Ten years ago, I spent 2.5 exciting, eye-opening, insightful, and exhausting months traveling through Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras via chicken buses with my backpack, and friends I made from around the world along the way. Never having been out of the US before-except for Canada- I truly had no idea what to expect. It was truly a leap of faith into the unknown, as I caught a free ride from San Francisco down to Mexico City from a co-worker, all awhile learning as much Spanish as I possibly could before I went off on my own. There were times when I thought I had to be out of my mind, and told myself I could hop on a plane whenever I wanted in order to ease the discomfort of being in such a foreign place-both physically, and mentally. I don't know if it was ignorance or stupidity (probably a little of both!) that kept me going, but to this day, I'm thankful that I did. Those 2.5 months changed me...and not only language-wise. (I went from eating at Burger King 3 times a day in Mexico City because I was only comfortable saying, "Numero uno, por favor," to carrying on conversations in Spanish with locals!) But more importantly my outlook, faith, and view of other cultures (as well as my own) shifted in so many ways, it was mind-boggling. I came back a completely different person.
After those 2.5 months, sitting on the small plane heading back to the U.S., (which looked like it better belonged in the 50's- making me question whether I'd make the trip back to the U.S. fully intact) I silently vowed to myself that this trip would be the beginning, not the end as I held back the tears knowing that the adventure would be over in a few hours upon landing in Denver. It was hard to grasp that something so profound and so life-changing could become a thing of the past so quickly.
...It's funny how life gets in the way. Ten years later-having traveled across the US in a motorhome, been in a longterm relationship, a UH graduate, a working physical therapist assistant (2.5 yrs!!), and a homeowner with a motorcycle in the carport, I have accomplished a lot and have had a multitude of wonderful experiences and met amazing people who have become my friends...but I have yet to live up to that promise I made to myself ten years ago. I hadn't forgotten about it-there has always been a deep knowing inside that it would occur when the time was right, and was meant to be...though at times it was difficult to focus on what I needed to as the desire to drop everything and take off became stronger and stronger.
Well, the time is right. As much as I want to have another “crazy adventure”...I know it won't be the same-I hate to admit it, but I have become more "comfortable." There will still be hostels and chicken buses, but knowing my body is 10 years older, I don't want the constant aches and pains that go along with carrying around a giant back pack to a different hostel every other day. And this time, I'm dragging along my willing boyfriend...because of this, I'm sure I won't be able to get myself in any more situations that involve-such as, but not limited to-... being chased down the beach by a family toting machetes, hitch-hiking, stopping other travelers carrying Lonely Planet books because I forgot the name and location of where I'm staying, hiking in areas where I shouldn't leading to being stopped by MORE guys with machetes, or riding in a pickup full of police officers with big, long guns looking for the guys with machetes. (Although, if given the chance to do the last again, I'd have to leave Kitt behind, cuz that was the next best thing to being Indiana Jones!)
And so, after a long hiatus from writing and travel, and keeping in touch with so many of you who, I begin again. Onward and upward!
First stop...Panama City!
