Solo Trippin’

As I recounted the details of a trip to South Africa to a dear friend, I mentioned that I flew domestically from Cape Town to Johannesburg. “But you like that, you don’t mind traveling alone.”

I may not mind it, but it is not my preference. It is my sense of adventure, my penchant for travel, and my inherent need to suck the life out of life that compels me to say yes to opportunities. Imagine me waiting to go until another person agreed to accompany me on the big things and the small things my heart longs to experience. Great travel companions are a Godsend; their company enhances the trip. But there is also something both exhilarating and freeing about solo exploration.

Driving the 101 Freeway along the California Coast is one of my favorite pastimes to refresh and ground my soul. At the end of 2023, I attended a book signing in the Santa Ynez Valley. I gathered with a group of lovely ladies, sipped wine and nibbled on pizza while listening to the incomparable Iris Rideau share bits of her life story. I met new friends that afternoon, wandered around the winery, and snapped photos of things that surprised and delighted. The art of leaning into experiences that bring me joy fills my arsenal with memories that sustain me on challenging days. On road trips with my parents, they intentionally pulled off to get gas when the tank registered half full. They dared not run the risk of riding around on empty, searching for a gas station in the middle of nowhere. Fill up on joy as often and whenever we can. Stay fueled.

I chose to spend the remaining days of my getaway at the quaintest Airbnb in Paso Robles. My host thought of everything from fresh flowers to a blue tooth speaker. Prior to my arrival the owner asked me to select my beverage of choice for my visit- red wine. Walking into the space greeted by fresh flowers, plentiful snacks, cozy blankets, and a bed that felt like a hug, I allowed myself to retreat. The private patio welcomed me with a firepit and a water feature. Fall leaves, birdsongs, and the crisp air kept me company.

Usually, I explore the city. But not this time. I lingered, lounged, and lazed around. This was exactly what I needed. Not gonna lie, at times I do get a bit lonely on my adventures. Over the years, I have learned that sitting in the hot sting of loneliness is the journey. It sets my creativity on fire. It pushes me to explore, to rest, to browse, to move along in ways that being in someone else’s presence in some ways does not. Setting the pace of my trips allows me to soak in as much or as little as I desire. I can confidently say that I enjoy my company. I know what I like and what I do not, and I am open to learning more. Grateful for the times someone accompanies me and appreciative of the moments I get with myself.

Every so often, I receive a proverbial invitation from life that reads “Jodi, party of one your table is ready”. My voracious appetite for new vistas bids me to accept. And most often I do. Oh, the stories I could tell.