A year ago today, I wrapped a backpack in many, many layers of cling wrap and got on a flight (the first of two) to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. I spent the first flight – all five hours of it – being an emotional wreckball. During my layover, I took a break from my crying to process the hustle, the bustle and the insane heat of Toumen International Airport in Panama City, mildly aware of the fact that I would be back soon, with memories to last me a lifetime. I got on the second flight, and the waterworks began again.

There were many reasons for my tears – some happy and some sad. It’s hard to leave when you’ve just returned back to homecooked food and hugs that feel like home. It’s hard, as a planner, to be on your way to strange lands without a plan.  It’s hard travelling solo for the first time. It’s harder when you know your Spanish is not nearly good enough to get you by. Its hard to accept fear as a valid emotion when you’ve been constantly thinking about this moment since you first conceived the idea of travelling during a quarter-life crisis a month ago. Its hard to feel scared when you know you have to be brave.

It would be harder, I forcefully told myself, to know that I had an opportunity as rare as this one and I didn’t take it.

I landed at 11 pm in Bolivia, followed by 45 minutes of scanning the conveyor belt for a massive bag wrapped in extensive amounts of plastic.

I was pretty adamant about going with the flow for the entirety of the trip, but fortunately for me, I had enough foresight to know that I would be sufficiently stressed without having to deal with finding accommodations at midnight in a strange city, and so I did make a room booking before I left Canada. This was the only reservation I made ahead of time.

I took the most trustworthy looking cab to my hotel and checked in. It was only after taking off my backpack that the anxiety began to subdue. It even vanished temporarily after I successful asked the reception for a pair of scissors – in Spanish!

I rested so well that night, with Mr. Cuddles by my side! Whatever tomorrow would bring, we would be ready for it.