This is such a powerful article, Kristi. And you've inspired me to write about an experience while traveling in Sicily decades ago. I was sure my family and I were being kidnapped - it was in those long ago years when kidnapping Americans was happening regularly. The adventure turned out to be one of the most incredible experiences of joy that I hold dear.
Oh wow...i would LOVE to read that when you write it!! Please tag me when it's written.
I can totally relate to uneasy feelings in iffy situations but I'm so glad it worked out for you and made it so memorable! Thanks for sharing Paulette.
I don’t know when but for as long as I know, I seem to feel like the kind of traveler who exploring and taking the road less travelled.
I don’t want to see just the “famous” touristy places that’s fakely put up for commercial and instagram haha.
I want the real grit dirty raw stories, the way of life. And you did exactly just that.
Every trip I had since i’m 20, is that.
From Sikkim, Switzerland, Malaysia, Bali and USA, each has shaped and moulded me with so much experiences about humanity, living, social and cultural nuances and quirks.
I have done things just a similar..what is really interesting, is that in these instances, there is no apologies for a messy place, no apology for what they do not have. They are happy with what they have. I have been humbled much like this in numerous countries. It is amazing how we can trust our gut. Even though looking back -- it seems like a crazy thing to do -- there is no way we would let our kids do this! Thanks for sharing --I miss Jamaican cooking!
Karen, words can’t describe how much I miss Jamaican cooking! And I never met a Jamaican who couldn’t cook incredible food.
You know what’s funny? I would have let my son do this. In fact…I did. He hosteled around Europe for a month and managed to stay with Polish locals in their homes (not luxurious homes!) and the photos he shared with those people are priceless. They felt privileged to be hosting a Canadian DJ and he felt privileged to be hosted. Funny how that works.
That sounds like so much fun! I think being in the real deal is such an honour and humbling experience. It really changes us, at least it change me and made me realise that I do not need to keep up with the Joans, or have the very latest gadgets to bring me joy.
In hindsight, I am sure if the chance arose, I would never stop my daughter --but just the thought freaks me out. I also think the fact we traveled a lot together when she was younger I am hoping opened her up to being aware. After I left Toronto I have not had Jamaican food since. I just have not hit a Jamaican area yet to get some good a Roti or goat curry.
Oh believe me, I was stressed out the whole time my son was overseas lol. When I dropped him at the airport for that trip I BAWLED but man, am I glad in hindsight that he had the opportunity to check off his bucket list at such a young age.
I would have been bawling too! It is funny how the things we do are OK at that age--but for them it is a whole different story! My daughter was off to France with a friend and I had her watch Taken 😆😆😆 A bit overboard! I also had her listen to this one podcast from an Expat who was an ex military and she had amazing ideas on how to not look like a tourist. 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
In 1986, I studied in Australia and between semesters, I took a trip through the eastern half of the country. On my journey, I stopped in Cooper Pedy, an opal mining town in the middle of the Outback. While sitting in a bar with a friend, we were approached by some local Aboriginal residents and had a lovely conversation. After several hours and a few drinks, they invited us back to their underground houses. I was hesitant at first but decided to go nonetheless.
What I experienced was incredible. The people were so proud of their heritage and although they were not wealthy, they were more than willing to share their meals with strangers and enjoy our company.
Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone to truly appreciate all in the world.
What an amazing experience! And you’re so right, if we never try anything we’ll never enrich our lives with these encounters. Thnk you for sharing yours!
I’ve just returned from a 2 week vacation in Chicago/NYC and Philly. One of the things that struck me during the experience was how bland Manhattan had become but how much flavor Brooklyn has. The difference? Many points of friction in the experience. Noise, cars, close proximity to one another and yes-trash LOL! Manhattan made me a little sad and weirded out. I’ve visited many times before and attended college in Upstate New York-so, I’ve seen it change over the years. Also, how many SweetGreens does a place need?
Yes! This is a beautiful story and a fantastic experience for everyone. Humans connecting with other humans without stereotypes getting in the way. Thank you for sharing it.
