 Prior to this, I lived the rat race, worked 70-80-hour weeks, had so much stress I was grinding my teeth together at night and woke up with a headache in the mornings.  When people would ask, “How’s your day?” I would grumpily reply with a “Fine”.  Something had to change and that was all there was to it. 

Now, I’m asked that same question and a big ole smile comes to my face with a “It’s excellent”.   I think the view from my plane describes it as I see it.   My response is…Just wow, this is my life now.  I’m going to see the world, come hell or highwater, no matter what anyone else has to say about it.   I’ll take you along in my journey, just because this is going to be too much damn fun to keep to myself!

Check out: Minimal Travel Packing List: Essential Packing Tips for Travelers

Fast forward- to July 7^th 2022

 I had to laugh when I read the words I wrote so long ago and come to find that what was true then is true to this day. That was then and this is now, and many of my strategies, philosophies, and points of view haven’t changed one bit.  So, you will see when you read through this blog, the travels of the East from of many years ago and the travels of the present that will take me into Europe and beyond.

I digress… I returned home (back to the US) after 18 months of bouncing around the world, living out of a suitcase was getting a bit old.  At the same time, my plan was to only take off a little time and see family, friends, and pause for a half of a minute and then take off to Africa within 6 months. 

 Needless to say, when I came home, one of my girlfriends was getting married, and then… the ole Corona.  I traveled to help my friend prepare for her wedding a few months out in a, how do you say, more remote part of Texas. This area was hard for me to stay in because it was lacking diversity, and after traveling the world and meeting new cultures and experiencing new people, foods, and places, being so one way, was difficult for me. 

So, I set out to something a bit different while I waited on the wedding and landed in Ft. Worth.  I enjoyed it, but figured while I was there, I may as well try to see the different areas in the vicinity, so I booked Airbnb’s all around the area to see which ones I liked better.  I transitioned to Arlington (Go Rangers) to Grand Prairie, to S. Dallas, up to N. Dallas, to a bit more of a prominent area in central Dallas and found more of what I was looking for all along. Solo Traveling Goals, I’ll discuss the ins and outs of DFW in posts to come, but for now, I’m back to Corona (isn’t that the truth).

 I never in a million years believed that life would just shut off.  When I heard that businesses were closing left and right and that it would be a few weeks, then months, then years; well, it blew my mind.  I never believed in a million years that the past 3 years would look like they did. Seeing Dallas go from a bustling city to one of complete silence and no cars on the road was a trip in itself. 

So, back then, thinking about the next step of bouncing around Africa with a brand spanky new disease/virus/whatever that no one truly knew what it was or how to fix, cure, whatever this thing was, Africa was not the place known for the best health care in the world, so I put the trip on pause until the crazy subsided.  Let’s just say, that was 2019 and it’s now 2022.  Nothing like putting it all on pause, huh? 

July 16, 2022

 Three years later and its finally time to do it all again.  Africa is still on the list, but I think I’ll start with Europe first.  The opportunity that I now have to go see all of these places and have all of these experiences I’ve only researched, dreamed of, seen on the travel channel, is one that I put off for too long. 

I want to be able to share these experiences with those around me and show others that it is possible and not something to watch on tv.  So, here we go again, my hind-end is on a plane 3 years later, looking over that blue, blue water between the US and a foreign land across the pond.  

 While this trip doesn’t involve dragons, it does have eating Italian food made by the locals until my pants don’t fit (Eat, Pray, Love, eat your heart out), Skydiving the palm over Dubai, watching the fireworks burst over the opera house in Sydney, and watching the northern lights dance until I fall asleep.  It’s a trip that is going to involve taking a camel out to see the great pyramids in Egypt and drinking the wine in the French countryside.

It’s a trip to meet up with old friends and find some new ones.  It’s a trip to explore the world and learn more about who I am, and y’all get to go along for the ride.

Going back to one of the statements I wrote so long ago that still holds true today is that when I travel, I’m picking places to visit that are random, off the cusp, and are far from researched.  I will figure I’ll get there and make my judgments once I’m there rather than before stepping foot in a place. 

Most of these places I choose I may have heard of once of once in a movie, a local may have mentioned it, or the nature channel did a documentary.  Several of the blogs I’ve read haven’t quite prepped me for the “actual environment” of a particular area or what it takes to travel there. 

The blogs or articles give you a bit of an overview, but the ins and outs, not so much.  So, one of the main intentions of this blog is to be able to provide a bit of a how-to. This way you get to experience it as I do and learn the trials and tribulations of how I messed it up, so you don’t have to! 

One small example of that was, as I was getting ready to leave the house on a year-long trip, and was all packed and ready to roll, literally waiting on my Uber, I mentioned to my niece that I had no idea what the temperature even was in Spain right now.  I then checked. Lol.  Eight-eight degrees for a high, phew!   My response… sweet, I packed for that… let’s do this!

*note: 88 for a high, my big toe.  The weather channel was wrongggg!   102 maybe. But, at least I packed for that. 

For a bit more on Solo Traveling Goals, check this out:  Solo Travel

Thanks for joining along.. and don’t forget.. to Travel Till You Drop