solo travel
You've got somewhere to go, but no one to go with; solo travel is the nexus of independence and opportunity.
Between the Signs
I used to ride public transportation in Los Angeles, in the mid 2010s. I met a wide range of people that way, encountering everything from a die-hard racist who demanded a black person ride a separate bus to a person who went off on the bus driver, screaming and attempting to grab the wheel.
By Joanna Celeste3 years ago in Wander
Singing in the rain
And I would walk five hundred miles, and I would walk five hundred more. Damn song had been stuck in my head for what seemed like hours now. Da da DAH DAH, da da DAH Dah. Even in the pouring rain I had to smile. It was such a damn catchy tune. Not sure of anything else the Proclaimers had proclaimed, but they really nailed that song. “Just to be the man that walked a 1000 miles to fall down at your doo-oo-oor” I sang aloud as I stopped under a large white pine to get a slight break from the relentless patter of rain on my hood. Was a great big tree, to see it in the daylight it probably towered over its neighbors, who were no saplings. Last week I had climbed a sizeable tree and the view was incredible, treetops as far as the eye could see, a deep green sea undulating against the blue-sky backdrop. I leaned against the tree my shoulders grateful to be relieved of the weight of my pack. Lightning flashed and with the momentary light, something about the bark caught my eye. I fumbled under my hood for the button on my headlamp, having grown accustomed to walking without it. The strong beam was bright, and it took my eyes a few seconds to adjust before focusing in on what I was looking for. There. Three notches. Even in the daylight they would be near impossible to see, they were old and just a few inches long, probably made with a small hatchet. What a crazy random happenstance. My thoughts flashed back to a single notch I had seen on a similar tree this morning. While both finds were intriguing and mysterious, I exhausted and not up to allowing my imagination run wild without some rest and coffee. Grabbing my sleep sack and head canopy, I cozied up under the curious tree, grateful the dense branches offered extra rain cover. Humming Dah dah dadadada da dumm de dumm until falling asleep.
By Amera Striegel3 years ago in Wander
Light Green Sunsets
"One trick that works well for me... throughout the day, ask yourself 'Am I dreaming?' and look at your palms. Look closely. And do this often. 30 times per day, or as much as you can remember. If your hands look normal, you're still awake. It's a good trick, because it's quick and effective, you won't look weird, no one will even notice. There are other methods like hopping from place to place, everywhere you go, all day long, but, that is a little more noticeable. However, if you don't mind the questions, and confused looks, this also works very well. In the realm of dreams, there is no gravity, the physics are different. So if you hop from place to place, and ask yourself if you are dreaming... it will be very obvious. You will be hopping 20-30 feet into the air. And, it will likely be very fun. But, it's important to ask yourself the question, 'Am I dreaming?' Otherwise you just might think, hopping 30 feet into the air is normal, everyday behavior. When you are in the realm of dreams, also known as the Astral realm, and you remember to ask yourself this question, followed by an examination of your palms... you will know immediately that you are dreaming. Your palms will look very different. This is how you wake up in your dreams, and explore the Astral with true awareness. The Astral realm is infinite and once you become lucid the possibilities are truly, truly, endless."
By Joshua Meelo3 years ago in Wander
The Secret
There is an old saying you hear by the veterans of the Camino de Santiago while walking the ancient pilgrim route, “the way always provides.” As I sit in the airport bar in Porto, Portugal, drinking whiskey, my crutches sitting next to me and waiting for my flight back home to San Francisco – I can’t help but ponder over my journey across Spain and the secret I kept along it.
By Clayton Goodwin3 years ago in Wander
The Little Black Book
“Melvin take out the trash!” a sigh escaped my lips as I rose from the dishwashing area. I removed my gloves, and another bag of trash came flying through the diner door. Tonight was a little colder than usual but not unusual for a late fall in Vegas. I left my Jacket behind as I walked out the door.
By Jaron Bowens3 years ago in Wander
Lost Travel Log
The economy starts to diminish, and millions of people across the country lose their jobs and have nowhere else to go. Businesses close their doors for the first time in decades. A man in his early thirties named Ryan loses his comfortable computer job of ten years. There is nowhere for him to go as his industry crumbles. Ryan struggles for weeks to get back on his feet, but even with unemployment, the eviction notices pile up, and he's forced to leave his dream apartment in San Francisco and live in his car with nowhere else to go.
By Andrew James3 years ago in Wander
The Trip
Even though the tropical water is warm, the waves being churned up from the ocean bottom feel cold as they thrash against us. My hands hurt from clutching the sides of the little long-tail boat and I’m clenching my teeth to avoid biting my tongue as we skate up giant waves and then get slammed down as we crest them. The boat driver is a sinewy tattooed statue, he stands rooted, motionless among all the chaos, steering the udder, all his concentration focussed on getting us to the island without getting sunk.
By LittleWing3 years ago in Wander
5 secret places that you need to know about now! A guide for introverts considering migration in 2021, now with bonus fun facts!
Has lockdown got you feeling like you might need some more space? Who could blame you, especially if you are in the 50% of the population that inhabit only 1% of the world’s surface? That’s approximately 3.9 billion people all squeezed together, no wonder you need your own room.
By meredith bennett3 years ago in Wander
Pros and Cons of Solo Travelling
We all probably as children wished we traveled alone, or perhaps you are still wishing so. I sure did once, but after doing it for the first time, and being forced to do it a few times after, I found myself wishing to travel accompanied again.
By Chelsea Martínez3 years ago in Wander