One solo experience I had was in the mountains of Picos de Europa in north-west Spain in the early 90's. I had a week's vacation from work and wanted to go hiking there, so bought a map, jumped on a bus and arrived at a small village where the route through the mountains (following a river) started. I had intended to hike alone, but met up with 4 students from Valladolid and we started chatting and in the end spent nearly 5 days together. We didn't have tents, or any fancy gear, so in the villages and hamlets we introduced ourselves to locals, bought bread and eggs or local cheese from them, were invited to stay in barns and hay lofts and the like. Some of these hamlets had no access to them other than via walking or donkeys, so the food there was more expensive.
But people shared what they had, helped us dry off (it was a rainy week), and I came back feeling like I'd experienced a slice of history and a connection that would have been impossible any other way.
I hitchhiked across the US a couple times in my 20s with a friend. Though we never experienced or saw real poverty (not like parts of Mexico or India I've seen) it was an eye-opener. People on the road are generous and supportive and we never had to pay for lodging b/c our rides usually offered us a spare room or couch and often a meal. The Colon side of Costa Rica could rival parts of Delhi, and parts of Panama City, Panama are pretty raw, too. In my younger years parts of Guadalajara jarred me out of my middle-class mind. Your trip to Spanish Town --amazing. So many in the world take so much for granted.
Thanks for sharing this Jeanine. I wish more young people would have the opportunity to see this when they're young. It may shape them differently than our greedy western world.
I know when I went back here with my son he was super intrigued by how it all worked. He was always down for experiencing the REAL side of travel. He backpacked across Europe at 18 by himself and some of the hostel photos he shared with me were crazy (especially in a rundown area of Poland). But the people he met? Hands down the best part of his journey.
He was very brave to backpack and see the world, Kristi. Today post pandemic I don’t know if kids really have the $ to travel. We hitchhiked bc it was cheap. My mother freaked out about it of course but we had no bad experiences. Lucky. And there were 2 of us. But seeing other places really is an education, something you can’t get if you don’t do it. Not to sound snobby but I don’t think you can get it from cruising. Yes, ya might hit the ports of call, but . . .Travel is such an eye-opener. And fun!!!
Yes I'm so glad he had the opportunity to knock off his biggest bucket list item while he was young (and still alive). I also made him a Shutterfly coffee table photo-book of his month-long trip and I'm SO glad I have this keepsake now.
PS: I feel the same way you do about cruises lol. That's not travel, it's socializing with your own kind with a few passport stamps sprinkled in 🤣
This is how I prefer to travel. I don't have much interest in resort life because it's just not the same or nearly as enjoyable. The only time I travel to resorts is if I have family with me, because they're not so adventurous (although they like to think they are). I like to get the true experience of what it's like—I've met so many amazing people this way. Solo travel is my favourite because I can let the wind blow me where it will, or spend the days getting lost and seeing where I find myself.
It's really changed my perspective on my own needs/wants. I've lived in Thailand for the past 8 years and lived with very little—a single gas burner, bucket/cold water showers, no tv, etc. I realise how little I need to be happy, and sometimes less truly is more. I just got furniture last year, and now I have a fridge and hot water for my shower, and it feels a bit luxurious 🤣
Kaitlyn, I'm intrigued by the way you live! It's true how little we can live with and be happy. The western world doesn't even allow for simple, small living because everything here is about MORE!
I think in the west it takes a lot of confidence to go with less. Here it's just normal, but at home people will always have something to say. At this point, if I go back to Canada I will definitely be looking for "less."
Thank you for the congrats! Hehe I got it because my mom was coming to visit and I didn't want her to suffer 🤪 so it was a double bonus to see her, too.
You’re right about that. People here are SO judgey about how other people live. I would seriously be happy living in a tiny home if it was set on half an acre and fenced so I could have more dogs 😁
Thank you for sharing this profound experience. It’s amazing how travel can reveal so much more than just scenic views, but also the raw and real lives of people. Your story is a testament to the depth and impact of genuine human connections.
My big adventure was in 1996. The two us, me and my boyfriend, who I had only met 8 months before, went on a 14month shoestring bicycle tour, cycling 7 countries and clocked up 36000 kms.
I hadn't touch a bike much, was not a cyclist, and not fit, my boyfriend on the other hand was an avid cyclist and had bicycle toured before.
Me a smoker and heavy drinker at the time only said yes as I was given a "dare to go" scenario. One for dares, I was say yes lol! I all I needed was a bike, panniers one item of clothing for each part of the body and 2000 Uk pounds to last year and abit!!!
