All posts by startsolo

BUT WHAT IF I DON’T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE?

P1010505IMG_3909One of the best lessons learned while traveling is the discovery that we can flourish with much less than we thought possible, including a common tongue. Will it be more challenging? Undoubtedly. But it is well worth it.There will always be someone willing to play charades or delighted to practice his/her English. When in doubt, a student is a decent bet. In cities there is usually at least one hotel where helpful staff, even if you are not staying there, speak English and will jot down a name or address for you in their own language.

I recall standing at a bus stop with such a paper and showing it to an older woman. She promptly held my hand and waited with me…and waited with me, until the proper bus arrived. She then made sure the driver knew where I wished to go. Her kindness and the kindness of so many others make these voyages unforgettable.

Of course it is best to know the basics. I learn how to say “thank you” even if it takes me many days to master(you would be surprised)and a big smile helps. Bring a bilingual dictionary in addition to, or instead of, a phrase book. One word often captures a general idea and pointing to a map works too. Youtube videos, to learn a few essential phrases, can be a great start and there are translation apps, which I have not yet used. And you will almost always have other foreign travelers to speak with.

Now the choice of destinations is virtually endless.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.
 

 

 

SNAPSHOT#1

P1040424Sometimes a moment lingers and the memory it produces is like a snapshot.

One evening I am seated at the counter of a diner. Despite the many vacant stools a young girl, after finishing her meal at a nearby table, sits beside me. She is completely uninterested in my presence but equally enthralled with an unexpected spectacle. With the practiced flicks and swishes of his hands the cook adeptly tames and encourages the unnaturally high flames dancing before us. Her brothers alight on the other side of me. While we perch, we are entranced with these pyrotechnics and await the next leap.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! Welcome to the tales of a woman solo traveler and thoughts to make today the start of something new. I hope you find information and inspiration in the text and images and join me in my quest for growth, wonderment and self-improvement.

IT IS NOT DANGER I LOVE, IT IS LIFE.

 

“I am not talking about living dangerously. Such words are meaningless to me…. It is not danger I love. I know what I love. It is life.” Antoine de Saint Exupery from Wind, Sand and Stars P1030140

Saint Exupery,  best known for creating the beloved Le Petit Prince,  wrote these words sometime in 1935 when aviation was still in its infancy. He had taken on the task of flying mail between France and African French colonies for Aeropostale ( a precursor to Air France).

The risks he took were extraordinary, but he knew that and gladly piloted those flights.

His choices far exceed ones I am likely to make. Nonetheless I am watchful so that my fear of danger does not hinder me.

It is not danger I love. It is life.

 

NO MATTER WHERE WE GO, WE ALWAYS BRING OURSELVES ALONG

IMG_3477Rookie 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.

 

BUT WHAT WILL THEY BE SAYING?

P1010231 P1010232There 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?

 

IT’S ALL IN HOW YOU LOOK AT IT

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 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

 

 

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO PROVE TO ANYONE, INCLUDING YOURSELF

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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.

 

BUT WHO STAYS AT THESE HOSTELS?

P1030649In 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.

 

COMFORT VS COMPANY

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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.

 

ALL BY MYSELF?

P1010842Although 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.