While I have been traveling for the past 3 years, I have managed to rack up a lot of journals on my way; 5 to be exact, with 1 in process. I’m one of the those people who write down EVERYTHING. Everything including ideas, budgets, lists, more lists, thoughts, experiences, and so on. I do this because I know how I am to forget things, and If it’s written down, I know its important to me for some apparent reason.
I write a lot more when I am gone opposed to when I am home, especially when I am by myself. It’s a great way to track everything, and to remember what I’ve done, where I’ve been, and the person I was during this time. Not only do I write down my plans and the experiences I’ve had, I also write a lot of random things that have some kind of meaning, and I hope, in some way, you can find meaning in them too. I’m not going to publish my entire series of travel journals, but I would like to share some exerts.
Rekyavik, Iceland:
For the past 2 hours, I have been siting outside smoking ciggy’s, in below freezing temperature, talking to an older local gentleman. Originally from America, currently residing in Iceland. He told me all about his life; he’s been all over the world and has so many stories. One of his best friends was Jimi Hendrix (super cool), he has dual citizenship, has a masters in Psychology, and actually believes that Trump can make America great again. Now, his home is being taken away for new tourist accommodation and he is being forced out. But, this doesn’t bother him from continuing his life; his new goal is to make it to India and to live out the rest of his life there and in Sri Lanka. I don’t know what his name was, and I know I will never see this person again, but talking to him made my whole day. Traveling shows you that the world really isn’t all that bad of a place and there are genuine people every where, you just have to be open and willing to share experiences with strangers. I’ll never forget his face; I pray he is safe, happy, and that someday, he finally makes it to India.
Budapest, Hungary
I’ll really miss Budapest and the person that I was while I was here. I hadn’t smiled this much in a long time like I did this week. Until next time and until I return again, which I will 100%.
I’ll never get over the magic of Budapest. When I hiked up Gellert hill one day to stand with Budapest Liberty State, over looking the Danube River, with views of the whole city, it was perfect. Just standing there gazing, makes you wonder and realize just how small you are and how small your problems are in the world. I started to look at all the little sections of the city, all unique in their own little way. Budapest is a lot bigger when you are up higher.
There was this one house and I kept coming back to it. It wasn’t anything special, not too big not too small, nothing fancy, only simple. Still in the city, the Buda side, but the placement of the trees around it, reminded me a little of home in the country. Still close enough to walk to the hustle and bustle, but still secluded enough to get away from it all and relax. If I’d ever move to Hungary, I would come back to Budapest and this is where I’d want to live with the love of my life.
Somewhere on a Bus to Italy
THOUGHTS: I like when the sun and the moon are both out at the same time. I like the in-betweens. The world kind of slows down for a while. You have a gray area. It’s not quite nighttime, but it’s not quite daytime either. You’re not quite sure where you are or what to do, but at the same time you’re content. You know that come nightfall, you’ll be at peace with your troubles. I think people are like this too. Just as the sun and the moon put life into a gray area, people can be put into gray areas, and they can put other people into them as well as work, relationships, or life events in general. However, gray areas can be both good and bad. There is worry and anxiety, yet, faith and hope. I believe that these gray areas in life will change you in some aspect, in some way. You don’t know what you’re thinking or feeling, or maybe even who you are, but overtime this makes things stronger and more important. I like the grey areas most because after they are over, the night time comes, the peacefulness comes, even if for only a little while.