Setting the scene: 1am, Lying in my hostel bed, trying to hit the keypad of my laptop as quietly as possible, because my roomies are asleep.
A few hours ago, I`ve already tried to write this blog post. But the words weren`t flowing. I wasn`t feeling that great. It`s been a long day and I kept having ups and downs. It started with a high when I woke up at 04.55am to go on a sunrise hike at little Adam`s Peak.
Fueled with energy I wanted to keep exploring. Since the others were all going back to bed, I decided to head out alone. My mission was to find the Nine Arch Bridge. I`ve never been hiking alone, so I felt a bit nervous. And even though I had a hiking app and mobile data, I kept taking the wrong turns. With every wrong turn my frustration grew. It took some deep breaths and reminding myself that I was not in a rush, to regain faith. After asking a local for directions, I finally found a sign which pointed me towards the bridge. Once I reached my destination I was thrilled and proud. As I was sat on a bench surrounded by tea plants, I enjoyed the peace and quiet of my own company. On my way back, which lead me over the train tracks towards Ella, I met some Sri Lankan University students. They went to the Nine Arch Bridge for an assignment and were now heading back. Although it felt a bit sketchy to walk on the train tracks, I felt save with this big group of students.
That small solo adventure got me thinking. I started to question my way of solo traveling. Was I doing it all „wrong“? Should I try to do more things by myself? I felt very doubtful.
But now I`ve just come back from a really nice evening with the hostel people. I`ve realized that sometimes, whilst traveling (or in general), it`s okay to be friends
for a walk
for a dinner
for a game of Carrum
for a drink
for a hike
for a visit to the hospital (yup, one of my roomies got her finger nail removed at the local hospital and I was there to hold her hand)
…
I guess, as always, it`s about finding a balance that works for you. Generally, I enjoy spending time alone and sometimes I need a break from socializing. But tonight showed me: having an evening with strangers can be fueling. We talked, played Charades, laughed. Some of the people I`ve known for seven days, others for five minutes. But that didn`t matter. Tonight felt easy. So I guess I should keep on trusting my gut instinct. At the moment it feels right to travel with a big group of people and have short moments of solitude each day. Since I always only prebook accommodations one or two nights in advance, I can decide day by day. So why worry about the day after tomorrow?
Random input: Today I read a quote that I liked. So here you go:
But above all,
in order to be,
never try to seem. (Albert Camus)
What else happened? Too much, but here`s a little summary: Cycling through the jungle of Sigiriya, 8 hours train ride from Kandy to Ella, Taking myself out for dinner, learning how to play Carrum, visiting Ravana Falls.
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