I hiked on a volcano!
I almost posted about a million photos from our volcano excursion on Instagram today, but I didn't.
READER, I didn't post a million travel photos!!!!!!
For some reason, every time I attempted to re-download Instagram this afternoon, I stopped myself. And I asked myself why I really wanted to show them. And honestly, I don't know. Maybe a little bit to show off? But not really. To somehow make it more real to myself that I was here? More likely. To document my day? Nahhhhhhh. I DONT KNOW and I can't figure it out. All I know is that when I wanted to post them, I wasn't doing it for others or for myself. It was like a reflex. And I stopped myself because for a minute, I wanted these memories and these photos to just belong to me. Only me. What does it say about me and the world and our generation that everything important or notable that we do needs to be recorded or shared? It's involuntary, almost, to just put something up on the internet because that's what's expected. Do something cool, share it online. No second thoughts. No intentions.
WELL. I didn't do it. And I told myself rather than posting some photos, I'd come here and share stories or write about it. So I am here.
Today was a day I will never forget. There wasn't anything spectacular about it. It wasn't THE most beautiful place I've ever been. It wasn't like I jumped out of a plane or did something dangerous. Nope. None of the above. Today, however, was a day where I felt totally and completely myself. My phone was off all day. I had no connection with the outside world. No one on the bus or the tour knew who I was. For 10 hours, I was just a 27 year old woman traveling in South America surrounded by people from around the world. I forgot about my email. I didn't think about weddings all day. I didn't think about my family (sorry family I love you). I didn't think about dating. I didn't think about Trump. All I thought about was what I was going to eat for lunch and what color the water of the river was and how badly I wanted to jump in the lake.
I could write about the black sand beaches we saw. The volcanic lava rocks that line the beaches. The flaming turquoise water. The wind that ruined my hair in 3 seconds. The hike to the waterfalls that soaked me through my raincoat and my rain-pants to my underwear.
But no, my favorite memory of today, will always be the meal I shared with 10 people I'd never met before in a hotel restaurant in Pucon, Chile. The tables were arranged community dining style and as soon as I sat down, I felt at home. I didn't feel conscious or nervous. We were served traditional Chilean sour juice, which was like a margarita and a whisky sour in one drink. We all cheersed and started swapping our names, ages, and where we lived. The next youngest person to me was 71 years old, just for a frame of reference. I found out the couple on my left lived outside LA and worked in the FBI before they retired, now they grow weed and sell it. I found out the couple across from me live on an island in Nova Scotia, Canada where there are NO cars and spent their life on ferries. I found out the couple to the right of me have six daughters and even more granddaughters and have been on eleven cruises in their retirement. It was so effortless and not once did any of them pull out a phone. We tasted more wine and the entire meal just felt like sitting in a friend's living room, except we were all actually in SOUTH AMERICA with people we'd never met before today.
Anyways, I loved today.
I need to keep working towards this whole "letting go" thing. The need to post/share/explain/make my personal life public thing. I sent my travel photos to Glenna and Mom today and that was it.
READER, I didn't post a million travel photos!!!!!!
For some reason, every time I attempted to re-download Instagram this afternoon, I stopped myself. And I asked myself why I really wanted to show them. And honestly, I don't know. Maybe a little bit to show off? But not really. To somehow make it more real to myself that I was here? More likely. To document my day? Nahhhhhhh. I DONT KNOW and I can't figure it out. All I know is that when I wanted to post them, I wasn't doing it for others or for myself. It was like a reflex. And I stopped myself because for a minute, I wanted these memories and these photos to just belong to me. Only me. What does it say about me and the world and our generation that everything important or notable that we do needs to be recorded or shared? It's involuntary, almost, to just put something up on the internet because that's what's expected. Do something cool, share it online. No second thoughts. No intentions.
WELL. I didn't do it. And I told myself rather than posting some photos, I'd come here and share stories or write about it. So I am here.
Today was a day I will never forget. There wasn't anything spectacular about it. It wasn't THE most beautiful place I've ever been. It wasn't like I jumped out of a plane or did something dangerous. Nope. None of the above. Today, however, was a day where I felt totally and completely myself. My phone was off all day. I had no connection with the outside world. No one on the bus or the tour knew who I was. For 10 hours, I was just a 27 year old woman traveling in South America surrounded by people from around the world. I forgot about my email. I didn't think about weddings all day. I didn't think about my family (sorry family I love you). I didn't think about dating. I didn't think about Trump. All I thought about was what I was going to eat for lunch and what color the water of the river was and how badly I wanted to jump in the lake.
I could write about the black sand beaches we saw. The volcanic lava rocks that line the beaches. The flaming turquoise water. The wind that ruined my hair in 3 seconds. The hike to the waterfalls that soaked me through my raincoat and my rain-pants to my underwear.
But no, my favorite memory of today, will always be the meal I shared with 10 people I'd never met before in a hotel restaurant in Pucon, Chile. The tables were arranged community dining style and as soon as I sat down, I felt at home. I didn't feel conscious or nervous. We were served traditional Chilean sour juice, which was like a margarita and a whisky sour in one drink. We all cheersed and started swapping our names, ages, and where we lived. The next youngest person to me was 71 years old, just for a frame of reference. I found out the couple on my left lived outside LA and worked in the FBI before they retired, now they grow weed and sell it. I found out the couple across from me live on an island in Nova Scotia, Canada where there are NO cars and spent their life on ferries. I found out the couple to the right of me have six daughters and even more granddaughters and have been on eleven cruises in their retirement. It was so effortless and not once did any of them pull out a phone. We tasted more wine and the entire meal just felt like sitting in a friend's living room, except we were all actually in SOUTH AMERICA with people we'd never met before today.
Anyways, I loved today.
I need to keep working towards this whole "letting go" thing. The need to post/share/explain/make my personal life public thing. I sent my travel photos to Glenna and Mom today and that was it.
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