Where? When? How Many? How Long?

When I left Hawaii at the end of June 2023 I had the plan of being gone for 6 months to a year. Well 11 months, 73 places I slept, 14 countries, 5 continents, 51 different cities, and a hell of a lot of memories later… Here I am to finally sit down and tell the stories of the 11 months.

A very common question I get when I tell people about my travels is “Where did you stay?”. 30 Hostels. 11 hotels. 7 airbnb. 7 home stays. 5 homes of friends. 4 overnight buses. 3 overnight trains. 3 tents. 2 cars. 1 ashram. I know this may seem like a lot because it was in some regards. It was a lot of packing and unpacking and packing again just to unpack again. When you’re on the road the way I was, I rarely book in advance. Plans change and it’s nice to have the freedom of choosing on the fly. Of course that can cause some problems when it’s 6 in the morning and your best friend is super sick with nowhere to go. That’s part of the journey of course. 

The first 3 months of the travels were in Europe. About 2 weeks in the Middle East. 1 month in Africa. 3 months in Australia. 3 months in India. 2 weeks in Central America. And to end it all, 1 week at Disney World. Silly I know but it was such a wholesome experience with my mom and sister. After all that time apart from each other it was a well-deserved week. 

When I left I had a “plan” of going from Europe and then making my way east through Asia, over to Australia and New Zealand. I made my way to Australia but not in the pattern I was hoping for. Africa wasn’t in the plan though it was very high on my list of places to go, so I’m glad I got to do it. This is why the “plan” I created before leaving was merely thoughts of how I like to see the travels go. Thoughts of places I’d like to hit. Ideas of things I wanted to see. That’s my version of a plan, just thoughts and ideas. Even now with my future travel “plans” I have an idea of what I want to do and where I want to go. Does that mean it’s going to happen exactly that way, no of course not. 

When you travel you have to submiss to the way of the universe: ebb and flow. Have an idea of what you would like to see and do, and make an effort for those things. Then if something else comes along, make sure there is space to have a new, unexpected part of your journey. It’s important to do unexpected things, those usually end up being the best memories. For example, the Vervet Monkey Foundation in Africa was way out of the plan but it was truly the best experience to have been a part of. 

It’s crazy the number of places you go when you’re traveling, 73 different places I slept on my travels if I counted correctly. Can you imagine all the people I met, the souls I touched, the animals I pet, the meals I ate, the seats I traveled from one place to another, the struggles I overcame, the laughs that made my belly hurt, the love spread from friends, the moments of complete peace, moments overcome by longing the people and places I missed, and all of the things I uncovered about myself? How many things happened to me this year that I might not even remember? What things started to shine more because of the travels? How many goodbyes and hellos? How many times did I pack and unpack? When did I know it was time to move on to the next destination? How did I overcome heartbreak? How did I leave 14 baby monkeys after taking care of them for a month?

There are so many questions to be asked. So many stories to tell. The most important part of all is that you know that you can do this too. You can book a flight and meet lifelong friends. You can go eat amazing food in whatever country you desire. You can take care of animals for a month in Africa if that’s what you want to do. Maybe you want to learn to scuba dive in Southeast Asia, or even Egypt. You can do whatever you want in this big blue world.

It amazes me how shocked people are when I tell them about my travels. Like it’s a thought that people have but never follow through with. Why not?!! It is so beautiful out in the world. I often hear “I can’t do that”, “I don’t have the money” and “I am scared to do it by myself”. I spent less money traveling full-time than I would be paying rent and living in Hawaii for the year that I was gone. You are also never alone. Stay at a hostel, and make some friends. If you find someone you like, try to start traveling with them and see where it takes you. Sign up for a travel group, lots of those now especially for younger solo travelers. There are easier ways to travel than society would like to share with us. People believe it would cost an arm and a leg to travel. 

Depending on the country you’re in, the cost fluctuates, so if you plan on more budget-friendly places, you can stay longer and still truly enjoy your time there. South East Asia, Central America, India, and some places in Africa are all good budget-friendly places to start your travels. You can do it, there are places in this world worth seeing that are cheaper than your monthly rent in your small apartment. 

My first international trip (without family) was to Bali, Indonesia. A very cheap and affordable place where many backpackers go. You can spend a little money and make lots of friends along the way. You can choose to spend your time in one Airbnb (or hotel or hostel) for some of your trip. You don't always have to hop around from place to place every couple of days. In each city, you can find a place you like and make it your home base. Then if it is easy access to another city, you can take a day trip to the other spot so that you're not packing and unpacking.

However you decide to travel, it will be worth it. You can bounce around city to city every few days or choose to relax in a city and explore that area as your heart desires. Traveling isn’t an impossible thing that will take years to plan and save up for. I promise if you go to a budget-friendly location, you can eat a 3-course meal for $10. That is cheaper than your Starbucks order. A part of sharing my journey is to share that it is possible, for anyone. I hope you find some inspiration from this blog and the next.

Keep Discovering,

Darby