The Three Musketeers

Inside the passenger lounge of a bus terminal on the North of Mexico City, something felt not quite right and in between trying to decipher the inaudible announcements blaring out over the loudspeaker, I tried to figure out what that something was. I wasn't hungry or thirsty, I certainly wasn't tired and I didn't need the toilet. So what was it? As I gazed around the room trying to identify whether or not anybody looked suspicious, it hit me. Everybody was with somebody. And I... I was on my own.

For the first time in 5 weeks I was alone. Like totally on my own. I had nobody beside me, nobody to talk to, nobody to annoy, nobody with whom to enjoy the experience or to share the burden. 

Nope. It was just me, myself and I... The three musketeers. 


The last time I was so consciously aware of being on my own was now five and a half years ago. To be precise, it was the 26th March 2012, the first day of my first trip and the first time in my life I set foot in a foreign country. Whilst it may have been more than 5 years ago, I remember those first few hours in Canada like it happened just yesterday afternoon. 

After a turbulent landing, I made my way to the home of my host for that first night where I promptly realised I still had a couple of hours to kill before he would arrive back home from work. 

Decidedly hungry, I wondered the neighbourhood until I found myself a restaurant.

Until that point, I had never set foot in a restaurant on my own and doing so felt unbelievably foreign. As I sat there waiting for my food I didn't know what to do, where to look, or what even to think. And whilst I wouldn't say in that moment I felt lonely, I was very aware of being alone and this was something I was really not accustom to.
My first 24 hours outside of the UK and the most foreign feeling I have is eating alone
But I got used to it.

When travelling solo you inevitably get to spend a lot of time in your own company and unless you figure out how to enjoy this time, travelling solo I fear would not be that fun at all.

Whilst there are times in the past I would have sooner surrounded myself with absolute arseholes before I would spend time on my own, I'm pleased to say that nowadays the opposite is true and actually I really quite enjoy spending time on my own. Besides the practical benefits when travelling solo, this subtle change has gifted me a real sense of freedom and liberation in that I'd now much rather spend time on my own than in the company of people who aren't actively bringing something to the table.
At the risk of sounding a little arrogant... I guess I've learned to become selfish with my own company *high-fives himself* 
Back to Mexico then, I board the bus, head upstairs and choose a single window seat where I promptly take off my shoes and make myself comfortable. 

Whilst this particular ride will only take some 4-5 hours, its an important milestone in that it marks the end of the 1st leg of my trip. But as one leg ends, another begins and this 2nd leg promises to be very different to that which it follows as for the first time I am travelling to destinations I've never before been and of course, I'm doing so alone. 


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