Picture above: my room/where I spent most of the day.
When touting solo travel a main reason given regarding its superiority is the complete freedom to do whatever you want whenever you want. With no one else there to think of, you’re free to do exactly as you like. Today, I did just that. Jet lag set in a bit, and after a lazy morning of reading I met Margo for lunch. I had all these plans of what I would do. There is a lot to see in Kathmandu after all. I even found a yoga studio with evening classes I had intended on attending. But then, I didn’t. I was so tired an afternoon nap combined with more reading resulted in my entire evening. Now near eight pm, I’m ready for bed. Good thing too, since I head out at the awful hour of 5:45 am tomorrow to The Last Resort on the Tibetan border.

I actually thoroughly enjoyed being alone today, but not because I did what I wanted, unrestricted. I realized I have a rare gift. My usual travel partner is essentially an extension of myself, we agree so much on what to do (or not) that I’ve never felt pressured or disappointed by our time traveling together, instead I just get the joy of spending the experience with someone I love. But I did like being alone. As Margo and I went separate ways after lunch I felt more at ease, not that I was tense before, but now I was able to slow down, I took the long way home, looping through the square we had visited yesterday. And I realized, I could do this, I could sightsee on my own, and still enjoy it, in fact- I might even prefer it. I could linger at a cafe for hours, or do nothing at all. The possibilities are wide open in a way I have never felt. This freedom being initially startling is slowly turning into an easy joyful way to travel. And while I can’t wait for my trek group on Sunday or to meet up with Alex in May, I think I’ll do just fine when I am on my own.
For the next day and a half I will be entirely without Internet, I decided to spend my time at the adventure resort doing absolutely nothing adventurous, unless you count day hiking, sleeping in a tent, and generally relaxing as such. But I’m really excited to get out of the capital for a few days.