I spent the better part of this morning scouring Expedia for affordable plane tickets. To anywhere.
And when I say "morning", I mean afternoon.
(The morning and I were not thrilled with each other today. We got up, looked at each other, and sighed apathetically. I went back to sleep and it didn't complain.)
I have always been fairly certain that the place where I live now is not the place where I should live forever, and rather enjoy the idea of living in several different places throughout the course of my life. That being said, I have cultivated many unattractive habits which keep me from living this dream, and trap me in a place of "learning to love what you have." (A worthwhile skill, yes, but in the end a bit of a cop-out.)
So far, I have been to a few places (Toronto, Switzerland, Amsterdam and Cairo.) However, I have always travelled with a group, never alone. And in reality, I don't want to travel alone. Although I am fairly awesome at being alone (if only because I find myself fascinating, and know what songs to play on my iPod in order to become instantly happy.) But for some reason, company (for me) is a must when exploring new lands.
Or so it seems.
Sure, having a travel-mate would be awesome... but certainly not necessary.
In fact, in the modern world, the benefits of a travel-mate can be acquired by other means. Non-human ones.
For example, if I need to:
1) Find my way (I'm horrible at directions) I could either
a) Ask a directionally-superior companion, or
b) Get a GPS
2) Comment on what I'm seeing?
a) Talk to said companion
b) Write in a journal (the old-school blog)
3) Defend myself from mythical creatures (or you know, predators)...
a) Hide behind companion, or
b) Pull out the mace
Yes, having someone to share the experience with would be fantastic, preferable even. But traveling alone? Still better than not travelling at all.
Now, if only I could kick that ugly shopping addiction...
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I've gone nearly everwhere alone & it's kind of cool to keep your own agenda and not have to compromise. Then again, I'm self centered and selfish...
ReplyDeleteSo, now that you're "out", does the former(current?) crush know about the blog?
Oh no, no, no... that would be, in a word - awful! My picture's up, but most of my friends still don't know about this blog. I find the freedom to be a total spazz/take myself out of the familiar context to be VERY liberating.
ReplyDeleteWe'll find out tomorrow whether the crush is "former" or "current"
I travel alone, but as a man that's obviously a bit more viable than for you.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes wish I travelled with a companion, and sometimes I'm very glad I travel alone.
I am a little sad that all of the beautiful sights I've seen and all those fantastic foods I've tasted haven't been shared with someone else, though!
But I'd need to find a girlfriend that can also go travelling around the world at the drop of a hat :)
Ugh, I wish I could do that! This is the reason why "Go Places" by the New Pornographers is my love theme of choice. Maybe one day when I'm financially stable...
ReplyDeleteYou're so awesome!
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
ReplyDeleteBTW I'm so jealous you saw "Wicked".lol I never got the chance and now it's no longer here in NY. However, I know every Musical Number and I spend many Saturday mornings blasting the cd pretendind to be Alphaba...only a few people like you understand that feeling. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteNo problem... I totally do the morning cd-blasting thing!
ReplyDeleteI'd like to travel alone one day, maybe when I go overseas for an exchange program for a semester, but I don't know if I can handle not being able to tell anybody my thoughts on the things I see.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean
ReplyDeleteI want to travel and see the world, but again traveling alone is most likely my only option since I don't really know anyone. I am trying to plan a trip to Europe for the first time. What countries are worth while for a brief tour of 2 weeks? Amsterdam, Switzerland, Paris, Italy Romania?
ReplyDeleteI travel alone almost always and have been across Europe, Middle East and India that way. It has advantages but for comparison really the only times I have been traveling with someone else was in Australia and China when I was with people I was trying to escape from. It is all about love or the lack of it. If you have it you can stay at home and have a great time, but if you don't you end up wandering through your mind and through the world.
ReplyDeleteWith comments such as these, there is really no reason to be anonymous! Lately, I have definitely been wandering through my mind, and it has not been a pleasant journey. But even at the happiest times in my life, this tendency to wander does not seem to disintegrate. There will always be something to contemplate, alternate realities to dream about, possibilities for something new. It's a blessing and a curse, as they say, but hopefully we learn to appreciate the present enough to stop wandering for a while. In the end, a life of running only ever makes you tired.
ReplyDelete