The reality of traveling long term

This is a realistic picture of what it is like to be a 67 years old woman and set out on a year long trip through many countries. 

This trip has been one of highs and lows. The highs have been the beautiful cities we have seen. The lows are how hard it is to travel like this. I wouldn't recommend it.

 When I thought of this trip, it was a dream. Then the dream became a reality in January of this year. I rented an air bnb and bought plane tickets to London. I talked my son into going.

Planning this trip, thinking about this trip, helped me not to think about my husbands death so much. I don't know if that was good or bad. 

We thought we would go to 12 countries in 12 months. That didn't work out, large cities are  too expensive in Europe. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I thought we could afford that. I wasn't thinking. I was dreaming. So things changed after the UK. We stayed in places for less time and in more places. That was good and bad. Good because you see more places. Bad because you are constantly moving. 

Moving all the time is hard. A new place every week is rough. Especially in airbnbs. You never know what you're going to get, as I've said before. I honestly wouldn't recommend airbnbs to anyone. They are a crapshoot when you are staying in them all the time. The majority have been mediocre. If you don't have $200 a night to spend well...you get what you pay for. 

Then there are the trains. When you are riding them so often things will go wrong. Just ordering tickets can be confusing.

Riding the trains themselves and seeing the countryside between cities has been a highlight. Dragging bags to and from train stations and airbnbs has been hard. I'm 67 years old after all.

Speaking of age, this kind of travel isn't for someone my age. It's physically hard. Dragging luggage. Walking miles a day. Ive lost 15 lbs on this trip so far. When you are older, you want some peace, you want stability, you are particular.  Moving so much is not peaceful. It's stressful. You aren't stable. I am living out of a suitcase and backpack. I miss having my own home, my own stuff, my own neighborhood.  I never realized how persnickety I am. 

So disclaimer here: You might think I sound like I regret this whole thing, that it has been a bad experience. Hell no! This has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I wouldn't change it at all. Being able to do it with my son has made it even better.

Has it been easy? Far from it. Its been one of the most challenging things I have done. I have learned to navigate foreign countries - their neighborhoods, transportation systems, grocery stores, etc. I have learned to ask questions of, and talk to, strangers. People are kind everywhere.  

I have been amazed, bewildered, frustrated, sad, ecstatic on this trip. Would I do it again? Not like this but I would travel for shorter periods. I would even go alone. There's a whole big world out there.

 

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October 10, 2022 at 06:49PM