Told to sell the car and ride the bike with panniers before we went, went in on ear and out the other. I continued to drink and smoke!
Anyhoo, we brought a one way ticket to Delhi in India, and from there cycled to the The Himalayas, climbing to 17,000 and over one of the highest passes, Tanglang La, 5,328 metres (17,480 feet), from there were catapuled downwards to Leh and again a climb to Katmandu, where we parked the bikes and did 3 major hikes, Everest Base Camp, Tanglang La and Annapurna region.
After that we headed towards Tibet, and then into Asia, and cycled Thailand, Sumatra, Indonesia, and then ended up the tour in Australia, cycling the outback from Darwin to Townsville and then to Forster New South Wales. We then flew to New Zealand cycled all the country.
Sitting on a beach in the North Island of New Zealand we counted our money, I had 80 cents left and my boyfriend 1 pound 10 cents so our plans to carry on the South America were squashed!
We had some near escapes with death: we cycled into a gun battle, just escaping our lives, I was nearly sold for camels and imprisoned for sex! and nearly raped by a Sikh man, and nearly drowned in a boat off the coast of Thailand and I nearly died from a major attack of some parasite in my colon! Yuck!
I suffered bottom boils in my first few months of cycling due to not having been on a bike much I was not bike fit.
All the way through the 14 month trip we camped. Camped in snow and blizzards in the mountains, and stayed with the locals in every small town we encountered in India, Tibet and Asia..., eat and dressed like the local to fit in and respect their culture. I have never seen such poverty but never encountered such hospitality, friendly happy people before in my life.
there were times we hadn't washed for days (weeks!) and when we did it was a cold one, with in the rivers or a lake or a hotel. The occasional hot shower was such a blissful experience, I can still remember them today, and so grateful to even have a hot shower today.
you sure get to know someone sleeping everyday in a tent unwashed with fishy smells and other nasties smells! and bad habits, I cannot tell you here lol!
We started out as lovers, hated each other during the first part of trip and ended up as best pals at the end, and I went to his wedding.... he had been secretly writing to one of my friends back home!
Of course by then i was over it, the relationship I mean.
Recommend shoe string cycle touring to build your character and find out what you are made of.... but you need courage, determination and a butt made of steal! but mostly you need a good patient cycling buddy who you have cycled with before!
That is a great experience to have, Kristi. It reminds me of when I hiked along the border of China and Myanmar in the early 2000s. It was just my girlfriend and me. The hike took 3 to 5 days through mountain paths, jungles, and rice fields. There were no lights along the path, signs, or hotels. All we had at the time were some notes from travelers we met at a hostel in Kunming.
We were warned that we needed to reach a village before nightfall each day and negotiate a place to stay. On that first day, we hiked for about six hours; it rained, it got dark, and we were scared. However, we finally made it to a village. I remember it being a happy place, though very sparse. We stayed with a family for the night in a house on stilts. Inside, there was one room, no TV, and no furniture. The family was incredibly kind, offering us what they had for dinner (cooked underneath the house). It wasn't much, but the family was just happy to eat and talk together.
We couldn't speak the local language, so we nodded along and smiled. Looking back on that trip, I realized that we don't need a lot to be happy. Good friends and community, without all the materialistic items, can be enough.
I've done nothing so venturesome, but my first (late) husband and I did do some way-off-the-beaten-path explorations in coastal Mexico back in the late 70s/early 80s. Like you, it was startling to see how spoiled I was. Same when I was in Kenya last year.
I have taken myself very far outside my comfort zone at times. The most memorable was a solo trip to Copenhagen when I was a college exchange student back in 1974. I rode an all night bus from Amsterdam to Copenhagen which went thru a portion of Germany that was still behind the Berlin Wall. Terrifying and humbling. I might write about this whole journey one day. I came back knowing that I could do anything I set my mind to alone. Powerful stuff.
Ashamed I am. Reading your Jamaican experience took me back 50 years. I was having a torrid affair with a handsome, married , much older man who “promised he was getting divorced .” We were guests in the makeup Scion Helena Rubinstein home. I was starry eyed 23 year old . I recall driving to Negrill thru poverty stricken villages. Beautiful children and people. Very colorful. Seemingly happy yet I had feelings they didn’t like Americans. Small wonder. I grew out of privilege feeling. Worked in many places helping poor , people returning to life outside prison and children receiving better education. Oh the man never divorced until years later.
