A Beginners Guide

I was speaking to someone recently about traveling, and how to get started and I realized I rarely talk about what prompted me to to take that first solo trip. Up until 2014 I had never been on a plane. I mean I'd once been in a little Cessna when my brother was trying to earn a boy scout badge, but never anything for more than 5 passengers. I always wanted to travel, but I was still in and out of school at the time and had convinced myself that I needed to wait until I graduated, as if traveling would be some sort of reward. But the me that I am now knows that was just an excuse to continue putting it off.

I want to say it was around August or September of 2014, one of my favorite bands was going on tour in the US and Europe, and I was determined to go. But when the dates were announced there was one show in ATL that sold out immediately. And so I started looking at other venues in the US, but the thought of traveling to one of those places wasn't that appealing to me and more money than I'd want to spend going to Wallingford, CT or Provo UT.

Then, one night, way past time for me to be in bed I saw a show in London shining like a beacon. And without much thought, I bought the ticket, it was actually a cheaper ticket than one stateside. I was terrified. I'd never been on a plane and here I am buying a ticket to a concert in London. The concert would be in May of 2015, so I knew I'd have plenty of time to back out. To make sure I didn't, I soon after bought a non-refundable plane ticket,

and there was absolutely no backing out now. I could have convinced myself not to go to a concert in the UK if I had no way of getting there, but I had a plane ticket and I was never getting that money back. So I got my passport and booked a hotel and planned an entire trip around this concert. My sage advice for those on the fence about traveling is, don't think about it, just book that non-refundable flight. I know impossible right? And maybe so much easier said for an impulsive 28 year old (how was i so impulsive at 28). But, if I just kept listing all the reasons I had to put off traveling I would have never started. Was it scary that first time? 100%. But my fear was of the unknown, and if I'd let that win, I'd have missed out so much on the adventures my life had in store for me.

Do I always get it right? Heck no! Fun fact, I never made it to that concert. My flight out of the US was severely delayed and I had to spend a night in Toronto, Canada. By the time I made it to the UK and got to my hotel, the concert had been going for an hour. Was I sad? Yeah, but I had 4 more days in this new place and I wasn't going to let that deter me from having a good time. I quickly forgot that concert, I've since seen that band about 3 times in various cities in the US. I even met them once.

We all have fears that we would like to overcome, heck I know I have some I've yet to face. But if we chose to let those fears win and not face them, we are just letting life pass us by. So, book that ticket. Take that trip. Have that adventure. And live the life you deserve.