The End...

And just like that the best 465 days of my life have come to an end! What an amazing, life changing experience it was being able to travel the world for so long and to have made so many wonderful memories! To be free in every way and to be able to experience the ultimate freedom in life and live each day as it came.

“The journey is never ending. There’s always gonna be growth, improvement, adversity; you just gotta take it all in and do what’s right, continue to grow, continue to live in the moment.” 

- Antonio Brown

After many months of travel and sleepless nights in airports and other travel days it only seemed fitting to spend my last night abroad at the airport in Barcelona, Spain. The original flights I booked for going home all changed after I booked them so instead of being on a midday flight I ended up on a flight super early in the morning which is why I spent the night at the airport. My first flight was from Barcelona to Lisbon. It was a great flight because I had the whole row to myself and lots of legroom! What more can you ask for? 

Once in Lisbon my layover went by super fast and before I knew it I was boarding my next flight which was to Chicago. I was soon going to be back in the US again. I lucked out again on this long international flight because not only was I in an exit bulkhead row, but the person in the seat next to me switched to the window seat on the other side of the plane since he saw that it was empty. For a second flight today I not only had a row to myself but also an abundance of legroom. I really couldn’t have asked for a better travel day because not only did I have great seats on both flights but they were also on time, with my flight to Chicago landing an hour early. Had my flight to Chicago departed as I had originally booked my tickets, I’d have landed in Chicago in the evening and I had planned to spend the night at the airport. However, when the airline changed the flight times, my flight was now scheduled to land at 3:30 pm and it ended up arriving an hour earlier. When I saw how early my flight was now scheduled to arrive and with my next flight home to Minneapolis not leaving until the next morning, my dad graciously offered me his free hotel rewards night so I could stay in an airport hotel and not spend another long night in the airport. I happily took him up on his offer.

When going through Customs in the United States, the Customs officer was not prepared when he asked me what countries I had visited. He made some joking gestures by looking at his watch as I rattled off the long list of countries I’d visited. In total I visited 34 countries. After finally getting through Customs I checked into my hotel room and relaxed for a while. That evening I met up with Chris, who I had met in Malapascua, Philippines, and he and I went out to dinner together and caught up, which was a lot of fun. After dinner I went back to my room and got ready for bed and went to sleep super early since I was running on no sleep and a time change. Finally, on Thanksgiving morning I boarded my last flight home which left early in the morning. At the Minneapolis airport I was greeted by my parents with a massive Welcome Home balloon. It was a great welcome home. Overall, my travel day returning home was great for travel, but for me it was also bittersweet. I was excited to see my family again, but I was so sad for my trip to actually be over. I grew and changed so much over the past 15-½ months and I absolutely loved long term travel and seeing the world. Despite being gone for so long, I wasn’t burned out and I would have been ready and happy to see and explore more of the world.

“Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”

- Terry Pratchett

When I left home on August 15, 2022 I never even thought it was possible that I’d be able to travel for this long. I truly had no idea how long I would be gone for, but to have been able to cross the one year mark was beyond what I thought possible and was beyond my wildest dreams. Over the past 15-½ months I was able to experience new cultures, cuisines, and lifestyles, I have met so many amazing people along the way, and there is no question that I have made lifelong friends! No words will ever be able to truly describe how beautiful and amazing the time I spent traveling the world was for me. Not only was it a fantastic trip for me but it was also so much more than a trip, it was a lifestyle. While constantly being on the move every few days would be hard for most people, I found that I truly thrived with constant movement and I was able to easily make any place I was in feel comfortable and at home. 

During my travels I was able to push myself more and more into the unknown and by pushing myself so far outside of my comfort zone not only has my comfort zone grown and changed but I was also able to grow so much as a person and as a global citizen. In getting lost in the unknowns and the adventure, I found myself also becoming even more lost. I was able to learn more about who I really am and what makes me genuinely happy. I found joy in the little things and the in-between moments. Now, like never before, the whole world feels like home for me more than just one place does.

“I have not ceased being fearful, but I have ceased to let fear control me. I have accepted fear as a part of life - specifically the fear of change: the fear of the unknown and I have gone ahead despite the pounding in my heart that says: turn back, turn back, you’ll die if you venture too far.” 

- Erica Jong

As cliché as it may sound, I truly did leave my heart in so many places along the way. It was a constant struggle between wanting to go back to some of the wonderful places where I made some of the best memories but also being excited for the unknown and new places I had yet to see. I was truly able to make some of the most amazing and unforgettable memories along the way and I have made more than enough memories to last many lifetimes. But, what made all the memories as good as they were was the people I met along the way. 

Solo travel really is the most social form of travel and for that I am so thankful. I am blessed to have experienced it and to have found a home and community within travel. While this was the end of this part of my trip, the adventure never ends and I cannot wait to see where I go next!

“Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.” 

- Isabelle Eberhardt