If you fail to plan, you plan to fail, right? Well, I barely planned at all for my first time solo camping. However, I’d say it went pretty darn well.
My family camped relatively often growing up. Always in state parks, often on road trips. After I quit my job, I decided that it was time to see more of the U.S. so I set off on a two-month road trip.
My main reservation wasn’t with the camping, sleeping alone
in a forest, or managing to make food. It was the idea of not having anyone
around if I needed them or just the sanity check of having someone to talk to.
My First Night of Solo Camping
One of the things I failed to plan was reserving a campsite. I pulled in to Vedauwoo Campground in Medicine Bow National Forest around 6:30pm after a 2h15 drive from Denver. The campground had two other cars in it, both with 5th wheel campers. Being the day after Labor Day, I figured there would have been more long-weekend stragglers. I drove around and chose a spot that was about 100m from the bathroom. I figured it’d be close enough to be comfortable, far enough to not smell it or hear the door slam.
Sunset brew on my ‘front porch’. Peep my blue pop up tent 🙂
The pop-up tent that I brought is so easy to put together. It took about two minutes to get ready! I staked it down and used my car air pump to pump up my queen size air mattress. Then, I put the fitted sheet on it (because nobody likes sleeping on plastic) and had the bed and tent ready to go within minutes. I cracked open a beer and watched the sunset.
When I walked back to my car to get fire starters and a lighter, I noticed my neighbor watching me. He wasn’t creepy, just one of those folks that you can tell doesn’t get a lot of social interaction. It could have been unnerving since it was my first-time solo camping, but I leaned into the situation.
I went over and introduced myself to him and his wife. Within 30 seconds I had an invite to come over for dinner tonight. They told me if I needed anything to come knocking, and that they’d keep an eye out for my things while I was out hiking today. Campers are the best 😊
I declined their invitation to come over that night, so they came to keep me company while I started my own fire. After a few comments on my veggie burger, we shared a beer and a few comments on the weather. Together, we watched a lightning storm approach. Again, they offered that I could come to their camper if I needed anything. I learned later on that it hailed hard on some campsites about 6 miles west of us, so I was grateful for the friendship.
I was super nervous about sleeping in the middle of nowhere alone. The best thing I did was bring an extra blanket and a flashlight. It got down to the 40’s but I was cozy as I read in bed and drifted off to sleep. I got a full 11 hours of rest and loved waking up without any technology.
First Day of Solo Camping
Another thing I forgot to plan? Filling up my water bottles and Camelbak before I got to the campsite. There was no running water after Labor Day, so I had to drive about 6 miles to find water.
I also forgot to plan anything to do while out there. Go ahead, roll your eyes.
I knew that ranger stations typically had plenty of maps and knowledgeable staff, so I chatted with the rangers while at the station. I lucked out because the Rest Area had Wi-Fi, clean water, and great staff.
The ranger had great tips for a hike that started about 1km down the road. So, I took off from there on foot to hike for about 8 miles. I had a sandwich, a banana, some cashews, and 2L of water on me when I left.
Ultimately, the first day of my first time solo camping went a lot better than it probably should have. I should have planned more than just food and a tent, but I fared pretty well.
After the day I just told you about, I spent an extra day in Vedauvoo National Forest. After that, I headed to Jackson Hole then onward to Montana for two weeks. Solo camping left me feeling so independent and free. I’m so proud of myself for doing it, and can’t wait to have another go at it somewhere else!
So, failing to plan might not always mean planning to fail,
don’t you think?
I left for my month-long road trip yesterday and drove from Dallas to Amarillo.
In true Sam fashion, I started packing 40 minutes before I was to leave. Naturally, I’m sure I’ve forgotten everything. Or that I packed everything. There is no in-between.
It’s funny how I stocked the back of my car nearly full with a bunch of ‘what if’ items. I just spent two months abroad with just a smallish backpack, but this trip is a little different.
