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Be My Travel Muse

Solo Female Travel

How 5 Years of Travel Has Changed Me

11/09/2012 by Kristin 16 Comments

Today, I’ve finished a three-day motorbike loop in the Bolaven Plateau in Laos, covering a good 300 kilometers (186 miles).  As the wind whipped my face I thought to myself that so much has changed since the last time I took off alone for a solo journey to Asia.  I was a 21-year old fresh college grad who was about to move to Taipei, Taiwan to study Mandarin.  I was terrified of what laid before me.

Now, 5 years later, I feel like a completely different person as I think about what I’m willing to do at 26 vs. 21. It might be maturity, or simply enough time spent in a cubicle to desire more adventure now after starving for it for so long.  Just about everything about my travel style has changed:

What I packed

Then: Two larger-than-life suitcases chock-full of things I ended up not wanting or needing, consisting of mostly clothing and shoes that didn’t suit the climate nor the style in Taipei.

I mean, c’mon, I brought leather flip flops for crying out loud! Who does that when heading to a place where it rains more days than it doesn’t?

Now:

35L REI pack
Isn’t my turtle shell cute?

I wisely packed rubber flip flops that can handle rain, and downsized my luggage load to a 35 liter pack.  Most people thought I was crazy (some still do) when they saw my pack in the days leading up to my departure.  I have no regrets bringing such a small amount of things with me.  I am never tempted to buy useless souvenirs and my back thanks me daily for it.

How I reacted to change

Then: I was terrified during my first few days in Taipei.  I didn’t want to leave my hotel during the first three days after my arrival for fear that I’d get lost or run into a situation I didn’t know how to handle with my limited Mandarin.

I was so lonely over the first few days that I told my mom I might want to come home early.  Luckily, she talked me out of it and things improved quickly as I established a group of friends in my new surroundings.

Now:

Close to the edge on the Bolaven Plateau, Laos
Living on the edge on the Bolaven Plateau, Laos

I headed straight to Khao San Road in Bangkok on my first day, checked into a guest house without having pre-arranged anything, and quickly made new friends my first night in.  That trend has continued as I’ve met amazing people at each destination, and have done my best to take myself out of my comfort zone and try new things whenever presented with the opportunity.

I’m strangely comfortable in Asia. I feel at home.  Nothing really phases me.

What I was willing to eat

Then: I have a confession to make: I never ate street food when I lived in Taipei! Yes, for a solid 8 months, this prima donna wasn’t willing to touch anything from a street stall. I missed out big time by only eating at a bagel cafe near my flat, Ice Monster shaved ice, and Sababa (a Middle Eastern pita joint, though it was delicious and I still think about it from time to time).

Now:

Mmmm boy!

I actively search for street food and try to order Western food as little as possible – it’s always a disappointment anyways.  Hell, I even ate frog, and possibly dog, in Cambodia.

What new adventures I was willing to try

Then: I saw a motorbike accident in one of the busiest intersections of the city during my first week in Taipei and swore off ever getting on one of those “chariots of doom,” as I called them, for the remainder of the year.

I seldom ventured out of my comfort zone and would often stay indoors most of the day on Facebook, lamenting the end of my college years and stressing about the future.  I wish my 26-year-old self could have talked some sense into that silly girl back then.  I was missing out big time and I regret it.

Now:

biking cambodia
Cycling over potholes through remote towns in Cambodia? Let’s do it!

I will now ride a chariot of doom, will SCUBA dive, am always up for a cycling adventure, and seek new challenges whenever possible.  I want to be tested.  I want to be challenged.  I feel more alive when I do these things.

I’m not saying I’m a perfect traveler now. I certainly make mistakes and stress out from time to time, but it’s nothing compared to how I was previously.  Perhaps it’s experience that has changed me, but I’m glad for the more open traveler I am nowadays.

How has travel changed you?

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I'm Kristin, and my vision of a better world is one where more women are empowered and living out their dreams. Solo traveling is the best method I've found to become the best, bravest version of me. This site is all about how YOU can have the adventure of a lifetime in an easy, fun, approachable way, so that you can feel empowered, too. Want to learn more about me?

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Comments

  1. Ashley of Ashley Abroad says

    11/09/2012 at 9:27 am

    Great post! It reminded me of this travel quote I found the other day, “If you’re a truly lucky traveler, you won’t be the same person when you get home.” -Patrick Bredehoft. Good luck on your future adventures as well!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      11/18/2012 at 3:03 am

      Great quote!

      Reply
  2. George on the Go says

    11/09/2012 at 8:46 pm

    Yes sooo true! I am so different to before I started travelling. I just liked sitting at home. Luckily now I have left the comfort zone x

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      11/18/2012 at 3:03 am

      Sometimes it’s hard to venture outside. Even for me.

      Reply
  3. Ayngelina says

    11/10/2012 at 3:00 am

    I had two major trips in my life, one when I was 23 and lived in the Philippines and this last one that started at 33. It’s amazing to see how much travel can change you for the better.

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      11/18/2012 at 3:02 am

      I remember reading that on one of your posts. So good to be traveling again with new, more mature, eyes.

      Reply
  4. Alison Brown says

    11/10/2012 at 9:26 pm

    my big decision at the moment: travel, or grad school 🙁

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      11/18/2012 at 2:23 am

      Can the two be combined somehow? Hope all is well in Australia 🙂

      Reply
  5. Christina says

    11/10/2012 at 9:35 pm

    One of my biggest regrets of college was not studying (or even using a summer break to travel) abroad. I wish I could go back!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      11/18/2012 at 2:23 am

      But you CAN start traveling now!

      Reply
  6. Ava Apollo says

    11/18/2012 at 2:45 am

    I wonder if it can help me not get road rage back in LA!

    Reply
  7. Victoria Brewood says

    11/18/2012 at 6:01 pm

    Wow I have no idea how you fit all your stuff into a 35 litre backpack! I have a 70 litre roll bag and a small backpack for all my electronics :s after 4 years of travel, this girl still doesn’t travel light!

    Reply
    • Ava Apollo says

      11/27/2012 at 9:54 pm

      Haha everyone says that when they see my bag. I bet I have the same amount of electronics that you do, but I have fewer clothes and almost no toiletries. Just the basics. That’s crazy for this Los Angeleno!

      Reply
  8. Victor Tribunsky says

    11/30/2012 at 7:50 am

    Ha-ha. It is very interesting to read what you will write after next 10 years of journeys.

    Reply
  9. a.pendleton says

    12/13/2012 at 3:43 pm

    Really interesting post! I wonder how my travel style will change in the next few years

    Reply
  10. Emma Ross says

    04/11/2013 at 5:41 am

    Hello

    I’m off to SE Asia and NZ for a year in November and have started reading your blog form the very beginning and loving it!!

    Inspired by you I really want to travel with my 40L rucksack, previously only used as handluggage!

    Do we ever find out what is inside of your bag? If not would you be willing to share? For a start I want to take my walking boots – half my space gone already!!

    Reply

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