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Some paths are meant to be travelled alone

TRP Challenge 8: Travel somewhere new, alone
Visiting somewhere you have never been before really is one pf the most exhilarating & exciting things you can experience. It takes you out of your comfort zone and opens up your senses to everything going on around you. It is so easy in our day to day lives to get lost in work, relationships, money or what to have dinner that we forget to stop and appreciate the amazing things around us. Immersing yourself in somewhere new means you can fully embrace all of the small things which make each place so unique.
I've always travelled with other people. I have been interrailing a couple of times, and had the absolute time of my life. I have been to India with a group from school, I've been on countless family holidays and had some of the best weeks of my life on holiday with my school friends. I feel very lucky and privileged to have been able to see so many countries and experience so many different places. However, until recently I had never ever been away by myself before.
Last year I flew out to meet my family in the South of France for 5 days of sunbathing & indulgence before then jetting off to the USA to meet my friend Robyn & her family. It was the first time I had flown by myself, and although I was nervous to begin with, I actually loved it. Other than having an absolute mare at Chicago airport (lost baggage & a 4 hour wait to go through immigration) I really enjoyed the whole experience.
Around a month ago I was sat at home one evening & on a whim booked myself a weekend to Brussels. Following a rough month or so, I decided that just what I needed was a trip away to somewhere new to reignite that passion for life I knew it would bring. After some deliberation, I decided to go on my own. I wanted to prove to myself that I could spend a weekend completely alone and still enjoy myself. I wanted to prove that even though I sometimes suffered from anxiety, it didn't define me or stop me from doing the things I love.
Going away alone for the weekend is one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was a real two fingers up to the anorexia which controlled my life for so long. I ate frites for lunch, I drank beer on a walking tour, I had a waffle for breakfast. I stayed out till midnight swing dancing with strangers. I spoke to people from all over the world.
The main moment which sticks out to me from the trip was on Saturday night when I sat watching strangers dance to music from the 30's. I looked around at all the diverse people and had a moment of deep reflection. I thought about how each of these individuals had their own unique and complex web of difficulties which they face, whether that be financial, relationships, health, self-esteem, work or anything in between. Each of those strangers had negative things which had happened to them, each of them would have experienced some kind of heart break. And yet here they all were, dancing with friends, family, and even people they have never met before. I fully appreciated the resilience of human kind, and in that moment I felt that warm fuzzy feeling of pure, utter, unrestrained happiness.





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