Do What You Can, With Where You Are At.
Ever been in a situation where your to do list is so long you have no idea where to start, so you end up putting it off and making everything worse? That's me currently when I look at everything I want to share on this blog about South America. It feels like I have lived an entirely solo and separate life for a long time, with so many incredible experiences along the way that I shared with no-one in the moment. But over time I want to share these with as many people as possible, so more people know just what experiences are out there for the taking.
I did have all the awesome plans of keeping up my writing and sharing while I was away. The writing I did, but the sharing part of it fell to the wayside as it became clear the internet connection wasn't going to allow it. As I saw many signs in Patagonia say - there may be no wifi in Patagonia, but the connections are real. I have emerged from my time there with a deeper connection to nature and to myself, and along the way got to share some brief but intense connections with others that taught me a lot about interactions in life. The space and time away became a steep learning curve for me, and now I am trying to adjust to returning to the same life I left behind as a very different person internally. This creates its own challenges, but I love a challenge - they are growth and progression.
The fact that I couldn't get everything done I wanted to while I was away is a prime example of a philosophy I try to live by - Do what you can, with where you are currently at. We don't have to be and do everything, especially if your original plans are going to take away from your ability to live in the moment and enjoy life. Changing plans and being flexible is something I have always had to work hard on, but solo travel is my greatest teacher in that respect. Nothing ever goes fully to plan, and I wouldn't have had a very good trip without rolling with the punches, which included letting go of any connections to my usual routine and home life, and relearning to thrive amid uncertainty.
When it comes to the logistics of ending my hiatus from sharing on here, I have been hitting a mental blank. So many things happened, and there are so many logistics that I know will help people should they want to go there. I want to spend time reflecting on everything rather than just barging on with life as if it never happened, so that is what I will do with my writing. I started forming a to-do list for this, and then thought I may as well share that first, so you know what is coming and people can let me know any other information they want to hear.
Disclaimer - this is my to do list of what I want to get done, but as I also navigate transitioning back to life at home and organising uni for the year, it may take time and some things may be forgotten. That being said, I did a lot of research to make my trip to South America happen the way it did, and I am determined to share any helpful information I can so others can do the same. Chile and Argentina are wondrous places, and the Patagonian Region lives up to its name for unique wild beauty. If the opportunity presents, go there, you won't regret.
My accountability list of all the future posts I have started writing to do with my South American travels:
- Running through Patagonia - The Best Trails
- All the Gear for Big Ideas - Backpacking Gear List and Reviews
- Trekking the Torres Del Paine on a Budget - A logistical nightmare for a once in a lifetime experience.
- Glacier Trekking - Worth the Cost.
- Solo Travel Safety and Health Tips.
- Travel Gym - Strength Training on the Go.
- Travelling as a Vegan + Coeliac - Easier than you think.
- Transport in Chile - Everything I Learnt.
- El Chalten - Mountain Runners Paradise.
- Two Months Backpacking South America on a Student Budget- My complete Itinerary and Costs.
There may be more, but these will be at least the first ones because they cover all the hours of research I had to do to find information from many different sources before I went; plus information I had to wait until I got there to learn because I couldn't find it online. I had the privilege of taking myself places not many people go, so I am hoping by sharing all this, more people can safely enjoy exploring and running in these truly epic places!
I hope you might find one or all of these future posts interesting, and let me know if there are any other questions or queries you would like covered!
Happy New Year, here's to a brilliant end to a challenging 2019, and the start of another year of adventure.
Still We Rise