I can't help my enthusiasm. In a few days I depart for South Africa and Namibia. When I tell people where I'm off to and what I'm doing, I'm often asked, "Aren't you afraid to travel alone?" Alone: solo, without significant other or travel companion.

Afraid? No.

Do I feel a bit out of my element at times? Yea. But, that's a good thing. And, I am cautious and aware as warranted.

Unless you are solo hiking in remote areas, you're never really alone when you're traveling. I often meet a group for a tour somewhere and, if not, there are people everywhere. I'm an introvert, but I still meet wonderful and interesting people (like some of you reading this!).

I can't imagine not having had the experience of:

• Crossing a landslide on foot and being stuck in a Land Rover in the middle of a river in Tibet
• That time at a hoop retreat in Bali that I ended up at a house party where Ganga Giri was playing in the living room
• Food: the wonders of the best steak ever in Tokyo and the horrors of yak butter tea and that weird dried cheese in Bhutan
• Drink: seriously good wines all over the world and <hint> don't try to keep up with a Mongolian drinking vodka
• Sunrise at Angkor Wat
• Sunset in the Serengeti
• Giving myself a black eye at the Dead Sea
• Wildlife - lions and tigers and bears and birds and, and, and!!!
• Land, sea and sky
• The list is endless...

I promise - the more you travel, the easier it gets and less foreign it seems. And, if we haven't yet, I look forward to crossing paths with you some day.

I likely won't be posting on this blog much for the next few weeks, but I hope to be able to make quick posts on Facebook or Twitter.

Africa bound,

Kirsten