Guest Writer: Elizabeth Robinson
This past week I took my first “big girl” trip. All. By. Myself. As public transportation is a somewhat foreign concept for me, it made for an eventful day of travel. Train stations, bus stops, airports and trams were novel. Just last week I was introduced to London Underground and I, without doubt, would still be lost between metros if it weren’t for my flat mate blazing the trail and me following close behind. And not but 2 days later, there I was solo travelling from a tiny town in Wales to a tiny town in Scotland. In my inexperience, I mistakenly thought it would be a direct route. But no, we’re talking train to bus to airport to bus to train to bus, then walk a little ways to the final destination. Approximately 6 hours total and thousands of Fitbit steps.
Maybe it was the sense of accomplishment I felt after getting from one place to the next, or the anticipation of reaching my destination but I appreciated every minute in the process. Each breathtaking bit of scenery we passed. Every crook in my neck after falling asleep sitting upright. The warmth of the sun spilling in through the windows. Processing a range of emotions after a delayed flight. All the pressure on my bladder from not having peed before I left the previous station. The pain as many pounds left my wallet, granting me an escape to a new location. Feeling faint and nauseous because I hadn’t packed any snacks and ran out of water. The good and the bad, they were new sensations, and new sensations are fun to acquire, frightening, but fun. This was a journey packed full of lessons that will prepare me for future travels.
Traveling has a mysterious way of stiffening your bones, starving your tummy, and pounding upon you head. It’s filled with navigating new terrain, testing your survival skills, messing up, and creating solutions for the inevitable problems that you will face. It heightens your awareness and exhausts you. The ‘in the moment’ experiences teach and grow you like nothing else. Whether you’re an excessive planner or just go with the flow, traveling will throw some curveballs your way. You may knock it out of the park, but you may not. And at just the right moments, when you feel worn out and defeated, you make eye contact and share a knowing smile with a fellow solo, and frazzled traveler; and somehow that brings an overwhelming comfort, just knowing you’re not alone.
Wherever your next destination may be, embrace the journey and know that fun lies within each step.