I've sat down to recap my travels in 2017 a few times now and can never really think of a good way to start. Last year was very tumultuous for me with a number of large life changes - as with change in general some of it was really good and some of it bad. When I started to think back on the year in general last December I didn't really think travel played such a huge role, but I did travel to 5 countries (and 10 states!) so for some reason all the other crazy stuff that happened just messed with my actual travel memories. I'm actually super lucky I got to travel to so many places last year!
Without further ado, here are my favorite (travel) memories from 2017, in chronological order:
1. Taxi Driver in Morocco
After my aforementioned tumultuous summer (filled with lots of fun and sometimes too much fun, including sleepless nights), I immediately accepted when invited to my uncle's vacation house in New Hampshire, located at on the banks of a quiet lake in the White Mountains. Re-reading my journal from that 5 day trip includes multiple mentions of the 'catatonic pleasure' I enjoyed while there. My bedroom was on the second floor, surrounded by trees, with lake views, fresh air, and a yoga mat to stretch every morning. All of the silence was exactly what my body and mind needed. The silence was only punctuated (when we got lucky) by loon calls (example here if you want to induce relaxation). If it's not apparent I'm already craving another trip back next summer.
4. Stargazing in Panama
By the time October hit I realized I still had 10 vacation days left and dwindling calendar year time to use or lose them. After about 3 nights of obsessive nights on Google Flights, I forced myself to make a decision (I can be terribly indecisive) and book the trip I REALLY wanted to go on even though it was about $150 more expensive than I had planned to spend. Sailing from Colombia to Panama via the San Blas islands has been on my mind for years and with my recent solo traveler status after the end of a 5 year relationship, I figured a boat trip with other backpackers would be the ideal trip to ease back into traveling alone. I was right. Although the entire 10 days was a 2017 highlight, stargazing from a catamaran in the Caribbean Sea miles and miles from shore almost brought me to tears (in the best way possible). SORRY this sounds cheesy I know but it was incredible and I'm getting all sad & nostalgic right now just typing about it!
5. Bike Cruising in Tulum
To be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to visiting Tulum that much. But I wanted to be somewhere warm for New Year's, my friend had been dying to go to Tulum, and cheap flights to Cancun made it a pretty simple decision. It has a reputation for attracting a certain type of LA and NY residents, and when I travel I'm usually trying to avoid the vibe I experience in New York. and yes, the reputation was quickly upheld when I arrived - so I just had to embrace it or make myself miserable in a beautiful tropical beach town in Mexico (which would be incredibly stupid on my part). Despite my internalized crankiness I still found plenty to enjoy about Tulum, and one of my favorite memories is biking around on a pair of beach cruisers borrowed from our Airbnb. It felt immersive in a way the taxis didn't (though we did love speaking mangled Spanish to the drivers) and also rationalized a few extra tacos & margaritas along the way.
Not sure how to end this without saying '2018 has big shoes to fill' but that's a lame cliche so ending it now bye!
Without further ado, here are my favorite (travel) memories from 2017, in chronological order:
1. Taxi Driver in Morocco
When browsing flights for a long trip in May last year, I found incredible deals to Europe. One catch! Europe appeals to me about 0%. So in a compromise, my travel buddy and I did half the vacation in Spain and then spent $60 for a side trip to Morocco via RyanAir and promptly booked an adorable riad including airport transfer. Unclear on whether we were stupid, didn't account for the time change, or what, but upon arrival at the airport in Fez we couldn't find our pickup for about an hour. Since we landed at night, at a small airport, in my first Arabic speaking country in years, after the hell that is a RyanAir flight, we were notably disoriented when we walked outside. Despite the language barrier and the fact that we could have been easily ripped off, all the taxi drivers were incredibly nice to us and helped call our guesthouse, find out where they were, and arrange for the car to come pick us up. Crisis averted and a sweet reminder of the kindness of strangers.
2. Treasure Hunting in Nashville
Another 2017 moment where I feel ~so lucky~ is all the business travel I did last year. I know most people complain about business trips but I BEG to go on them! It doesn't hurt that my job is cool and my business trips are to go to music festivals haha. (Sorry to brag but there's plenty of negative things about my job that I have to appreciate all the good things when I can!) To really get the most out of my work trips I try to book the latest flight home possible so I get 12 hours or so to explore whatever city I'm in. When I visited Tennessee last June, I freaked out because Nashville has been high on my list for awhile, and spent the whole day walking around East Nashville and generally loving life (Nashville hot chicken is the bomb btw). I know I'll remember the whole day for years for a variety of reasons but one of my highlights was the vinyl store I discovered with an amazing and cheap selection. I picked up 6 new records as well as a designation of 'dad rock lover' from the employee working (proud of that TBH). Nashville u have my heart.
3. Listening to the Loons in New HampshireAfter my aforementioned tumultuous summer (filled with lots of fun and sometimes too much fun, including sleepless nights), I immediately accepted when invited to my uncle's vacation house in New Hampshire, located at on the banks of a quiet lake in the White Mountains. Re-reading my journal from that 5 day trip includes multiple mentions of the 'catatonic pleasure' I enjoyed while there. My bedroom was on the second floor, surrounded by trees, with lake views, fresh air, and a yoga mat to stretch every morning. All of the silence was exactly what my body and mind needed. The silence was only punctuated (when we got lucky) by loon calls (example here if you want to induce relaxation). If it's not apparent I'm already craving another trip back next summer.
4. Stargazing in Panama
By the time October hit I realized I still had 10 vacation days left and dwindling calendar year time to use or lose them. After about 3 nights of obsessive nights on Google Flights, I forced myself to make a decision (I can be terribly indecisive) and book the trip I REALLY wanted to go on even though it was about $150 more expensive than I had planned to spend. Sailing from Colombia to Panama via the San Blas islands has been on my mind for years and with my recent solo traveler status after the end of a 5 year relationship, I figured a boat trip with other backpackers would be the ideal trip to ease back into traveling alone. I was right. Although the entire 10 days was a 2017 highlight, stargazing from a catamaran in the Caribbean Sea miles and miles from shore almost brought me to tears (in the best way possible). SORRY this sounds cheesy I know but it was incredible and I'm getting all sad & nostalgic right now just typing about it!
5. Bike Cruising in Tulum
To be honest, I wasn't really looking forward to visiting Tulum that much. But I wanted to be somewhere warm for New Year's, my friend had been dying to go to Tulum, and cheap flights to Cancun made it a pretty simple decision. It has a reputation for attracting a certain type of LA and NY residents, and when I travel I'm usually trying to avoid the vibe I experience in New York. and yes, the reputation was quickly upheld when I arrived - so I just had to embrace it or make myself miserable in a beautiful tropical beach town in Mexico (which would be incredibly stupid on my part). Despite my internalized crankiness I still found plenty to enjoy about Tulum, and one of my favorite memories is biking around on a pair of beach cruisers borrowed from our Airbnb. It felt immersive in a way the taxis didn't (though we did love speaking mangled Spanish to the drivers) and also rationalized a few extra tacos & margaritas along the way.
Not sure how to end this without saying '2018 has big shoes to fill' but that's a lame cliche so ending it now bye!