Medicine Mound, TX
Over the next four weeks, I’ll road trip solo through mountains and the plains, sleep in a tent, hotels, and friends’ homes, and attend nights out, professional soirees, and go hiking. There is no easy way to pack for this one!
The Drive
As I said, I started my trip this morning. I left Dallas at 10:05 and arrived in Amarillo at 4ish. Along the way, I went about 10 miles out of my way to visit Medicine Mound, Texas. It’s a ghost town, which was crazy to see. There were abandoned buildings and not a person or car or building in sight!
Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, TX
I got out and took a few photos (self-timer is such a godsend to solo traveling). Then, I headed on my way to Amarillo. It was a nice halfway point stop that didn’t add more than 15 minutes on to my total travel time.
In Amarillo
I couch-surfed last night and got to Amarillo before my host got off work. That gave me time to go to the grocery store to get bananas for breakfast and decided to relax at a local brewery and get some writing done.
When my couch host got home, we spent the evening visiting the Cadillac Ranch – some rich guy planted a bunch of Cadillacs out in the desert and people go there to spray paint them. Then we went to the VW Graveyard – a similar concept but with VW’s at the origination point of Route 66.
It was super cool to see the starting point of such an iconic piece of American history. I’m so stoked for all the other adventures that this trip brings!
Sunday morning, I arrived in Hong Kong, and I was in a mood.
It had been over 45 days since I’d had a room to myself, tasted Jif peanut butter, or used a computer. I was burnt out from traveling and wanted to cross my arms, stomp my foot and pout. More than that, I wanted to go home. I had one more night in Asia, and was heading home on Monday afternoon.
Or so I thought.
I took a deep breath. “One more day of traveling,” I told myself. “Then two days to travel home.”
I arrived in Hong Kong knowing that there had been protests across the city and in the airport and saw the aftermath at the arrivals area. A few protesters were there handing out informational pamphlets and holding posters. In fact, they wanted to have conversations to educate travelers about why what they were protesting was important. I had a couple of quick conversations and went on my way to find the bus and head into town.
What was Hong Kong like during the protests?
Hong Kong was so lovely! I spent the day with my Couch Surfing host taking the bus up Mount Victoria and walking around the harbor. We took ferries and had a little photo shoot and lovely conversations. We cooked dinner in his home and heard some shouting outside. He lives in an important tourism area, and we saw a parade of a few hundred protesters saying their piece. The police came and monitored the situation, and it was all over within an hour.
Victoria Harbor On A Day of Tourism
Later on, I went out alone to go see the harbor by night. There were no remnants of a protest on the street and I felt completely safe. Life in Hong Kong had resumed.
My couch host told me that the protests were planned to be in one of three areas the next morning, but that all of them would likely impact my bus to the airport due to crowds.
Heading to the Airport
I had an 8 pm flight and decided to leave his place at 3- I figured it would take an hour to get to the airport but left plenty of extra time for issues. I arrived at the airport at 4 pm to be greeted by crowds of people chanting. They held up signs, and they held up traffic. It was announced while we were still on the bus that the airport was being shut down, and that every flight after 4 pm was canceled.
The protestors had snacks, took naps, chanted, and gave information to the public. Their words are being heard worldwide as they try to hold on to the strings of their democracy.
And me? I got back on the same bus and went back to the city.
My couch host was amazing and let me go back to his place even though he was at work. I called everyone I could think of to figure out my flight situation – the booking site didn’t have the flight registered as cancelled yet, my credit card told me I could file a claim later, the US consulate was closed for the day, and the airline’s website and phone systems had crashed.
I was tired, I wanted peanut butter and my own bed and to stomp my foot and just. be. home. But here I was, spending another night in a city that I wouldn’t have otherwise chosen to visit, sitting on a couch trying to find the cheapest way home.
Putting in the Work to Get a Flight Home
Yes, cheapest. I was never in danger. The protests are controlled and most of the violence is coming from the law enforcement, not the protestors. I was nowhere near either of them. Price took precedent over safety, because safety wasn’t a concern as long as I wasn’t on the front lines of a protest.
