Russell S. Herrera
Round-the-World Traveler Round the World Travel GuideYour One-stop Source to Plan & Book Around-the-World Trips
My first stop was Athens. That was quite the shocker. It was nothing like I imagined. It was large, loud and crowded. As soon as I stepped off the plane I felt a million miles from home. I would have never survived my first day there had I not met a nice Brit named Lara. We instantly clicked as pals and went for a cup of coffee.
There at the little coffee shop in Athens surrounded by pink, orange, blue and yellow buildings the waiter asked us where we were from. I answered "I'm from California in the U.S. My friend is from England and just this morning I was in the U.S. and now I am drinking coffee in Athens with a Brit I just met."
I am sure that was more than he needed or wanted to know, but the waiter smiled at me and said “Welcome”.
That was when it clicked for me.
The realization that just a few handful of hours ago I had left home and now I was drinking coffee in Athens, talking and laughing with a Brit whom just a few days ago I had no idea existed, that realization, that moment was like nothing I had ever experienced. The kicker moment. The moment that I realized that the world was much larger than just your view of it. That I was merely one out of a population of 7 billion people. That our little world was just one portion of an immense galaxy. That our galaxy was just a tiny portion of a universe of unimaginable size, far beyond our sight and at least for my understanding. That despite our existence being microscopic and frail, in the long run it is all precious.
That good cup of coffee in the morning, the friends that make us laugh, the family that sometimes makes us wish we were orphans, the stranger in the market that smiled at you, the flower in the garden, the reddish-purple look of the sky in the moments before the sunsets, the frailty of it all, and our tiny roles in life... it all means something and has value. Very flowery and new age-ish rhetoric I know, but that was my moment. Just a tiny moment of clarity but it was the type of moments we struggle all our lives to experience. Mine lasted a few seconds.
The only indication I gave my travel buddy that I had experienced such a moment was a dumb grin that I hid quickly as I drank my coffee.
Who knows? Maybe I am nuts like my family thinks. But that is what I love about traveling.
August 2004
1-2 Years
still working on that one
26
USA
Tustin, California, USA
Paralegal
It's my career
No
I want to start off in Tasmania, make my way through Australia, South Asia, Europe, Africa, South America, then into the U.S. and back home.
I have always been a nut when it comes to traveling, but reading a couple of the travel stories on this website just made me want to go for it.
Getting lost and never finding my way back home... although at times that sounds more like a blessing.
My friends are supportive, my co-workers don't know (unless they happen to read my profile here) and my family thinks I am nuts for ever wanting to leave my home town.
Just Enough
I'm packing very very light. I hate the idea of lugging around too much. My indispensable items would be my journal, my camera, a few pictures of my family... AND my passport.
I haven't a clue really. I have been feeling so antsy lately. The need to travel is almost so overwhelming that I can think of nothing else. I hope this will quench my thirst so I can finally settle down and grow roots (although I swear if I had a kid I would strap the little guy or gal on my back and take him/her with me).
I am utterly scared about the whole idea and excited as well.
I don't know why others should do RTW trips, but the reason I am doing this is to see the world and discover things about myself I didn't know. I think you just don't get that opportunity with short trips.
I haven't heard about myths. But my family thinks that if I go I may never come back (and not in a good way). I'm hoping that's a myth.
There's a certain feeling about traveling that just can't be found in other things (I'm a solo traveler). My first time anywhere out of Orange County took me on a 6-week tour of Europe.
Go wherever you want!
