When I started telling people that I was going to New Mexico, I was met with some…interesting opinions. I thought it was time to address them and expound a little bit.
For starters, I’m different. I always have been, and I always will be. And I love that about myself. I’m not one to get swept up in current travel trends, follow the crowd, or even read current “hot” novels.
It was years before I read Harry Potter, watched The Lord of the Rings, or even put “visit Paris” on my bucket list.
I learned from a young age to follow my own hopes and dreams, and to work towards the goals that resonated with my direction in life. And that is how I choose to adventure and travel.
I figured that if we all lived our lives the same, traveled to the same places at the same time, and had the same thoughts, what a boring world that would be. There would be no variety or sparkle.
My first few travel adventures as an adult were…illuminating, to say the least. I learned a lot from those experiences, most of which have not been and will not be published here.
As expected, I grew as the years and adventures went by. I figured out my travel style, and understood the importance of being picky selective about who I traveled and adventured with.
My trips and adventures became more personal. I traveled where I wanted and when I wanted. Sure, that was usually dictated by flight deals, but that was my choice and how I discovered the power of flexibility.
I made lists of places I wanted to go, adventures I wanted to have, and started an Impossible List. My Impossible List is a more robust and detailed bucket list. One that I look at, pick items, and put them into action. I keep track of my progress and develop ways to maintain momentum.
A few years ago, I added “going to New Mexico” onto the list. I didn’t have much planned, other than the fact that I was intrigued. I am a self-proclaimed child of the American West and am drawn to the beauty, spirituality, and majesty of the desert.
Fast-forward to the day after I returned from Germany and I found a killer flight deal to Albuquerque. Round trip tickets from Salt Lake City were only $138 direct on Delta. I couldn’t drive there and back for cheaper.
I quickly paid for the flight and turned to my New Year Resolutions for 2023. I was so stoked that I was going to be able to make a dent on those resolutions a week into the new year.
It didn’t take too long to get everything sorted for my trip. With the money saved on the flight, I splurged on a rental car and rented a townhouse down the street from Old Town Albuquerque. I did as much research on things to do in Albuquerque as possible, and got ready for an adventure.
You know that feeling when you’re so excited for something (whether it’s an event or a tangible thing), you tell your friends and…they aren’t as excited as you are? Or, better yet, they furrow their brow and question your excitement, wondering if you’re feeling alright?
This happens to me constantly. When it first started happening at the beginning of my travel journey, I found myself constantly on the defense. When I talked about upcoming trips with people who didn’t travel themselves, I had to justify why I chose that particular place.
Have you ever had someone constantly questioning your decisions? It’s annoying, right? I educated as much as I could, explaining that I truly wanted to go to that particular place and it wasn’t scary. But to no avail.
I learned that people who have yet to travel outside of their current state, city, or country have a limited view as compared to those with a few stamps in their passport. And the same goes for those who have never traveled solo before.
There’s a difference between asking someone why they chose that destination with an inquisitive tone vs a judgmental/fake-concerned tone.
Travelers love to talk about their experiences and are eager to offer advice, based on said experiences. People who haven’t traveled love to hear themselves talk about things they think they know, based on outdated information from the internet.
We offer advice based on what we know. If we only know a little bit, our opinions are narrow. But as we venture out and experience different ways of life, cultures, foods, understandings, our opinions begin to widen.
So when I told other travelers that I was going to New Mexico for a few days, I was met with encouraging statements and questions about my planned adventures, as opposed to the side-eye “okay” I received from others. Like I was wasting my time or something.
The bottom line is this – I’ve learned over the years to trust myself. When I decided that I was going to New Mexico, I’d had years of practice and was prepared for the looks, sighs, and confusion. After all, how can an unglamorous place be fun, right?
That last sentence is definitely dripping with sarcasm. I had an amazing time in New Mexico. I got out into the sunshine, ate as many chilies as possible, learned more about the local Pueblos, and got to cruise down the old Route 66.
So…what’s the whole point of this article? I guess I needed a chance to open up as to why I choose the places I do. Why I don’t really listen to people who haven’t experienced the world.
Maybe it’s to officially proclaim that I march to the beat of my own heart. Life is too short to spend time and money on experiences that aren’t what I truly want.
And if you’re someone who doesn’t travel and wants to offer advice on where I should or shouldn’t go, don’t take it personally. Think of it this way – how grateful are doctors when patients come to them with a diagnosis they found online?
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