How I came to travel solo
Not long ago, I was someone who could not venture beyond my city's confines, without a chaperon. How did I go from that to being a solo female traveler who had completed one circuit around the globe?
I live in a city that has more than 160 kilometres of walking/biking trails. Naturally, I walked a lot, within the city. Then I got bored and flew to another Canadian city to walk. From domestic travel, I graduated to international travel. Now, from walking, I graduated to international driving.
Travel does not have the same meaning to me as to most others. For me, it's a leisurely stroll. A plane ride is just like a bus ride. I have a simplistic view of travel. I enjoy simplicity. However, complexity finds its way to me when others try to alter my concept of travel to match theirs.
My simplistic concept of travel has taken me to a few dangerous places. Dangerous from the perspective of the less seasoned travelers.
After returning from my Egypt trip, a colleague asked, "Isn't there a war there?" I answered, "Oh is it? I didn't notice one."
I agree with exercising caution. To most, I am naive and careless. I am not brave, I am simply fearless. There is a difference between actual fear and perceived fear.
Many years ago, a colleague confessed to me that he brought a loaded gun into the office, and was prepared to shoot if someone "pushed his buttons". If you think that danger only exists in countries with travel warnings, you may be unpleasantly surprised that danger can be much closer to home.
We live in a fear-based society. Most of our fears were internalized, not instinctive. Our society uses fear as a tool to manipulate our behaviors. As independent thinkers, we have the conscious choice to be a slave to that fear, or not.
I travel around moderately freely, as I reject all externally imposed fear. It is an act of psychological liberation to purge all that do not serve me. With psychological freedom comes actual physical freedom.
I am immensely grateful to those who have helped me along the way in my travels. I have a simplistic view on life: instead of fear, I see beauty, love, and joy in this world. As such, I drift freely with the wind.
I live in a city that has more than 160 kilometres of walking/biking trails. Naturally, I walked a lot, within the city. Then I got bored and flew to another Canadian city to walk. From domestic travel, I graduated to international travel. Now, from walking, I graduated to international driving.
Travel does not have the same meaning to me as to most others. For me, it's a leisurely stroll. A plane ride is just like a bus ride. I have a simplistic view of travel. I enjoy simplicity. However, complexity finds its way to me when others try to alter my concept of travel to match theirs.
My simplistic concept of travel has taken me to a few dangerous places. Dangerous from the perspective of the less seasoned travelers.
After returning from my Egypt trip, a colleague asked, "Isn't there a war there?" I answered, "Oh is it? I didn't notice one."
I agree with exercising caution. To most, I am naive and careless. I am not brave, I am simply fearless. There is a difference between actual fear and perceived fear.
Many years ago, a colleague confessed to me that he brought a loaded gun into the office, and was prepared to shoot if someone "pushed his buttons". If you think that danger only exists in countries with travel warnings, you may be unpleasantly surprised that danger can be much closer to home.
We live in a fear-based society. Most of our fears were internalized, not instinctive. Our society uses fear as a tool to manipulate our behaviors. As independent thinkers, we have the conscious choice to be a slave to that fear, or not.
I travel around moderately freely, as I reject all externally imposed fear. It is an act of psychological liberation to purge all that do not serve me. With psychological freedom comes actual physical freedom.
I am immensely grateful to those who have helped me along the way in my travels. I have a simplistic view on life: instead of fear, I see beauty, love, and joy in this world. As such, I drift freely with the wind.
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