I have tried to put off the ‘end’ of my trip for a while now. I have never actually said the words “the end” or “it’s over” on this blog (and don’t worry, I hope I never will). But it appears that at least for now, I have taken an extended break on the ‘world tour’ even though, I was STILL technically living out of a bag until just a few months ago when I untethered what was left of my cherished/despised possessions from their 3 ½ year lock down in storage.  Don’t get me wrong, I am not done traveling and am always in some sort of early planning stages of the next trip, albeit probably never such a long one. See my Where Next post for where I may be heading soon. Admittedly, for the aforementioned reasons, I avoided doing any kind of wrap-up of the first two ‘world tours’ from 2006-2009. If you need a refresher on where exactly I did go, check out the Where LL page for my itineraries and locations around the world.

So I traveled solo around the world for 3 1/2 years – what the heck did I learn?

1.  I learned more patience in the mundane.

Waiting for planes, trains, and automobiles became no big deal. I did a lot of waiting. But I was never in a hurry so it never really mattered. For once, time was on my side. I often didn’t know what day it was or whether it was the weekend or not because it didn’t matter.  And unlike, ‘normal’ life, I never felt like I was wasting time, even if I just sat in a café all day or just wandered around. I have never felt so much in charge of my own time as I did then.  When you have an open calendar and an open road before you, time is your friend and you find the joys in relaxing in the ‘wait.’

2.   I learned to relax more and work less (obviously).

I learned the art of doing nothing. In my ‘real life’ with lots of to-do lists, jobs, hobbies, relationships, pets, friends, activities, outings, and vacations to plan, I had very little time to just sit around and do nothing. And I wasn’t good at it either. Just chilling for the sake of it and not crossing off lines on one of my many lists was hard for me. I have become better at just sitting in a café and letting time slip by or saying ‘yes’ to friends who just want to hang out.  Now the trick is making sure I can continue to relax as my new reality of work, apartment, bills, and every day tasks inevitably grows longer once again. Gotta keep the balance.

3.   I learned to let go of some control, to sit back and go with the flow more.

Although, I was traveling alone and very much in control of where I went and what I did and still had some semblance of structure, I was never totally sure of what a new day would bring. I tried to be open to change and new opportunities that came along. I let other people sway me more and tried to be open and flexible.

4.   I learned I can make friends and build a community basically anywhere I go.

I arrived in Istanbul with no real idea of how long I would stay. I met some people right away who introduced me to more people and before I knew it, I was teaching English, had an apartment, was cat sitting, and had a borrowed cell phone with 20 new contacts – all residents of Istanbul who were now my friends. Amazing.

5.   I learned how much we all have in common.

I connected with so many more people than I ever imagined I would.

6.   I learned to give myself time, to transition to new feelings and things.

In my first month away, I felt lonely and unsure of how I would continue to live this new life for so long. Then I transitioned to my new life and the new rhythm of it all and it was okay. I realized that I needed ‘transition’ time every time I changed cities and said goodbye to new friends or even hotel rooms.  Without fail, I would get to my new destination and would feel a bit uncomfortable, a bit lonely, and often would feel ‘icky’ in my new room for some reason. But I knew if I gave myself a day or two, those feelings would go away and I would have new reasons to enjoy where I was and often times, I found I liked it even better than the last place. Well, except for that one crummy hostel (university dorm during the school year) in Budapest or the pretty nasty bathroom at a couchsurfing bachelor’s flat in London. I don’t think he’d ever cleaned it …ever.

7.   I learned there is beauty everywhere and in everyone.

8.   I learned and believe more than ever, that people are genuinely good. There are ‘bad apples’ everywhere and yes, a few really evil people, but most people I encounter at home and abroad are genuinely good, warm, helpful people.

9.   I learned to say ‘yes’ as much as possible. I think I always did this as a rule and less as an exception, but maybe this entire trip was my biggest ‘yes’ yet – to say yes to something most would knee-jerkingly say ‘no’ to right away.

10.   I learned how little we need.

From living out of a bag with few clothes and very few belongings, I learned firsthand how very little we need (materially speaking) to live and be happy. I did not need or miss my TV or my food processor or my leather chair or my twenty-plus sweaters in various colors or dozens of pairs of shoes. Sure I missed some comforts of home at times…mostly just that, the comfort of being alone in my own home, but learned at the same time how unimportant all that ‘stuff’ is.  What I do want and need is the stimulation of meeting new people, learning and trying new things, companionship, laughter…and most of all…love…just as John Lennon said.

Yes, there are so many scary reasons not to quit your job, sell your car, and get rid of most of your stuff. But, that is possibly just another reason I said ‘yes’…to buck the trend, to take on the challenge, to grab life by the balls and live the heck out of it!