Getting Home
Long story short, I purchased a ticket from HKG –> ORD –> AUS and got into Austin only a half an hour after I would have landed in Dallas had my original flight stayed the same. I was able to get a full refund on my canceled ticket and took the hit on my new ticket.
I went to the airport the following morning a few hours before my flight and got through security and customs without issue. When I landed in Chicago, I had myriad messages telling me that the protests had gotten worse and shut down the airport again. Thank GOODNESS I got out of there. I was ready to be home.
You’ve Seen the Iconic Photo in the News of 5000 People at Arrivals – This is Tuesday Morning’s Aftermath
Tuesday Morning Aftermath – See the American Flag? They Want Democracy.
So here I am in Austin, still with the same 30L backpack and 8 pairs of underwear. My beautiful friend Brittany and I are hanging out for a few days before I head to Dallas by bus on Friday.
I Must Be Grateful
I’m grateful that the people of Hong Kong are being heard. I am grateful that I could get a refund on my original ticket. I’m grateful for my couch host being so incredibly gracious, and for my credit card company insuring my travels so that some of the additional expenses are covered by insurance. Of course, I’m grateful for all of the people that reached out offering to help me find alternate ways out of Hong Kong, and some even offered their points or other monetary means to help. I’m grateful that I am in a position where this was an inconvenience rather than a safety issue, and I’m grateful to be sitting in a coffee shop in Austin, drinking American coffee and eating Jif.
The Bottom Line
If you take nothing else away, take this: Hong Kong citizens are fighting for democracy. What was an inconvenience to me is detrimental to their voice. They are being painted as terrorists by one of the biggest governments in the world for standing up for their fundamental freedoms and ability to uphold their own constitution. Their cultural identity is being threatened. When you watch the news, know that the demonstrators are millions of peaceful people resisting communism and being met with police brutality and China’s heavy hand.
Medellin is known for two things: drug cartels and beautiful women. Fortunately, the drug cartels left and the women stayed. Sound enticing enough for you to visit Medellin?
Despite being relatively safe and pleasant now, most people are still terrified of Colombia. When we decided to go there on a whim, I got so many (unfunny) jokes about kidnapping, coke binges, armored cars, getting robbed, etc.
An aside: Two years ago I traveled to Bosnia, Croatia, and other Balkan countries. Think Sarajevo. Think occupation. Think ethnic cleansing. Think Yugoslavia. Think Franz Ferdinand. When I tell people that I went there, their mind suddenly rewinds 25 years to these occurrences. The first thoughts aren’t cosmopolitan cities. Think Olympics. Think rebuilding. Think unity. Think life.
What I learned on my Balkans road trip was that places aren’t their past- that someday, I’ll be able to travel to places that are torn apart right now. In the same way that 20 years ago my parents would’ve been crazy to visit Bosnia and Herzegovina, I’d be crazy to visit Afghanistan right now. But that in 20 years, it might be a wonderful place to visit.
Is it Safe to Visit Medellin?
Back to my point – Colombia is no different. Once riddled with violence for civilians and cartels alike, the city of Medellin, Colombia felt just as safe as any American city. I walked to restaurants at night and felt fine in the neighborhoods. I got the occasional catcalls on main roads – no different from home.
To the same folks who told me to be careful: if you went to Medellin and walked around, you might feel stupid pretty fast. It’s really nice there. The quality of life to cost of living ratio is one of the highest I’ve found anywhere.
What is the Culture of Medellin?
The culture in Medellin is warm and welcoming. It caught me a bit off-guard, but it’s not unusual for the locals to come over and chat you up during dinner, to buy you a beer and excitedly practice their English with you, or to even invite you to their homes for a barbecue on a random Sunday. And no, I never got mugged, drugged, or robbed accepting any of these invitations, nor has anyone that I know that’s been there.
