How my latest trip changed my perspective on travel
The Freedom of Going Solo
I grew up traveling with my family. I’ve gone on trips with strangers that turned into friends and even traveled with colleagues before. But, I fell in love with going solo.
That feeling of arriving in a place where no one knows your name, the independence of moving on your own terms, and the freedom to experience a moment completely alone—it’s impossible to explain. There is no one there to talk to, to eat with, or to hug you.
It’s just you on this floating planet, in this crazy universe, free to do whatever you want.
But this time, it wasn’t just me.
The Magic of Traveling with Others
I just got back from a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and from the moment I arrived, I felt something was different. Maybe it was the air, thick with salt and possibility, or the way the ocean seemed to hum in anticipation. Maybe it was the people, or maybe, I finally allowed myself to experience travel in a new way.
I’ve been to Mexico a dozen times, visiting multiple cities—mostly with family, and once on my own. This time, though, I earned the trip through my job and shared it with 80 other individuals.
We left from Chicago on a direct flight, stayed at an all-inclusive resort, sailed on a catamaran to see the Cabo Arch, and explored downtown at night. The town, the beach, the scenery– they were stunning. The ocean glittered, the golden sand stretched across the horizon, and the rocks never ceased to amaze me. The longer I stared, the deeper I fell in awe. The sun melted into the water, painting the sky. Stars sparkled across the night like tiny little lanterns shining just for us. The architecture added color and texture to this picture I could have sworn was a painting.
Wildlife greeted us along the way—whales, seals, and birds stopping to say hello. Each time, I turned into a little kid, just excited over the moment without any other thoughts. Then there was the water–the water danced and sung. The town was a symphony, each part its own instrument; maybe the ocean conducted it. I listened to it begin and end every single day I was there.
But this time, it wasn’t the place that left the biggest mark on me. Instead, it was the people.
The Power of Vulnerability
I love vulnerability. It’s one of my favorite parts of traveling—getting to know a person from a place I didn’t know, learning a story I never would have read or guessed, and being trusted enough to read their book, or even just glimpse at a chapter of their life.
Most of the time, I don’t get to maintain a daily relationship with the people I meet in these places, whether because of time zones or distance. It’s beautiful in a way, knowing that pieces of you exist across the world. However, I wasn’t used to that with people I would see again, people who would remain part of my life–people I work with.
So, this was different.
These people did that in a way I had never felt before. Solo travel will forever have a place in my heart, but this trip gave me a newfound appreciation for traveling with others—for going somewhere with people who already know your name. There’s a unique magic in trusting and being trusted so easily, so openly. At some point in each of our 80 lives, there is a page or a chapter dedicated to this company and this job. That shared connection changed the way the trip felt.
Shared Moments That Change Us
I stayed up until seven in the morning on that beach, and I hadn’t felt a peace like that in a very long time. At first, I listened to the world and the waves. Then, I listened to a chapter of someone’s life I hadn’t read before–and they listened to mine.
You never truly know someone’s story. You can never judge a person by the chapter you walked in on. Some stories broke my heart, some shocked me, and some filled me with pride for these people–my people. I wanted to hold them all. I wanted to cry and scream for them, to be a space for them to share if they wanted to. Some did, and I will never be able to express my gratitude for those who opened their hearts to me—or even just peeled back a layer. And some did the same for me.
If you were one of the people I spoke to, thank you. Thank you for trusting me and for being you. You are so incredibly strong, and you inspire me. Thank you for holding space for me, too. Thank you for reminding me that I’m not alone, that I’m strong too, and that I should be proud of how far I have come. I can’t put into words what that means to me.
In that hotel room, two of us bonded over a shared experience, and now I will forever have a best friend in that way. On that balcony, you reminded me that I had people behind me, too. By the pool, two of us broke down a wall we had spent a long time building. In the car, you saw me in a way I don’t think anyone ever has. On the bus, someone I look up to became my friend. Throughout walks, we laughed, talked, and shared pieces of the puzzle that make us who we are.
The Beauty of Connection
Many of those people unknowingly touched my heart. They helped heal the little girl in me–the one they never even knew was hurt. They weren’t there for those chapters, but they changed the ending of this one.
So, with this, I’ll say: be open-minded. Don’t let your past or a person stop you from experiencing something new. And even if you’re like me, find the characters that will be in the next chapter too–the ones who will be there at the end of your story, not just on one page.
Live in the moment. Let yourself feel life fully, and experience everything you can to a degree you didn’t even know was possible. Dream big, and live even larger.
Even if you’re scared to turn the page, do it with me. Together, let’s start the next chapter.
