Traveling Solo Again

After five weeks traveling together, Phyllis and I parted yesterday in Salzburg, Austria. A quick pivot on the sidewalk and we were headed in different directions. Our time together turned out well. Five weeks with a companion and five weeks alone - two at the beginning in Italy and three at the end in Austria, Slovenia, and Croatia. I worked a whole day in a non-hostel to book the next leg of the trip and I am still dangling over water the last week.

I love the universe when it happens. At Munich Central Station, the right moment presented itself. Down the center food aisle of a shop-roundabout in a station with 100s, if not 1000s of people, there was Travis from Seattle who we met in Scotland. Within the previous 24 hours, I'd mentioned I would like to talk to him about a book he loaned. (on universe, science, big bang, dimensions beyond-beyond) And, there he was. Phyllis and I had a series of mishaps or delays earlier, yet it all came together at the right moment in time. He even has the brain-blip where one cannot recognize faces. I have only heard about this on TV within the last year. He compensates with voices and in my case, heighth. We watched the famous Glockenspiel with life size figures. Watching people with their cameras posed was the fun part. Laughing all the way.

These random moments drop in everyone's lives.

Life and its spontaneous offerings...

Hostels are the worst to the best. We had two in a row that were excellent, even rooms to ourselves. New, cleaned everyday, beds made, self-catering kitchens. Hostels are wonderful when traveling alone because it is the way to meet people. Because Salzburg was booked and I needed to extend two more nights, I had to go to an outlying town and a regular hotel. I have not met a soul!! Breakfast was isolating. Everyone was a couple. One language spoken - or they sounded the same and it wasn't English. Gud Morgen. I don't know how to spell it but that's what it sounds like in German and Austrian.

The last night at the Salzburg Hostel we were cooking in the tiny kitchen quarters. A German guy glared at us for taking up space until I invited him in to share the space. We made fast friends when I began talking about food. Our plate was in a mound of yellow, red, orange, green, white, brown and ALL VEGETABLES. We starve for vegies and salads when traveling, especially in bread, potato, and meat-laden Germany. His pan was full of processed and pressed beige meat. Our wok was in glorious technicolor. We laughed about the different kinds of food. He spoke little English - actually never said a word, but the food spoke and laughter came. He continued to make eye-contact. I like little progresses!

We are good to be on our own again. Loved the company and laughter, was grateful for it, but the time comes for other challenges. My timing does not work with friend Kathy from Yellowstone. Phyl and she will meet in two weeks time. I am off and running the same course but 10 days sooner. There is a challenge I fear and like as a solo traveler.

I heard English today from some women and interrupted their walk to talk! I hadn't spoken until four o'clock except Gud Morgen. They were three friends from California traveling three weeks, not in hostels and not using public transportation. It was a peppy-conversation and I was renewed.

Solo-stretching. Never thought it would be me. But it is. Life is what it is.

A I enter countries like Slovenia and Croatia, I will know the fear and excitement. But not like I felt the weeks before leaving for Rome. I have learned.