No, don't be ashamed! It's not easy to make the decision to try blending in in Jamaica. They're very forward people and it can be intimidating for sure. I went to Spanish Town (this post) after 6 years of traveling to Jamaica. But I will say, I've also been fortunate to meet the best locals! On my very first trip I met one who toured me around the entire island on my second trip, very local-ish. I was blessed to get early exposure.
Gosh, I have felt pretty invincible as I traveled. I do admire you trusting your gut as a single woman. I think those times I’ve made friends with new people I was with friends. However! I did make and visit a few friends I made in the chat rooms back in the day - and I met them on my own.
Grateful that the people we trusted were good people. 😊
I love how you mentioned the chat room meetings because I’ve done that as well and they all turned out to be some of the best humans I could ever meet!
I feel like meeting Substackers would feel the same way.
We don’t even have to travel far to find these nooks of society. America has too many impoverished towns.
If I traveled frequently to a country where I knew the language and had a trusting sense of the people I would definitely venture out. Some places I would never explore, especially today.
Exactly. And documentaries about the drug trade there. I dunno...doesn't seem worth it to me. As you said, I was familiar with Jamaica and how the people are when I went to Spanish Town.
This is such a powerful article, Kristi. And you've inspired me to write about an experience while traveling in Sicily decades ago. I was sure my family and I were being kidnapped - it was in those long ago years when kidnapping Americans was happening regularly. The adventure turned out to be one of the most incredible experiences of joy that I hold dear.
Oh wow...i would LOVE to read that when you write it!! Please tag me when it's written.
I can totally relate to uneasy feelings in iffy situations but I'm so glad it worked out for you and made it so memorable! Thanks for sharing Paulette.
Thank you, I will, Kristi!
Amazing travel story.
I don’t know when but for as long as I know, I seem to feel like the kind of traveler who exploring and taking the road less travelled.
I don’t want to see just the “famous” touristy places that’s fakely put up for commercial and instagram haha.
I want the real grit dirty raw stories, the way of life. And you did exactly just that.
Every trip I had since i’m 20, is that.
From Sikkim, Switzerland, Malaysia, Bali and USA, each has shaped and moulded me with so much experiences about humanity, living, social and cultural nuances and quirks.
Thank you Yan. You're part of the privileged who has had the opportunity to see the real side of life everywhere you go!
Thank you too, indeed I do myself in incredibly blessed to somehow just want to travel this way.
It did initially feel weird and “lonely” but looking back, I was ahead of my time and still won’t have it another way!
See you at my 6am this Monday, for the meet-up! LMAO
I'm so glad you'll be there!!
I have done things just a similar..what is really interesting, is that in these instances, there is no apologies for a messy place, no apology for what they do not have. They are happy with what they have. I have been humbled much like this in numerous countries. It is amazing how we can trust our gut. Even though looking back -- it seems like a crazy thing to do -- there is no way we would let our kids do this! Thanks for sharing --I miss Jamaican cooking!
Karen, words can’t describe how much I miss Jamaican cooking! And I never met a Jamaican who couldn’t cook incredible food.
You know what’s funny? I would have let my son do this. In fact…I did. He hosteled around Europe for a month and managed to stay with Polish locals in their homes (not luxurious homes!) and the photos he shared with those people are priceless. They felt privileged to be hosting a Canadian DJ and he felt privileged to be hosted. Funny how that works.
That sounds like so much fun! I think being in the real deal is such an honour and humbling experience. It really changes us, at least it change me and made me realise that I do not need to keep up with the Joans, or have the very latest gadgets to bring me joy.
In hindsight, I am sure if the chance arose, I would never stop my daughter --but just the thought freaks me out. I also think the fact we traveled a lot together when she was younger I am hoping opened her up to being aware. After I left Toronto I have not had Jamaican food since. I just have not hit a Jamaican area yet to get some good a Roti or goat curry.
Oh believe me, I was stressed out the whole time my son was overseas lol. When I dropped him at the airport for that trip I BAWLED but man, am I glad in hindsight that he had the opportunity to check off his bucket list at such a young age.
