I love to travel by myself.
I have always enjoyed trips with friends, and I love traveling with my spouse, but a passion that I never imagined for myself was traveling alone. So I’m going to write about it!
How it started
Let me set the scene: It’s 2021. COVID is the whole thing. We wear masks when we leave the house. I am working fully remote. I am lonely.
I discover fountain pens! I order a couple online! I love them! I decide it would be really cool to buy them in-person at a stationary store. A stationary store with a robust inventory is in Chicago (Atlas Stationers for the curious). There is an Amtrak train that runs from St. Paul, MN to Chicago, IL, and I asked my spouse if we could go.
He said he would rather work lol
I left it be for a couple of days, and then decided this was something I wanted so I would go by myself. I booked the tickets and left for a long-weekend.
And I had a blast. I met a couple on the six hour train ride and we talked and played Uno together making the ride seem fast. While in Chicago, we met up for margaritas one afternoon, and brunch on another morning! I’m not a particularly extraverted person, so this was like champion-level socialization for me. It was so enjoyable to wander around the sites, and mill around the stationary store without considering whether my spouse was having a good time. I made decisions on my own and doodled around. I picked out three new fountain pens, new paper, and ink at the stationary store. I had FANTASTIC pizza from Oven Grinders. And I slept like a starfish in a King size bed at my hotel. I returned home rejuvenated and happy at having accomplished such an unexpected adventure.
How Its Going
Since Chicago, I’ve taken spa-centric solo vacations. Two years ago I went to a spa resort in Phoenix, AZ and spend two luxurious days getting pampered in the mornings and sitting poolside in the afternoons. I mentioned this during my 2023 goals.
And for my latest trip this past August, I leveled up and went international and for longer than a long weekend!! Mostly because spa prices in the US have gotten bonkers, but still. I went to Cancun for one week and stayed at the Haven Riviera. I paid for the flight and the stay with credit card rewards on my Venture X card. The whole trip cost under $1k out of pocket! Fantastic!
Now, I don’t want you to think all of these trips were entirely like walking on clouds of perfection every minute. Sometimes things didn’t go as expected. Like it rained every day I was in Chicago. Or there was a mf baby iguana that was in my shower with me in Cancun. Even the challenging parts can be (upon reflection) fun and empowering to navigate through.
Growing up, my dad would always leave on fishing and hunting trips, but my mom never did anything like this. I am honestly in awe of myself to have ventured into this uncharted generational territory. It makes me feel proud, and accomplished, and remarkable.
Also, I am always happy to come home.
See you at the end of the year for the wrap up post FIRE Flowers. Peace out!
A FIRE Flower 