Lady Red Travel

It’s that time of year again where we all reflect on how successful (or unsuccessful) the past year has been and making New Year’s resolutions to make the next year even better. For “travel influencers” it’s a great time to brag about all of the amazing places they’ve been to, with their Instagram sponsored posts or however content creators are making money these days. 2023 was actually my biggest year of travel, traveling 10 out of the 12 months and going on 12 trips this year. But it was also one of the hardest years of my life, due to several personal reasons and two losses in the past month (my fur baby and my grandmother-in-law).

The last several years, I’ve had this tradition of rating my top 10 adventurers of the year. But after a very challenging couple of months, I’m feeling a little more humble these days. So for this year, I’d like to take a more wholesome approach and reflect on a few of my adventures this year and what they meant to me.

Antarctica cruise: a week of connectedness and community

As with many people, COVID and working from home the past few years has increased a sense of loneliness for me. I also don’t typically fit in with my peers back at home, being a married woman in her early 30’s who’s still fiercely independent, often travels solo, and is child free by choice. However, on my Antarctica cruise back in January, I met my fellow “island of misfit toys”, aka fellow solo travelers who came from all different walks of life. We were all so different, yet at the same time bonded over our interest in travel and our excitement in visiting “the final frontier”. It was one of the first times in a while that I felt like I could be myself with others and not feel judged. It was also nice to see others living an alternative lifestyle than society’s mold for what a perfect life should be. I will always cherish my time with an amazing group of people, especially those cruise ship meals, daydreaming about life, while holding onto the tables due to the “Drake Shake” (aka the Drake Passage)!

Guatemala: awareness and seeking balance

I went on my first “workcation” trip this year, working remotely from Antigua during most of the month of March, through a program called Remote Year. Two days before I flew down, I had a Zoom call with my supervisor where I burst into tears, confessing how burnt out I was at work. It was not easy for me to be this honest, but I had no other choice. It was either be honest with her and try to find a solution or hand in my notice. I went with the former and decided to go part time for seven months to focus more on my mental health.

I also had a bizarre experience with a Mayan shaman my first weekend in Guatemala, where after his spiritual cleanse, he pulled both me and our bilingual guide aside, asking if I have been experiencing a lot of issues and trauma with work and my relationships at home. I immediately sobbed in the middle of this rural town in Guatemala, in front of strangers on a Saturday morning (2023 was the year of tears for me unfortunately). It was definitely an eye-opening experience.

Despite feeling pretty burnt out from work and a little isolated, I managed to have an amazing experience in Guatemala. I spent time after work exploring different places around Antigua and weekends visiting bucket list places, including Lake Atitlan and Tikal. I’m still trying to figure out balancing the occasional remote work trip while having opportunities to explore. Guatemala was the perfect places to experiment with this type of experience.

The Bahamas: love and independence on an island

When a world traveler falls in love with a boy with a fear of flying, things definitely become interesting! My husband, Sean, has always been very supportive of my adventures and has been letting me travel solo since we were just boyfriend/girlfriend back in 2017. But recently he’s decided to work on his fear of flying by occasionally joining me on my adventures! I had a credit with JetBlue that could only be used for international destinations and I decided to cross off a new country for my travel goal. I’m trying to visit 35 countries by the time I turn 35 and I have 8 more countries to visit in the next 2 years to reach my goal. I also have a new, post-COVID tradition of spending the USA’s independence day abroad and decided I’d celebrate another country’s independence, The Bahamas’ 50th independence from Britain instead. Sean and I were able to join in on a free outdoor concert in Nassau to celebrate their independence, and were one of the few tourists at the concert. The rest of our time spent in Nassau included relaxing on the beach, wandering the streets, and sipping many Bahama Mamas! It was a nice change of pace to explore a new country with the love of my life.

Colombia: friendship and restoration

Even though Colombia has been high up on my bucket list for years, it was a spontaneous decision to visit there in 2023. Once I found out an old friend of mine was being stationed there for work this past summer, I could not resist booking a round trip ticket! Usually I try to squeeze in as much sight seeing and as many activities as possible when visiting another country. But this time, I decided to take a more laid back approach. I ended up working remotely for part of my time visiting my friend in Bogota, but the majority of the time was spent catching up with my friend, spending time in nature, and relaxing! I did end up booking a couple of day trips outside of the city to hike a nearby waterfall and above the El Dorado lake, as well as ate some delicious food, drinks, and even splurged on a manicure and pedicure for a whopping $11 USD!

Turkmenistan: daring to be different and embracing the quirks

Most people were surprised to find out I booked a trip to Turkmenistan in September! And I don’t blame them as it is most certainly not your typical holiday destination. Turkmenistan is one of the most difficult countries to get into, as you need to request a letter of invitation from the country before getting your visa on arrival. I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to visit Turkmenistan in September until I received my letter exactly a month before my anticipated departure. It was a whirlwind of an adventure (which I will be blogging about more in the coming weeks!) and the quirkiest country I have been to so far. I crossed off a major bucket list destination for me, visiting the Darvaza Crater, aka the “Gates of Hell”, as well as celebrated Turkmenistan’s 32nd independence from the Soviet Union (before we were kicked out!!), swam in the Caspian Sea, and wandered the white marble city of Ashgabat. It was an incredible experience and one of my favorite countries I have been to.

As I reflect on this crazy year, I realize I have been so focused on “revenge travel” since the end of the pandemic, seeing as many places as possible, that I have forgotten what travel truly means to me. For me, it’s a way to overcome the hardships of life and to feel more connected in this world, meeting locals, other travelers, and marveling at the beauty and vastness of this planet.

What does travel mean for you? Let me know in the comments!