It’s autumn in the USA right now and it’s  one of my favorite seasons.  I actually like something about every season and most of all I like living in places where I can experience the changes that each season brings.   I grew up in New Jersey and now live in Chicago where I’ve gotten to enjoy the flowers of spring, the hot days of running through the sprinkler in summer, the crisp fall nights with the smell of wood-burning fireplaces in the air, and the gorgeous white-blanketed tree limbs after a winter’s day of new-fallen snow.

Last year I went on a road trip up to beautiful New England, visiting Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine.  It’s an area of the United States full of charming colonial towns nestled in wooded valleys where simple white church steeples poke out of an array of golden yellow and blazing red maples in the fall.  America is beautiful and this is one of the most charming and visually stunning areas to check out.

The Kancamagus Scenic Byway
White Mountains, New Hampshire, USA

When I moved to Chicago, I instantly became a Cubs fan. It’s pretty hard not to when you live on the north side and you visit the historic house of the Cubs: Wrigley Field. But as I traveled around the world, no one cared, let alone had ever heard of the Cubs. There was one team and one team only I encountered everywhere I went. It was one of the most common logos seen all around the world – The New York Yankees.  And in most cases, it was just a highly marketed logo or hat, many people I asked didn’t even know the team…just the New York part.

It’s only fitting that I share this photo essay with you now as the Bronx Bombers slide into the American League Championship Series and are once again that much closer to a spot  in the World Series (yes, it’s not really the world…just North America).

Once I quit my job to travel, I no longer had that nice employer-supported health insurance. While I traveled I acquired a decent travel insurance plan which covered me for medical emergencies and issues like theft, loss, or canceled travels. But then I came home. Traveling or not, many of us today are self-employed entrepreneurs that need some kind of health care coverage. Today’s guest post sheds light on a great option, which I am personally considering (I’m already halfway there):

Do you sometimes imagine what you could purchase if you didn’t have to pay for health insurance?  I do.  My dream is to buy a round-the-world airline ticket and visit as many developing countries as I can.  I usually determine how expensive an item is and base its value on my calculations of where I can fly internationally for the same price.  For example, if I pay $5,040 a year on health insurance for a family of three ($420.52 a month/ medical-dental), then for the same money, I can fly my family to Laos or Papua New Guinea.   I am often tempted to enliven my inner rebel, live in the moment, and cast off responsibility and just go!

I could easily spend my life country-hopping, looking for the next great adventure.  Recently, I made a career change that forced me to research different health care options.  I went from a stable job with a full benefits package to being a self-employed independent contractor with absolutely no coverage.  I declined the expensive health care through COBRA for $1,300 a month.  And I did not have the option of signing onto a spouse’s health care plan.

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I love getting a massage. It’s one of my favorite things besides eating and that other thing.  But what if you are traveling and you just don’t have the funds or the time?   Although I found cheap massages in many lesser developed countries and took advantage of the inexpensive treats, sometimes it would be nice if there was an easier alternative.

Enter ‘t spheres’ Aromatherapy Massage Balls.  What?

t spheres, or “tranquility spheres,” are golf ball-sized self-massage “tools” that combine massage and aromatherapy in one simple, portable product. According to their website, celebs like Brooke Shields, Coldplay (all of them?) and Rita Wilson have tried and like them.  Hmmm…these folks all can afford a personal masseuse, not sure why they’d settle for two rubber balls, but that doesn’t mean they are not good.

They basically remind me of the rubber super balls we used to bounce around as kids.  To use, you lay down on a hard surface or stand against a wall and place the balls under your back and let the pressure of your body and slight movements create a self-massage.

The Good:

• When I got them in the right spot, it felt really good.
• They are small and portable.
• They come in a handy plastic lined pouch.

The Bad:

• Although aromatherapy can be nice, I personally found the smell to be overpowering. These were a mix of peppermint and grapefruit and I’m personally not a huge fan of either one of those smells.
• The spots I where I have the most tension are the hardest to get simply because they are up near my neck and the balls would always just roll out from under me and not stay put as they reached my shoulders.
• To get them in the right spot took a bit of work and was not as relaxing or exact as a real massage.

Bottom Line:

I like the idea of them and the fact that they take up little room and are so portable, but I am not sure I would use them all that much. When I got them in the right spot after some coaxing, they did feel good, but I would of course much prefer a loved one to give me a proper massage.

t spheres range from $20 for tiny t spheres to $35 + shipping per set. They are sold online at www.tspheres.com and at select spa locations in the US.

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Want your product reviewed?

This was my first objective product review. I did not receive any compensation (other than keeping the t spheres) to do the review and was as honest and forthcoming as possible.  If you would like to have your travel-related product reviewed, contact me.