To all my friends back home thinking about one day taking some time off to travel the world, I have some advice for you – do it now while you’re young. Traveling extensively is not easy and it requires a considerable amount of resiliency and tolerance of uncomfortable situations.

Beyond numerous challenges on the wellness front, which have ranged from nasty bug bites and a mean bladder infection to a bout with the local gripe and what was apparently a stomach parasite, I have also faced countless days where I ask myself “wait, what am I doing here again?"

The psychological challenges are just as difficult to manage as the physical ones, and considering how long I hope to travel, I'm sure I am in for many more hard times. A few weeks ago, I had my share of homesickness and more recently, the total absence of personal space really took its toll. I have to admit, this part of the road has been rocky.

Fortunately, life on the road is always changing and every day really does bring with it a new world of opportunity and experience. Having the chance to take 3 weeks of Spanish classes in Costa Rica, spend my afternoons at leisure, live the local lifestyle, and enjoy every sunset on a tropical beach are blessings I will cherish forever.

I’m sure that even the memories of these hard times will one day make me smile.

March 5, 2006