I’m terrified by the thought of traveling by myself to a place I’ve never been.
My anxiety peaks when I’m thrown into the unknown.
The fear of something going wrong and not knowing what to do since someone else normally handles it for me on a family trip.
What if I miss my flight? What if I don’t have a place to stay overnight? What if they won’t let me rent a car because I’m 22 years old and not 25?
So many negative possibilities run through my mind, when I know I should focus on all that could go right and deal with any issue as it comes.
In my expedition to try and grow (mentally, since my height is unfortunately out of the question) I figure the best way to deal with fears such as traveling alone is to throw myself into it without hesitation.
I got the opportunity to do just that all from one simple tweet.
The tweet that cost me $700 dollars
“do I just, book a flight for a solo trip?”
That one simple question, tweeted by a friend of mine, changed my life.
It started as somewhat of a joke for me. I didn’t expect it to lead to an incredible adventure that changed my outlook on traveling and meeting new people.
Within a week of that tweet, she and I purchased our tickets to Colorado and there was no turning back.
Meeting my fears face to face
The trip didn’t go 100% smoothly. There’s no way in hell I could’ve expected that to happen, but in the end I’m glad it didn’t.
It started right from the start.
My first flight from Rochester to Newark was delayed 2 hours which would’ve caused me to miss my connection to Denver. Wonderful!
See, normally on a family trip, my parents would figure that out by calling the airline and finding a new flight, but I was alone this time with my fear of talking to people over the phone.
In the majority of cases in my life, I tend to worry about these things way too much, only to find that the solution comes way easier than I would ever guess. And that happened again with this.
I was able to switch my flight within minutes of being on the phone (Thanks Jason from United Airlines, if that’s your real name). I even managed to book flights that would land me in Denver earlier than expected.
Crisis 1: Averted
We both arrived in Denver around 11:30 at night, only to find out our AirBnB check in was the next day at 6 PM. Ummm… where are we gonna sleep?
You know you’re tired when the airport floor looks inviting.
Let me tell you, there’s no better white noise to sleep to than an escalator and the soothing voice of the lady over the PA system.
Being intrigued by the Stoic philosophy, I was somewhat excited to try this “voluntary discomfort” they speak so much about. They say you never realize how thankful you are for what you have until you don’t have it and I can say with certainty, I’ve never appreciated my bed more than I did after that night on the hard floor with my rain jacket as a pillow.
We managed to sleep very little that night, but the hardest part was out of the way.
Just a quick shoutout to David in Lakewood for having one of the most comfortable beds and homes I ever could’ve asked for as an AirBnB.
Crisis 2: (Painfully) Averted
The last big thing I was not looking forward to dealing with was being alone in Denver.
My friend’s flight left at 6 AM on Tuesday, while mine wasn’t until Midnight Wednesday morning. What the hell was I gonna do all day by myself?? The imminent threat of boredom weighed in the back of my mind all week until the night before she left.
While watching Tusk, a movie I can only describe as disturbing, we met my saviors, who we will call The Canadians.
These two chaps moved into the room next to us that night and walked in on the bizarre movie I was forced to watch. If you’ve seen the movie, you can probably guess how confused they must’ve been to start watching towards the end.
Long story short, The Canadians were two of the chillest dudes I’ve ever met and they rode in on their moose and beaver just in time to save me from the boredom that would’ve consumed me the next day.
Being born and raised in Canada, they had one goal for their trip to the states: shoot a gun (cuz apparently that’s what we’re known for. Also for loving canned cheese I guess?).
The next afternoon, The Canadians and I headed to the shooting range and were overwhelmed by the new environment.
You may be thinking, “Is it really a good idea to go shoot guns with two kids you just met?”
My answer is, probably not, but they’re Canadians! They’re so nice! And what better way to make new friends than to experience something new with someone?
It was a great afternoon full of jokes about each other’s cultures and watching them try canned cheese for the first time (they hated it).
Thanks to The Canadians, Crisis 3: Averted
Final Notes on the Trip
My friend and I did a ton of incredible things in the short time we had there.
From hiking in the Rockies, seeing the Garden of the Gods, visiting Red Rocks Amphitheater, roaming around the 16th Street Mall, hitting up breweries, and just taking in the immense beauty of Colorado. The trip was absolutely incredible and I couldn’t have asked for a better time.
As a final note, I just want to say how much I learned from this experience.
In order to grow as an individual, we can’t stay static. We must branch out of our routine lives and do things that scare us.
Is there a trip you’ve always wanted to go on, but are afraid to take the leap? I can tell you that I was terrified to submit that payment to buy those plane tickets, but now that I’ve been on the trip, I’ve realized how thankful I am to have had that short burst of courage.
If I had simply carried on doing what I have been doing, I never would’ve seen Colorado for myself and I would’ve been left wondering what the trip would’ve been like. I never would’ve met all the locals we interacted with, learned to appreciate living so close to sea level and the comfort of my own bed.
When I look back on this trip any time after this point, I won’t think about all the minor inconveniences we faced along the way. I’ll only remember the joy of feeling the cold, refreshing water in the Rockies, seeing the vast natural landscapes, meeting so many new people, and becoming closer friends with someone I’ve known for years.
So if you read this through to the end, I want to say thank you!
I would also like to be that bit of encouragement you may need to find the courage to buy that ticket, or plan that trip, or whatever it may be.
I know money is always an issue, but try and realize that you will always have the ability to make some more money, but you won’t always have the chance to go out and see all the world has to offer.
Take the leap and build an incredible journey on the way down. No one wants to live with regrets, so why not take the chance while you’re still able?
