Traveling can be the best time of someone’s life or have very different feelings entirely. Finding people on the same flow in life or with a similar frequency as oneself is very important. I have traveled the world with all types of people and have seen amazing places. Everywhere I go I try to keep a positive attitude and a flexible mindset because there is really no way of knowing what can happen out in the world. I once traveled throughout Europe with a person who had totally different expectations than myself and it was very challenging. All I wanted to do was find places to sit and paint while getting to know cultures and people. All the other person wanted to do was party and I suggested they go do that while I sit and paint. I understand having someone to party with is way more fun. This being said, it is very important to find similar minded souls to travel with.
I have been very fortunate in my lifetime to find a husband who is also a best friend. He is my ultimate travel companion. We are definitely on the same path, flow, frequency, etc. Whenever things don’t work out with maps, driving destinations, reservations, flights, etc. we just laugh and find a new way. Sometimes this is the best thing to happen to us because it leads us on a brand new adventure and we are super grateful for the new experiences. An example of this would be getting lost in Arizona and happening across highway 88. This lovely road, yes road, was a gravel and dirt road in, what felt like, the middle of nowhere. We found beautiful flowers, saguaro cactus, water sources, and a State Park to visit. What an experience it was with the dog though and so many laughing moments were shared. My other two travel companions are my brother and my cousin who are also best friends.
My cousin and I decided to take the travel vouchers for a flight to Barcelona, Spain, because we are never in a hurry and wanted to give someone else the opportunity to get where they needed to go faster. We got free coffees, sandwiches, and a gift card which was awesome. Our bags however did not make it to Barcelona with us. They had a lovely trip to Madrid. I have never been, but our rucksacks tell us it is a nice place. After a long day of waiting we luckily retrieved our bags. We both felt blessed because we know this is not always the case. Through all the adventures separately with these three people I have found one thing to be the most important; always, scheduling a day or two with nothing. These are the days when anything is possible and something amazing usually seems to happen. Rest days are my most important thing on my list for a wonderful vacation. Keeping a positive attitude about everything is my main thing but I know how hard this can be, so my advice is rest days!
Thank you for reading and have a safe happy weekend!
-Karen Hilliard