I would have been bawling too! It is funny how the things we do are OK at that age--but for them it is a whole different story! My daughter was off to France with a friend and I had her watch Taken 😆😆😆 A bit overboard! I also had her listen to this one podcast from an Expat who was an ex military and she had amazing ideas on how to not look like a tourist. 😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆😆
In 1986, I studied in Australia and between semesters, I took a trip through the eastern half of the country. On my journey, I stopped in Cooper Pedy, an opal mining town in the middle of the Outback. While sitting in a bar with a friend, we were approached by some local Aboriginal residents and had a lovely conversation. After several hours and a few drinks, they invited us back to their underground houses. I was hesitant at first but decided to go nonetheless.
What I experienced was incredible. The people were so proud of their heritage and although they were not wealthy, they were more than willing to share their meals with strangers and enjoy our company.
Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone to truly appreciate all in the world.
What an amazing experience! And you’re so right, if we never try anything we’ll never enrich our lives with these encounters. Thnk you for sharing yours!
Thanks. I'll be detailing it in a future travel memoir.
I’ve just returned from a 2 week vacation in Chicago/NYC and Philly. One of the things that struck me during the experience was how bland Manhattan had become but how much flavor Brooklyn has. The difference? Many points of friction in the experience. Noise, cars, close proximity to one another and yes-trash LOL! Manhattan made me a little sad and weirded out. I’ve visited many times before and attended college in Upstate New York-so, I’ve seen it change over the years. Also, how many SweetGreens does a place need?
I've never been to any of those destinations so I have nothing to compare with but I can imagine watching it change over time is striking.
Yes! This is a beautiful story and a fantastic experience for everyone. Humans connecting with other humans without stereotypes getting in the way. Thank you for sharing it.
One solo experience I had was in the mountains of Picos de Europa in north-west Spain in the early 90's. I had a week's vacation from work and wanted to go hiking there, so bought a map, jumped on a bus and arrived at a small village where the route through the mountains (following a river) started. I had intended to hike alone, but met up with 4 students from Valladolid and we started chatting and in the end spent nearly 5 days together. We didn't have tents, or any fancy gear, so in the villages and hamlets we introduced ourselves to locals, bought bread and eggs or local cheese from them, were invited to stay in barns and hay lofts and the like. Some of these hamlets had no access to them other than via walking or donkeys, so the food there was more expensive.
But people shared what they had, helped us dry off (it was a rainy week), and I came back feeling like I'd experienced a slice of history and a connection that would have been impossible any other way.
This is simply amazing. The human spirit is a universal language that we all know already. We just need to seek out the opportunities to use it!
Thank you so much for sharing your story!
I hitchhiked across the US a couple times in my 20s with a friend. Though we never experienced or saw real poverty (not like parts of Mexico or India I've seen) it was an eye-opener. People on the road are generous and supportive and we never had to pay for lodging b/c our rides usually offered us a spare room or couch and often a meal. The Colon side of Costa Rica could rival parts of Delhi, and parts of Panama City, Panama are pretty raw, too. In my younger years parts of Guadalajara jarred me out of my middle-class mind. Your trip to Spanish Town --amazing. So many in the world take so much for granted.
Thanks for sharing this Jeanine. I wish more young people would have the opportunity to see this when they're young. It may shape them differently than our greedy western world.
I know when I went back here with my son he was super intrigued by how it all worked. He was always down for experiencing the REAL side of travel. He backpacked across Europe at 18 by himself and some of the hostel photos he shared with me were crazy (especially in a rundown area of Poland). But the people he met? Hands down the best part of his journey.
He was very brave to backpack and see the world, Kristi. Today post pandemic I don’t know if kids really have the $ to travel. We hitchhiked bc it was cheap. My mother freaked out about it of course but we had no bad experiences. Lucky. And there were 2 of us. But seeing other places really is an education, something you can’t get if you don’t do it. Not to sound snobby but I don’t think you can get it from cruising. Yes, ya might hit the ports of call, but . . .Travel is such an eye-opener. And fun!!!
Yes I'm so glad he had the opportunity to knock off his biggest bucket list item while he was young (and still alive). I also made him a Shutterfly coffee table photo-book of his month-long trip and I'm SO glad I have this keepsake now.
