Me, myself and I

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Spent the last 5 days on my own in Mendoza (Argentina) and Santiago de Chile, cos OSM has to fly home a few days earlier to attend to some matters.

These 5 days has been a totally new and unforgettable experience for me. Have never backpacked on my own, though I've always harboured that thought. Am always inspired by solo female travellers whol I met on the trip, esp those small and frail looking Asian girls. But one reason why they travelled alone is because they couldn´t find someone to match their schedule to travel with them. So far, I have been lucky to be able to have people to travel with me to long and short trips like Europe, Tibet, Laos and now even South America.

This has proved to be a good opportunity to discover more about myself. I took it as a test to see how independent I am and if I will ever want to travel on my own again. Getting around on my own is not a problem for me. Taking the initiative to talk to others have been a bigger obstacle. With my autism trait, it is not easy to take the first step to talk to people, unless necessary. I enjoy small intimate chat, sharing one another´s travel experience and giving one another advice on where to go and how to get there etc. I don´t enjoy big groups, esp if they like going out to party or drink. I´ll choose to go back to my room to read and sleep. I´ve also learnt to slow things down. Wake up later, sip my coffee slowly, stroll around town aimlessly, just watching what the locals buy and do.

The good thing about moving on your own is that you can stop to look at something you like for as long as you want, without having to worry that you´re wasting someone else´s time. You choose to eat whatever, wherever and whenever you like. And somehow I always end up with something to munch.

The bad thing is when things don´t go smoothly, there´s no one to confide to. You just have to swallow it down your throat and find your own way out of it. When you shop, there´s no one to stop you from buying unneccesary things or give you their opinion if you look nice in this. Of course, it´s immobile without someone to look after your stuff esp when you wanna go to the toilet or times when you need to go to the bus company office which is situated away from the platform to check why your bus is not here yet.

Well, conclusion. Yes, I will wanna do it on my own again. For those who´s going to venture out on your own, have fun! I´m sure it´ll be a fruitful experience.

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Photos

Mendoza - Chile Border
Alone... no one to share my exclamation of such awesome view... could only share with the Auntie seated next to me :)

My comfort food
To OSM & CJ, Andesmar... used to be the fav bus for 3 of us...