Hi friends! Kayti here.
In honor of my birthday today (34!) and the most wonderful season of the year (end of summer, start of fall, and Virgo season), I wanted to share a bit about how Iāve learned to let go when sh*t hits the fan while travelingābecause it always seems to, doesnāt it?Ā
It can feel extra devastating when travel plans have to be canceled or rearranged, especially when weāve invested so much time and money into planning.
I remember my 30th birthday, for example. We had booked a cabin in the mountains (my favorite place to decompress), but then we had multiple wildfires break out in California. Almost every corner of the state was on fire, and all of the small mountain towns were under evacuation orders. Having to cancel the trip was a small sacrifice, considering people were literally losing their homes, and we were in the middle of a pandemic. Still, it was disappointing when our plans didnāt work out in the way weād hoped, especially when it was something weād been looking forward to for months or even years.Ā
This happened the following year, too.
My husband and I went to Mexico for our 10-year anniversary. I got sick the day before our flight with one of those awful summer head colds. We considered canceling, but I opted to down a bunch of DayQuil instead and I slept through the first two days of our vacation before I started feeling better. We had one day at the beach together and, by dinner that night, my husband was sick with the same head cold Iād had (because, of course). For the remainder of the trip, I sat by the pool while he napped in the hotel room.Ā
Travel is entirely a privilege and something we get to doā and of course, not everyone has the same luxury. That said, itās okay to feel disappointed or upset when the unexpected happens, because it does and it will.
Flights get canceled. Luggage gets lost. We get sick. We drive to the middle of Wales to go camping and someone forgets to pack the camp-stove lighter (š see photo below). Itās all part of it. While it may sound like a platitude, itās really helped me to remember that everything happens for a reason, and sometimes shit just doesnāt work out like weād hoped.Ā
And of course there are times when none of it makes senseālike when my phone got stolen in Vietnam, and I lost a bunch of travel photos. These things happen. And when they do, I try my best to breathe through it and see the big picture (not literally becauseā¦you know, my phone was missing).
Other times, I remind myself of all the times it has worked out, because those trips always outweigh the disastrous ones. I think about all the memories and people Iāve met because plans changed or didnāt go as expected. When all else fails, I find a bathroom stall and give myself permission to cry.Ā
Thereās always a silver lining, too (again with the platitudes, but hear me out). For my birthday, we ended up going to Utah last minute and it was one of the most amazing trips. We hiked the Narrows in Zion National Park and spent three days in natureāit was really wonderful. As for our anniversary trip, while most of our time was spent at the hotel, I got to catch up on books and decompress from what had been a really long year of work. We slept and swam and learned how to ādo nothingā which was what we both really needed.Ā
Letting go can be challenging, but Iāve found itās the best way to approach travel. When we let go of our expectations, we leave room for the unexpected to occur. Is it frustrating for plans to change? Sure.
But sometimes, itās worth it to be surprised, and even when it doesnāt work out, growth happens when we soften our grip. Travel has taught me that it can be a good thing when things donāt always work out. It might not feel like it at the moment, but a change of plans can teach us to be more adaptable and gracious with ourselves and others.Ā
Six months after my phone was stolen in Vietnam, I got a ping at three in the morning. I had a new phone by then, and the āFind My iPhoneā app sent an alert that my old iPhone had been connected to the internet. I could see the little dot of my old phone moving through a busy market in Vietnam. All I could do was laugh.
Itād be remiss of us not to include Kaytiās starter pack for travel in this edition, so without further adoā¦
Loop earplugs for reducing noise/stimulation on public transportation (a repeat suggestion, but I swear by them!)
My favorite packing cubes
The best solo travel playlist to make your Virgo heart swoon
The travel spreadsheet every Virgo should live byĀ (and adapt for themselves)
A Reddit thread on travel organization because Virgo š¤ Reddit š¤ organization
This has to be the coolest concept weāve seen in a long time. (h/t
for putting this on our radar)On the heels of last weekās book-themed edition, this roundup of gifts for book lovers. What does it say about us if we already have a number of these? š
An updated rec list of girlsā trip destinations. Having just done the Colorado Springs circuit, we can attest to that one!
TBT to this piece Henah wrote in 2022 on 99 travel hacksālet us know if these are helpful!
This post from Leslie Stephens (
) has us itching to go to Tokyo.
Happiest of birthdays to Kayti and all our fellow Virgosāand sending love to all. See ya next week!
āHenah & Kayti xx
Thank you for the shout-out!