PS: I feel the same way you do about cruises lol. That's not travel, it's socializing with your own kind with a few passport stamps sprinkled in 🤣
This is how I prefer to travel. I don't have much interest in resort life because it's just not the same or nearly as enjoyable. The only time I travel to resorts is if I have family with me, because they're not so adventurous (although they like to think they are). I like to get the true experience of what it's like—I've met so many amazing people this way. Solo travel is my favourite because I can let the wind blow me where it will, or spend the days getting lost and seeing where I find myself.
It's really changed my perspective on my own needs/wants. I've lived in Thailand for the past 8 years and lived with very little—a single gas burner, bucket/cold water showers, no tv, etc. I realise how little I need to be happy, and sometimes less truly is more. I just got furniture last year, and now I have a fridge and hot water for my shower, and it feels a bit luxurious 🤣
Kaitlyn, I'm intrigued by the way you live! It's true how little we can live with and be happy. The western world doesn't even allow for simple, small living because everything here is about MORE!
Congratulations on your hot water 😁😁
I think in the west it takes a lot of confidence to go with less. Here it's just normal, but at home people will always have something to say. At this point, if I go back to Canada I will definitely be looking for "less."
Thank you for the congrats! Hehe I got it because my mom was coming to visit and I didn't want her to suffer 🤪 so it was a double bonus to see her, too.
You’re right about that. People here are SO judgey about how other people live. I would seriously be happy living in a tiny home if it was set on half an acre and fenced so I could have more dogs 😁
That sounds like a dream 😍 sign me up if you accept visitors 😅😅 I'll bring my dog 🐕
Thank you for sharing this profound experience. It’s amazing how travel can reveal so much more than just scenic views, but also the raw and real lives of people. Your story is a testament to the depth and impact of genuine human connections.
It's no understatement when they say travel changes you 😊
My big adventure was in 1996. The two us, me and my boyfriend, who I had only met 8 months before, went on a 14month shoestring bicycle tour, cycling 7 countries and clocked up 36000 kms.
I hadn't touch a bike much, was not a cyclist, and not fit, my boyfriend on the other hand was an avid cyclist and had bicycle toured before.
Me a smoker and heavy drinker at the time only said yes as I was given a "dare to go" scenario. One for dares, I was say yes lol! I all I needed was a bike, panniers one item of clothing for each part of the body and 2000 Uk pounds to last year and abit!!!
Told to sell the car and ride the bike with panniers before we went, went in on ear and out the other. I continued to drink and smoke!
Anyhoo, we brought a one way ticket to Delhi in India, and from there cycled to the The Himalayas, climbing to 17,000 and over one of the highest passes, Tanglang La, 5,328 metres (17,480 feet), from there were catapuled downwards to Leh and again a climb to Katmandu, where we parked the bikes and did 3 major hikes, Everest Base Camp, Tanglang La and Annapurna region.
After that we headed towards Tibet, and then into Asia, and cycled Thailand, Sumatra, Indonesia, and then ended up the tour in Australia, cycling the outback from Darwin to Townsville and then to Forster New South Wales. We then flew to New Zealand cycled all the country.
Sitting on a beach in the North Island of New Zealand we counted our money, I had 80 cents left and my boyfriend 1 pound 10 cents so our plans to carry on the South America were squashed!
We had some near escapes with death: we cycled into a gun battle, just escaping our lives, I was nearly sold for camels and imprisoned for sex! and nearly raped by a Sikh man, and nearly drowned in a boat off the coast of Thailand and I nearly died from a major attack of some parasite in my colon! Yuck!
I suffered bottom boils in my first few months of cycling due to not having been on a bike much I was not bike fit.
All the way through the 14 month trip we camped. Camped in snow and blizzards in the mountains, and stayed with the locals in every small town we encountered in India, Tibet and Asia..., eat and dressed like the local to fit in and respect their culture. I have never seen such poverty but never encountered such hospitality, friendly happy people before in my life.
there were times we hadn't washed for days (weeks!) and when we did it was a cold one, with in the rivers or a lake or a hotel. The occasional hot shower was such a blissful experience, I can still remember them today, and so grateful to even have a hot shower today.
you sure get to know someone sleeping everyday in a tent unwashed with fishy smells and other nasties smells! and bad habits, I cannot tell you here lol!
We started out as lovers, hated each other during the first part of trip and ended up as best pals at the end, and I went to his wedding.... he had been secretly writing to one of my friends back home!
Of course by then i was over it, the relationship I mean.