My Experience With People:
My roommate Matt and I stayed in a hostel in el Poblado, the oldest area of Medellin. It is the most popular area for foreigners to stay in and hosts a huge expat population in long term rentals. The vibe of the neighborhood was similar to a Miami neighborhood – plenty of shops, people out playing football and chatting on park benches, and folks coming to and from work.
Matt is an excellent travel buddy- he made his own pals in the hostel and kept us on a bit of a schedule. I need that, as I’m not a planner in the least!
Places to Visit in Medellin & the Surrounding Area:
We got in at about 3 pm on Saturday. We took a taxi from the airport to the city for about $20. The driver even stopped at a vista to snap photos for us, and so he could show off his city. The city is surrounded by mountains, so the airport is about an hour out of town. We spent the afternoon exploring the neighborhood, talking to folks at the hostel, and planning our next couple of days. And, of course, eating.
The second day, we woke up early to take a bus to El Peñón de Guatapé, a HUGE rock that is known for having the best view in the world. I thought it might be just another tourist gig that dragged us out of the city, but it really was incredible. We earned the view by climbing just over 700 steps to the top. We were surrounded by a winding river reservoir, quaint vacation homes, and a brilliant mix of greens and blues. The 360-degree view was one of the best in the world – El Penon lives up to its reputation!
We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the city of Guatape. The city is one of the most colorful in the region. The fronts of homes are painted head to toe in zócalos – hip height designs that are unique to each family. No two are the same!
Sunday we woke up early and headed out for a day of exploring the city. We were out the door by 7 both days, and got full nights of sleep each night. Yes, even in one of the party capitals of the world, we managed to be in bed by midnight.
Don’t Judge Medellin By Its Cover
I always say you can judge a city by three things: it’s public service, it’s public art, and it’s public transit. Medellin had all three of these in abundance. As a total sucker for free movement, I was most impressed by the transit system.
In 2012, it was named one of the top transport systems in the world by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), a global consortium of organizations founded in 1985 to promote sustainable transportation worldwide:
“The city [of Medillin] transformed violence and despair into hope and opportunity, using sustainable transport as one of the key levers to drive change,” said ITDP board member Holger Dalkmann.
The crown jewel of Medellin’s transportation system is the Metro de Medellín, a network of clean and efficient metro cars that serves over half a million (553,000) passengers every day. This project was financed by a public-private partnership led by the city; construction took ten years, with the last major expansion completed in 2006. The system saves 175,000 tons of C02 every year, the equivalent of planting 380,000 trees that would occupy 11% of the city’s landmass. Metro calculates that it saves the city $1.5 billion in respiratory health costs every year, and $4 billion in reduced traffic accidents and congestion.
A view from the Medellin metro
Perhaps the most impressive feature of the metro system is the world-renowned metro cablé system, a network of 9 cable car systems that take passengers up steep mountainsides that line the Valley of Medellin. The lines were completed in 2010 and left room for future expansion. The metro cable system has revolutionized mobility and accessibility for residents of Colombia’s second-largest city, particularly the poorest — and often most violent — communities that line the valley of Medellin’s mountainous region.
In other words, public transit in Medellin has reduced crime, increased mobility and safety, and decreased pollution in the valley, winning the city myriad awards for innovation and tourism.
What to Eat in Medellin:
Vegetarianism falls by the wayside when I travel. I’ll say ‘no’ to bacon 10 out of 10 times at home, but when I travel I feel that it’s culturally necessary to experience the food.
Hence, bandeja paisa. This is a platter filled with steak, pork cracklings, chorizo, and a fried egg on a bed of rice, beans, dried beef powder, and topped with a fried egg and plantain. There was an avocado in there, too. Just saying it out loud is a mouthful.
I’d never had such tasty chorizo, nor had I ever tasted powdered beef. I’m still standing, but barely. You could’ve rolled me home after that meal.
The second thing I ate that’s worth writing home about is arepas. It was my golden dragon. The first night I had the most amazing arepa with cheese. I tried 6 more places in the next two days we were there – none of them measured up.
