2️⃣ As a woman, do you consider Solo Travel as a way of 'Me Time' and self care?
Both questions posed by the Ladies of Hive are something I want to answer and what is more interesting is how they can be morphed into one for me. If we have conversed for a long time or have a deep relationship, one of the first things you will uncover about me is how much I love to travel. I will tell you that despite the bad conditions of the roads, I still find my heaven in the small space squashed against bodies, seated by the window with music plugged in enjoying the routes. As lonely as the road may be, the breeze and the way my mind conjures stories looking at the plains and fields covered in rice beds always does things to me.
One of the things I love to do is just be on the road. I also like to disappear for a while and I like to do it solo. I don’t know why but I prefer to travel alone most of the time, however, on rare occasions I like to engage on road trips with friends. However, this has not happened yet. I have travelled alone and with my family. While I don’t dislike the idea of family being with me because it carries its own air of safety, especially when my mom is there. Home is always where she is. I never have to worry for some reason of danger when she is there. I have no idea how to explain it.
Still, I would always pick traveling alone. It is a different kind of peace that comes with its variations of prickles and awareness. It’s like being conscious and afloat at the same time, much like how my life is everyday. I also like how my brain functions at that time. There is always an explosion of colours and ideas. It's like the road is the canvas and music is my brush. When I’m unsure about something and I hit the road for a couple of hours, everything suddenly starts to make sense.
I also take this as ‘me time’. I remember telling my boyfriend how I wanted to travel and be alone and he supported it, even if he wanted us to go together in the first place. He understands my kind of person and how much I need space to thrive. I always crave time alone because it just helps me work a lot of things out. Away from the noise and suggestions of the world. This is when I can truly listen to my heart and when I value my opinions without any form of reservations. This is when I go into things ‘blindly’ because I have a conviction stronger than Mount Everest. This is when everything I see with my mind's eye manifests after I come back and I’m not surprised at all because being alone fuels my faith.
Traveling will always be a form of escape for me and yet, it is also the catalyst that brings bright things to life in my mind.
