The Plan

The plan is to have no plan.  A plane ticket to Mexico City on February the 10th, that was my only commitment.  I have no other binding tickets, dates to meet other travelers, or a set timetable of when I have to return home.  The trip might last a few months or it might last a few years.  I have learned too well from past experiences that to be flexible with your agenda and to “deliver to the experience” is the only way to travel.  I can thank traveling partners Clive, Valeria, Sandy, Johan, and Broder for these lessons.

Despite the go-with-the-flow attitude, I do have some objectives in this journey.  In no particular order:

- Become fluent in Spanish

- Run in some of the most beautiful places in the world

- Experience the real life of the locals.

- Improvise equipment and climb big mountains

- Learn to live in the moment

- Dance rueda de casino and make connections for Rumbanana

- Volunteer in water resources development in alpine regions of South America

- Continue my research looking at the effect of glacier recession on

The plan is to have no plan.  A plane ticket to Mexico City on February the 10th, that was my only commitment.  I have no other binding tickets, dates to meet other travelers, or a set timetable of when I have to return home.  The trip might last a few months or it might last a few years.  I have learned too well from past experiences that to be flexible with your agenda and to “deliver to the experience” is the only way to travel.  I can thank traveling partners Clive, Valeria, Sandy, Johan, and Broder for these lessons.

Despite the go-with-the-flow attitude, I do have some objectives in this journey.  In no particular order:

- Become fluent in Spanish

- Run in some of the most beautiful places in the world

- Make meaningful relationships with the locals and understand their perspectives

- Improvise equipment and climb big mountains

- Learn to live in the moment

- Dance rueda casino and make connections for Rumbanana

- Volunteer in water resources development in alpine regions of South America

- Continue my research looking at the effect of glacier recession on mountain community water resources

Some think I’m irresponsible to take off at the age of thirty on an aimless adventure and delve into my savings.  Perhaps they’re right.  But at this point in my life experiences are more important than a career, a house, and pursuing a family.  This trip has been on my mind for more than six years.  Three jobs, three states, and one degree later, I’m finally sucking it up and going for it, and I know that I’ll come back richer than when I started.

mountain community water resources

This trip has been on my mind for more than six years.  Three jobs, three states, and one degree later, I’m finally sucking it up and going for it.  Some question my mode of traveling solo, but I think it makes for a richer experience.  It’s better for my spanish and it means meeting more locals too!