I rushed through college by taking extra course loads and summer classes. My undergrad was complete in under three years. All my time went into my classes, I didn’t even put much thought into what I would do after. It was a strange moment taking off my cap and gown after graduation as the reality finally settled in. I didn’t know what I was going to do.
It was probably the result of pushing myself so hard, but what happened next was completely opposite of what I had been doing my whole life. I hopped on my bicycle and took off with no plan of where I was going. It was immediately liberating. I didn’t even care when I was hungry or didn’t have a place to stay. The uncertainty was what made it interesting.
I often had to rely on others to provide food or shelter. The experiences I had staying in people’s homes was starkly contrasted with the many hotels I stayed at when I traveled before. Hotels are dead. The inherit transience of hotels contributes to the lack of life. No one cares about the place or who else is in it. When you’re in a person’s home, there’s a history. They will tell you stories, giving you pieces of their lives, and connect you to the location. Staying in people’s homes also opened me up to experiences I wouldn’t have even thought of.
I was biking down the Pacific Coast Highway when I came across an unmarked road. The mystery intrigued me, and I made my way down a windy road with no signs. After a few miles, I came across a unique community. No streets were marked, and every plot of land was made up of small but very nice sets of buildings. What I discovered was essentially a group of rich hippies. These were people who had spent the ’70s drugged out in vans. They then made a lot of money through various businesses, only to come back together and use their money to start this exclusive but accepting community.
I stayed in this community for a month before one of the families invited me to come on their sailboat. I had never sailed but jumped at the opportunity. For the next few months, we made our way down the California coast into Mexico then out into the wide Pacific. Each island greeted me with warm sand, warm hearts, and great food. By the time we made it to Australia, I knew I could never stop. I bought a bike and started to ride along the Australian coast.
What I’ve learned is the best travel comes when you focus on the journey. Travel Far is about finding unique ways to explore the world. I’ll continually update you on everything about travel so you can experience the journey of a lifetime.
