Travel is Possible ProvesWorking Class American Alana
21 March 2017 | Alana
Name: AlanaCurrent Age: 29Gender: FemaleNationality: American
Age When First Traveled: 20Time Spent Traveling: since 2008Countries Traveled: 60Class When 1st left: Working Class
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Who was the most fascinating person you met on the road? What made him/her fascinating and how did you meet him/her? One evening when I was strolling the ride paddies in Ubud before dinner enjoying the scenery and pinching myself for having the chance to be in Bali I sat down to admire a lovely sunset while drinking a coconut by local man who climbed the tree to cut it open for me. An older French lady named Katie appeared and sat down next to me sharing her life story of how she opened up an art gallery here in Ubud and her love affair with a Balinese man who she loves very much. She began telling me how I am going to live a miraculous life and do amazing things and not to worry so much about the future. When I look back at this eye opening conversation I could just cry when I realize that she told me all the things at that time that I needed to hear for myself from someone else. We walked back into town and parted ways. This was a once in a lifetime interaction with a stranger and I still feel very inspired by her gentle words and praise. What is your most treasured travel experience? Why is this one your favourite?
A week-long stay in Bali sealed the deal for me. This is a destination that I always recommend to travellers whether they are going on a first time solo trip or they are seasoned travellers. When it comes to a place like Bali there is this endless list that I offer to friends for why they have to go; great food (vegetarian friendly), peacefulness, outdoor activities (cycling, hiking, surfing), kind culture, and the easiness of sightseeing on your own. I have been to a lot of Asian and European countries and Bali always rests at the top of my list as a place that I would gladly go back to at any given time. After having my first solo experience in Thailand it was in Bali that I felt comfortable doing many things on my own. I loved sitting in a small café in Ubud enjoying a delicious meal in my own solitude without a worry of how I looked sitting by myself eating. It was experiences such a these that helped shift my thinking about the way I want to travel as well. I actually like eating by myself and taking as long as I need to enjoy my meal. Bali holds a special place in my heart as a place that holds great meaning to me. It was here that I really came into my own and dove a bit deeper into developing my travel plans and learning from my travel mistakes. If you could travel anywhere in the world where money wasn’t an issue, where would you be and what would you be doing? In essence, describe your idea of the perfect traveling experience. My top choice would have to be China. I read Fried Eggs with Chopsticks written by Polly Evans twice and it was this book that grew my fascination with traveling around China. Why? Because China is a massive country with many different cultures, dialects, cuisines, and landscapes. This is a country that I have always wanted to visit mostly because of my love for the cuisine and the multi-culturism that exists. I use to think that in China every place looked relatively the same but from my own research and photos that I have seen from blogs, China has so much to offer a traveller. I want to get lost in night markets and really savor every moment walking the Great Wall. I want to go to small villages and witness for myself small town living in China far from the giant cities such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Ningbo. A dream trip for me would include a local guide to help navigate me in English because I don’t understand Mandarin or Cantonese. My ideal vacation would be lounging at a beautiful hotel (I’m an architecture + interior buff) that’s both modern yet full of character right at the centre of all the attractions. I’d love to drink lots of coffee, meet locals, and ride a car to go around the city alongside neighbouring towns. And I don’t mean the stuffy cars, I mean one where the windows are open and you’ll feel the wind gushing through your face kind of feeling. And yeah, my perfect vacation wouldn’t include traffic. Or the sun, for that matter.About Alana:
I’m a twenty-something year old wanderlust fanatic and I consider myself a global citizen. I am continuously swept off my feet every time I go abroad. From wine tasting in Santorini to wandering around the Philippines I am always up for a new opportunity to learn about the world. There is something so exhilarating to me about going to a new country and learning everything about the way people live their daily lives. One of the first things I look forward to is eating my way around a new country. I like to get lost in markets, dine in local restaurants, and browse the fruits in supermarkets learning about the different kinds of foods that make the local ‘staples” list. For me travel is a continuous adventure that adds an incredible amount of meaning to my life. I feel very blessed for what I have seen so far in this beautiful world and you can read all about my adventures at Alana Travels.If you want to read more 'Traveling is Possible' stories for some travel motivation, then here you go!
Travel Tip #4
Now that you know traveling is possible for Alana; do you still think it's not possible for you?