Being home is nice. I just slept for the entire day and then caught up on some emails and light computer work that needed to get done. It’s peaceful being in my house alone with my own bed and super comfortable pillows. The main pic is of the house I rented. It was dirt cheap to rent and had two bedrooms:

I do miss everyone from my trip, but now is reflection time.

I learned so many great things from my trip that I need to just list them out before jumping in. Here goes:

  • Don’t make too many plans, but be prepared.
  • Have a backup battery supply for electronics.
  • Talk to others, especially fellow travelers.
  • Having alone time is valuable.
  • Know your flight times and set alerts on your phone.
  • Don’t be afraid, but be aware.
  • Put new experiences first.
  • Travel more!
  • Be open minded and don’t make assumptions about others.
  • Never put expectations on others. If someone can’t/won’t offer what you want, then find it elsewhere.
  • Be open with others while also respecting potential unknown boundaries.
  • Try to learn the language. A little bit goes a long way.
  • Don’t generalize how you think certain people are.
  • Your safety is in your hands. Common sense will keep you safe.
  • A good travel partner can change your life.
  • Have some money, but don’t wait too long to travel. I didn’t need nearly as much money as I though I would. I spent less than $800 on this trip…and even that was a lot for 8 days.
  • Leave your past behind and allow your outlook on life to change.
  • There is a lot more going on out there in the world than we think. You can find anything you are looking for.
  • Don’t be pigheaded.

These things basically summed up my experience. Meeting Lilly was a key ingredient to the success of my trip, but not so much because she was a cute foreign girl, but because she opened my mind to new ideas, new perspectives and allowed us to have intimate conversations about life. I’m truly grateful to her for everything.

An important thing I’ve learned is that there’s so much more out there than our little lives allow us to think. The people are so different, the perspectives are infinite and the experiences are there to be had. Don’t wait. Don’t hold back on being happy. If your job sucks, bust your ass to get out of it in 6 months and go live somewhere abroad for a month. Do it!

I really needed this trip.

Next, I’m backpacking the entire continent.