In front of the zocalos in Guatape
My visit to Colombia was quick. It taught me that I get more enjoyment out of places when I feel connected with the place. I don’t feel like I met locals or experienced anything that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.
Therefore, I’ve made it a goal that by the end of the year, I will travel somewhere with the intention of contributing. Whether it be volunteering or just spending time in a stranger’s home, I want to contribute positively to a place, rather than just visit it and contribute my time and money. I want to contribute a mutual understanding and reignite my why.
You’ve had your slices of pie, now here’s a slice of each of the 3 countries I visited over Thanksgiving break:
Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras and the homicide capital of the world in 2013. Known for baleadas (a delicious egg and cheese and plantain dish inside a tortilla) and colonial architecture. Also home to the world’s deadliest airport due to a sharp turn to avoid mountains coming in and a very short landing strip.
Playa El Tunco, El Salvador is where the elite of El Salvador spend their weekends. By day it is a surfing hot spot. By night it’s full of beach clubs and mosquitos. I wouldn’t know though, because I was in bed by 9 to wake up to surf!
Antigua, Guatemala is the former capital of Guatemala. The city is surrounded by volcanoes and is home to Mayans, cowboys, and myriad taquerias.
Atitlan, Guatemala is a huge lake also surrounded by volcanoes. The hostel I stayed at (where this photo was taken) offered no wifi, no electricity, and attracts some of the best folks I’ve met while traveling. We had family style meals and spent our days hiking around the lake- over volcanoes and through forests, from village to village.
I was in a market in Panajachel, Guatemala and this guy had a hand me down ISU shirt. I couldn’t resist a photo!
Hiking from village to village on Atitlan takes several hours. The alternative is a boat ride which costs anywhere from 50¢ to $1.50. I shared a freezing cold hostel dorm, hikes, meals, and a chicken bus ride with these two- a South African and an Israeli.
Notes to self for my next trip:
– Check the weather before you go. Just because Guatemala is South of Florida doesn’t mean it’s warmer. Mountains. Are. Cold.
– Bring Tylenol and Emergen-C. The two day flu sucks worse when you’re not at home, and drugs might help alleviate the discomfort.
– You packed just the right amount. Less baggage wins every time. 2 shorts, 2 tank tops, several underwear, one dress, several socks, one sweater, one sandals one shoes is the perfect amount of clothing for 10 days. Good job bringing sunscreen, too! I heard from almost everyone that they only wish they had less to carry.
Last week, I visited the Big Easy for the second time this year. My first impression of the city was cheap and unfair. I indulged in beignets and ‘world famous’ coffee, and chased my days with $12 drinks. After 4 days I’d seen races and racism; I’d seen smiles wider than the river. I saw confidence, I saw contentment, and I saw comfort. I left thinking I’d found the Sorbonne of southern culture.
I. Love. New Orleans.
I left knowing I’d missed something, though.
So, five months passed and I gave myself two days to try again. Hereare my impressions from a 6:30 AM walk through the city.
I came back to drink down my impressions. They went down as easy as smooth jazz and tin can art. Precarious beads dangle from a carnival of ambiguously supported balconies. In a pinch, the thread holding the structure in place might in fact be beads, tossed up innocently parades ago.
Every city is most itself after a nightly reset. 6am, and New Orleans scoffs at ‘reset’. Open containers of daiquiri wave hello to a warm cup of chickory. Both empty cups know that this is the city that never sleeps.
This particular morning glows with Bourbon, spilling over with sugar and mint. New Orleans is most comfortably itself under the watchful eye of St. Louis. The people are grits and honey, homemade car washes, and decaffeinated inhibitions.
A city leveled several times over, NOLA’s flag elaborates on its soul. As timeless as the fleur de lis itself, the real coat of arms is a symphony of colors with vibrations to match. C’est vrai, several lands meet here. Love, adventure, and enchantment alone fix broken bones of homes.
6am, laughing in New Orleans. Here, cacophony meets peace. Here, the first cigarette of the day counts down to a life lived at the speed of a bayou.
