Three months in: How we’re feeling and what we’re thinking

December 20 marked our three month travel-versary so I thought now would be a good time to look back on how these past few months — which have taken us from Peru to Patagonia — have shaped up.

In a nutshell, life is freaking awesome. I feel so lucky that I can get up every morning to see beautiful things, meet interesting people and stretch my boundaries. I’ve had so many conversations with fellow backpackers, where we’re practically pinching ourselves for getting this opportunity to see the world.

Iguazu Falls:

On top of that, the other truly incredible part of this trip is that we can CHILL. We have time to read, time to zone out, time to go for a walk. Our biggest responsibility is making sure we get to our bus or flight on time.

When I think back to all we’ve done and compare it to what some backpackers have done in the same time span, I feel like we’ve only scratched the surface of South America. But once I made a mental list, I realized that we’ve been able to see and do things in three months that some people can do only in a lifetime.

Some of our favorite memories include:

- witnessing early morning mist at Machu Picchu
- hiking the Sacred Valley of Ollyantatambo
- bar hopping and eating at El Turko nine times in Arequipa, Peru
- hiking the grueling two-day Colca Canyon trek without a guide
- hosting a Halloween party in Buenos Aires
- welcoming our first visitor, our friend Shyema from NYC
- ordering croissants and coffee at a tango club at 4:30 a.m.
- riding horses at an estancia for Eaman’s birthday
- watching Messi play at an Argentina national futbol match
- an unexpectedly fun day trip to Colonia, Uruguay
- seeing the massive Garganta del Diablo at Iguazu Falls
- the best dinner party we’ve ever been to at a hostel asado (BBQ) in El Calafate
- climbing the massive Perito Moreno glacier (pics and post on this to come!)
- proving to myself that I have more strength that I imagined during a five-day trek through Torres del Paine

But on par with seeing such amazing sights has been growing as individuals. When you take a break from life, so to speak, you get to have this out-of-body experience, where you can re-examine the way you’ve been living your life and figure out how, if at all, you want to change it. I’ve met so many people who are doing such different, interesting things with their lives, and it’s made realize that there isn’t just one path to success. In a time like this, when the world is our oyster, it’s inevitable to stop asking “Why?” and, instead, ask, “Why not?” (Sounds very running-for-President, eh?)

By Lago Argentina in Patagonia:

I feel a lot more comfortable with the idea of taking risks, both right now and for the future. I’ve started thinking about life after travel — in a good, non rat-race way — with way more doors of possibilties ajar than I ever imagined while living in NYC. I still have no idea what I’ll do when I re-enter the real world, but as the days go on, I care less and less because I know in my gut that an idea or opportunity will strike at the right time, and whatever it is, that’s the thing that’s going to make me happy.

Along the Inca Trail:

But it’s still month three and I can’t say I’ve done a complete 180 in some of the ways I wanted to change. I had wanted to shed most of my Type A personality, and though I think I’m much less neurotic and anxious than I was in NYC, sometimes Type A rears its ugly head…even in laid-backville South America. (To be fair, I think too much time in BsAs had something to do with that.) It’s something I’m still working on, but the free-spirited travelers we’ve been meeting have been shining examples.

And of course everyone would like to know if Eaman and I are about to kill each other yet. You’ll be happy to know that travel suits us very, very well. We knew it before from our multiple vacations together, but this intense, long-term trip is further proof. In fact, I think we’re sort of becoming the same person. Beyond the fact that we crave the same experiences (and foods) at the same time, oftentimes, one of us will say something only to have the other say he/she was just thinking about the same totally random thing. That’s what happens when you’ve been together for nearly six years and spend 24/7 together, I guess.

Asado at our El Calafate hostel:

We’ve definitely had arguments, gotten frustrated and had times when we needed a breather from each other, but overall we keep telling each other how happy we are to be doing this together. Sure, there’s something unique about traveling solo and really getting out of your comfort zone, but there’s also something incredibly special about sharing these life-changing moments with each other.

That being said, we’re still individuals, and that’s why parting ways for two weeks at the end of January while I go to Colombia and Eaman further explores Patagonia is so important. If not for the getting-out-of-your-comfort-zone aspect, then at least to have something new to talk about! You’d laugh if you eavesdropped on the many mundane conversations we’ve had after exhaustng more weighty topics. (“Name three Seinfeld episodes in which…?”)

But of course traveling long-term isn’t all glamorous. There are hours spent waiting at inefficient airports. Days spent sitting indoors to book flights and hostels. Long nights with painful stomach aches. But the most painful side of traveling has got to be my diminishing bank account. About a week ago, I took a look at my funds and realized the money I have left for this year of fun seems more like the amount for just a couple more months of fun.

Eaman, Excel and I sat down with my expense list, and all we could work out was that, beyond spending a little more money on my per-day food budget (shocker), I was pretty much on target. I think it was just BsAs and currently Patagonia that have sucked up my funds. I’m now really banking on the upcoming two weeks of WWOOFing in Argentina, WWOOFing in Hawaii (still ironing out the deets), finding jobs in Hawaii (wishful thinking?) and the dirt-cheapness of Asia. I’m basically just jumping and hoping that I land on my feet. (It’s the whole taking risks thing I mentioned.)

And of course I miss certain things about life back home. Besides friends and family, I miss…

- my mom’s cooking
- lathering up in body lotion post-shower (I’m a freak about good skincare practices, and on that note, I miss body scrub, which is so hard to find here)
- reading fashion and gossip magazines in English
- America’s efficiency
- Subway, Potbelly’s and Taco Bell*
- my fashionable wardrobe
- my MacBook Pro because this iPad drives me bonkers sometimes
- trashy TV (though I did watch a fair, if not embarassing amount of Keeping Up With the Kardashians in our BsAs apartment)

In general, though, it’s too soon to say I really miss some of those things that much. (And I don’t think I’ve logged enough backpacker miles to complain about toilet conditions and showering with flip-flops just yet.) Right now, I’m just really, really happy.

And as much as I love sharing all the juicy details on this here blog — love ya, readers! — I cannot wait until mid February when we head to Honolulu for my cousin’s wedding so I can relate the experiences to my family in person. That’s the beauty of storytelling and journaling; they give you the opportunity to look back and realize, Whoa, this is AWESOME!

That’s all for now. See you in month 6 for a similar reflection rundown!

*We miss our favorite foods A LOT. Eaman and I play this semi-masochistic, semi-motivational game when we’re on long, hard hikes, where we take turns naming big meals we would eat if we were in New York at that very moment. Example: “I would start out with a (Shake) Shack burger, and follow it with cheese fries and a Diet Coke. Then, I would demolish a plate of pancakes and Clinton St. Baking Company. Next, I would stop by L’asso for a few slices of their delectable potato chip pizza. Finally, I would top everything off with a S’mores sundae at Big Daddy’s Diner. And probably a red velvet cupcake from ChikaLicious.” Good thing you can’t be imaginary obese!