travelher stories
Thank you for visiting! Here you will find a collection of travel stories from women around the world. Each one is as unique and varied as the next. Enjoy!
Being the worrier I am, I was more on the half-glass-empty kind of side, but getting out of the cold and having a change of scenery won the bid, and there we were.
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I returned home and sold my store and planned to move to Australia for a year. This was one of the biggest decisions of my life so far. But even though I felt nervous, I felt very alive. I spent so much time convincing friends and family it would be fine that I had almost convinced myself… right up until the moment I stepped off the plane in Delhi. I stand here, appreciating lush landscapes as I gracefully brush my fingertips against the grains of rice fields and watch in wonder as the sun begins to set beyond the horizon. At that exact moment I knew it was time for me to return to the person that I, my friends and my family loved me for. And I needed a challenge, a big one. Until you have explored this vast planet, how do you know you’re not meant for something or somewhere else? I fell way behind my pack, limping like the runt of the litter. As my boyfriend fell behind to help me up the millionth step, I felt instant shame, looking around at the faces of my patient pals as they held on for me to catch up. By the end of the week, the walls are jam-packed with love notes to lost ones and forgiveness notes to themselves. I was moved to tears by it. It’s a very soul-affirming feeling to travel and rely completely on oneself. For the first time in a long time I was responsible for me and had only me to answer to. The entire six months were filled with feelings of incredulous awe and appreciation—both of the unparalleled scenes of nature, and a humble appreciation for the daily realities and routines of the people around us. I was so nervous before the hike. Would my shoes be okay? Would the pack be uncomfortable? Would my body be up for the task? What would the weather be like? I’d given it my best shot, but nothing was working out. Every attempt to stay failed and I finally had to accept that I needed a new plan and a new destination, and that’s when I booked my flight to Australia. I didn’t feel brave at all. I was scared. But not of moving overseas alone and not of what would happen once I got there. I was terrified of the alternative. On our first night I was so tired from the 33hr door to door travel but I just wanted to cram it all in. Times Square, yellow cabs, hot-dog stands and sky-scrapers that made Auckland buildings look like match-sticks. I wanted to help them take away amazing memories to cherish and to inspire them to use this experience in everything they did moving forward. A couple of weeks later and everything was booked, and I was ready to hand in my resignation: No safety nets—I was going to figure my life out. I had always considered myself to be strong and independent. But there’s no way to feel more strong and independent than when you’re wandering through Kadıköy market on the Asian side of Istanbul, solo... Even as a firm believer in 'everything always happens for a reason', I was stuck wondering WHY in the world is this happening - this just didn’t make sense and I didn’t know how much more I could handle. I planned and trained, and all the while gained more confidence each day for the adventure ahead. I will admit I did have butterflies the actual evening of my departure. |
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