Highs & Lows
I had a day recently where the realities of solo travel hit hard.
In short, I missed my bus AND then the train that were meant to get me to my next planned destination.
Finding myself confused by the mishap, feeling lost in what had become pure chaos, sweating from the heat and exhausted from fast-walking with all my things – I had myself a big ol’ cry.
Because sometimes, traveling by yourself for an extended period of time is simply A LOT.
And getting yourself and your things successfully from point A to point B is not always easy.
It certainly wasn’t the first time something had gone seemingly wrong. But this time hit different. I had no friend to endure the defeat with or laugh with at the mistake. I didn’t want to be lost and confused at a random bus station on my own. I wanted a buddy to share it with.
There is a lot of glamor in long-term and solo travel. And then there are the not-so-glamorous parts (which usually involve being lost or stranded somewhere).
Don’t get me wrong, I am in love with my life right now. But there are still highs and lows. Sometimes I feel lonely and some days are better than others.
I waited a few hours at the station and took the next available bus, which had a transfer in the town I left only a few days prior.
When the bus arrived and it was time to transfer, I realized how much my nervous system just needed to be somewhere that I knew – that even though I didn’t personally know anyone in this town, the thought of simply seeing the friendly face of the woman from the coffee shop I’d been to a few times before felt like home.
I went back and forth with myself, in a swirl of comparison to others’ experiences, feeling like I was doing my trip wrong if I didn’t keep going…
But it was ultimately the little version of me – who was desperately asking to be cared for by staying put – that I made my decision for. I missed yet another bus, but this time it was intentional.
So, you can find me here in Chamonix for the next two to three weeks, allowing myself to ground and my body to recharge. Reminding myself to be me and enjoying living somewhere for a little bit longer before moving on.