Recommend shoe string cycle touring to build your character and find out what you are made of.... but you need courage, determination and a butt made of steal! but mostly you need a good patient cycling buddy who you have cycled with before!
That is a great experience to have, Kristi. It reminds me of when I hiked along the border of China and Myanmar in the early 2000s. It was just my girlfriend and me. The hike took 3 to 5 days through mountain paths, jungles, and rice fields. There were no lights along the path, signs, or hotels. All we had at the time were some notes from travelers we met at a hostel in Kunming.
We were warned that we needed to reach a village before nightfall each day and negotiate a place to stay. On that first day, we hiked for about six hours; it rained, it got dark, and we were scared. However, we finally made it to a village. I remember it being a happy place, though very sparse. We stayed with a family for the night in a house on stilts. Inside, there was one room, no TV, and no furniture. The family was incredibly kind, offering us what they had for dinner (cooked underneath the house). It wasn't much, but the family was just happy to eat and talk together.
We couldn't speak the local language, so we nodded along and smiled. Looking back on that trip, I realized that we don't need a lot to be happy. Good friends and community, without all the materialistic items, can be enough.
Os, this story is INCREDIBLE!!! I love it so much! What an experience, one you'll never forget. Have you ever written about it?
Hi Kristi, not yet but I will.
I've done nothing so venturesome, but my first (late) husband and I did do some way-off-the-beaten-path explorations in coastal Mexico back in the late 70s/early 80s. Like you, it was startling to see how spoiled I was. Same when I was in Kenya last year.
I will never forget your stories from your Africa trip. That was a once in a lifetime and I truly enjoyed your take on it. So humbling. ❤️
Beautiful, and not exploitative at all Kristi.
I have taken myself very far outside my comfort zone at times. The most memorable was a solo trip to Copenhagen when I was a college exchange student back in 1974. I rode an all night bus from Amsterdam to Copenhagen which went thru a portion of Germany that was still behind the Berlin Wall. Terrifying and humbling. I might write about this whole journey one day. I came back knowing that I could do anything I set my mind to alone. Powerful stuff.
Wow, I would love to read this story sometime! Especially from back in those days. I have zero knowledge of the world and politics in the 70s!
Thank you for stirring the pot that resurrected the memory. And yes, I’ll write about it.
Ashamed I am. Reading your Jamaican experience took me back 50 years. I was having a torrid affair with a handsome, married , much older man who “promised he was getting divorced .” We were guests in the makeup Scion Helena Rubinstein home. I was starry eyed 23 year old . I recall driving to Negrill thru poverty stricken villages. Beautiful children and people. Very colorful. Seemingly happy yet I had feelings they didn’t like Americans. Small wonder. I grew out of privilege feeling. Worked in many places helping poor , people returning to life outside prison and children receiving better education. Oh the man never divorced until years later.
No, don't be ashamed! It's not easy to make the decision to try blending in in Jamaica. They're very forward people and it can be intimidating for sure. I went to Spanish Town (this post) after 6 years of traveling to Jamaica. But I will say, I've also been fortunate to meet the best locals! On my very first trip I met one who toured me around the entire island on my second trip, very local-ish. I was blessed to get early exposure.
Gosh, I have felt pretty invincible as I traveled. I do admire you trusting your gut as a single woman. I think those times I’ve made friends with new people I was with friends. However! I did make and visit a few friends I made in the chat rooms back in the day - and I met them on my own.
Grateful that the people we trusted were good people. 😊
I love how you mentioned the chat room meetings because I’ve done that as well and they all turned out to be some of the best humans I could ever meet!
I feel like meeting Substackers would feel the same way.
Yes! I was thinking that too! I would meet someone from Substack for sure!
This was such a beautiful story.
We don’t even have to travel far to find these nooks of society. America has too many impoverished towns.
If I traveled frequently to a country where I knew the language and had a trusting sense of the people I would definitely venture out. Some places I would never explore, especially today.
Agreed. I don’t think I’d be this brave in Mexico like Tim was. I’m probably overreacting but with drug cartels and such, I wouldn’t be so brave.
Ugh. There have been awful news stories over the years about tourists who mistakenly ventured into cartel territory and were murdered.
Exactly. And documentaries about the drug trade there. I dunno...doesn't seem worth it to me. As you said, I was familiar with Jamaica and how the people are when I went to Spanish Town.