12 Flights 7 Weeks: Reflection

My trip last fall was quite hard core in my opinion. As it is with most things in retrospect it was a lot more fun then living through it. Not that the whole trip was shit but there were a few spots where I was just counting down till the next place and praying like hell that I had the strength to make it through. Mainly Morocco.

Although I wouldn't trade Morocco for the world. It was a learning experience and it was crazy and amazing and...... the toughest experience of my life. It really redefined how I saw myself. I put up with some crap there and not just the whole being sick. I got stared out and followed and talked to and shouted at and creeped on so hard core. But I made it through. I perfected my bitch face. I developed a killer sense of direction. I also saw some of the most amazing things in my life. There were times when it was so much fun. I hiked the atlas mountains. Made friends in the Sahara dessert for crying out loud! It was amazing. But the amazingness equals the not so amazing parts. Being sick sucked so much. Sometimes the things my mum says off offhandedly makes me realize she was really worried for me and might never forgive me for not coming home. She's convinced I was on the verge of death... I'm convinced that I just couldn't keep anything down. I just lost a lot of weight... there are worse things in life. In short Morocco was so far out of my comfort zone that it was just as deep in my comfort zone. You know that whole as far out as it is is how close it is... I know not making much sense but what I really learned was that the more you let just roll off your back the wider your comfort zone gets. 

I learned a lot about traveling with friends. I loved hanging out with Missy and Kelly. I loved the dynamic of having people around me. But I also learned that being on my own is just as easy. Because I had to leave them and it wasn't so much sad as it was a change. We had been together for only a few days and then we parted. It was a nice reinforcement that I don't always have to surround myself with people to be happy. I can be just as happy with friends as I am on my own. Visiting Ana and Lenka further this alone/with friends deal because when I was with them it was a different dynamic as well because I lived life more as a local then a tourist. At the end of it all regardless of if I have friends with me or not I know I can have fun and do epic things.

I was so lucky to get to go to so many new places and it's always fun to tick off new countries from the map. It's a thrill I will never get tired of. It was nice to see that traveling is a skill I will never lose regardless of how far apart my trips are. My thirst for new things will never be quenched and I think I like that idea. I don't want to become complaicent and satisfied with where I am in life. I always want there to be something new to strive for. 

I'm so thankful I had this trip it was my longest solo endeavor to date and I'm already planning on topping it... soon... So watch out world I'm not done. Not by far!

Xoxo,