Is it normal to miss people who were only a few weeks a part of your life? Since I’m back from Africa a lot of my friends talk about the “New Sven” – a changed person. Yesterday, I read in my new book – maybe the first one after years which is not 100% non-fiction book – about travelling alone. Why travelling alone and what this means. In a lot the author wrote I can find myself and after thinking a little bit about the whole thing it’s no rocket science ;). What we single travelers really try to find is simply ourselves – that’s nothing new but do you/we need loneness? The only thing I need is to be separated of my daily friends. As long as anybody remembers you to your normal life – it is much more complicated to do the next step. The big problem gain on you. after you did these steps, you have to go back “home”. Everybody recognize a change but nobody is able to understand it. There is nobody smiling if I look to the sunset and ask yourself where this Ausi with the gloves is now, nobody gives you a hug because you are swearing: “fucking …”, no tent-rules at all in your room, no totally crashed people sitting/sleeping next to you in the morning – opening one eye and give you a smile, no one trying to jump earlier than you into a pool, no dilemmas in the evening, no Americans you would cross the dessert for or even invest a 1min healing hug, no Ausi drinking you under the table with a simple smile, no 40min for a milk shake and angry people waiting for you in the truck but excuses you everything after a honest sorry (I was so proud Daniel), no one giving you a dressing-down if you are depressed and tried to escape from the group, no bunnies and shorts ;), no lost glasses and you give a shit, no 4:1 and you are still in Africa (our moment Ali), no little girls who make you losing your heart to her with the most beautiful smile ever, no airplanes with totally finished tires, no soooo much more moments… After so much intense situations I think it is totally normal to miss an environment which understands you 100%, which loves you because of all this and not in spite of your trip.
The big question for me is now – Would I do this again or give up parts of it but having people at home who can probably understand at least a part of your trip? The answer today for me: YES travelling alone, which ends up with a lot of new friends, is my way of traveling. Definitely, distance is a big problem for these friendships but my most intense friendship started also with some distance and will survive equal how many km or miles will be between us.
@my Africa family: Hope this memories bring a smile also on your faces – would love to get a picture from these – and I promise I will try to MAKE this picture someday myself. First step will be a hug from my potential daughter for swearing…
I saw this week the travel documentary “A Map for Saturday” after I got a tip in a forum. The movie reveals the world of solo long-term travelling. A guy from New York with a job as a sports journalist decided after 3 years in his job to quit and travel the world. During his trip he interviewed some people and documented the typical backpacker style. I can’t tell too much – but in my opinion a “must see movie” for all people how have wanderlust and love the backpacker style…
