Diary #2: Travel While You Can

Welcome to the second edition of my diary, where I take a short break from self-help articles and share personal events about my life. If you are only interested in self-help articles, feel free to skip this. If you want more information or to see the first diary, go here. Today’s topic: Travel.

Travel While You Can

I love traveling. It is an amazing thing that we can go from one part of the world to another, surpassing time zones and experiencing completely different ways of living; all while learning about different cultures and meeting new people. One of the hardest parts of the pandemic for me was not being able to travel anymore or take trips. The last time I have left the USA was January 2019 when I went to a resort in Punta Cana, right before I started my first “big boy” job. Maybe that’s part of the reason I and so many others decided to move in the past year.

Now that the world is slowly opening again, and things are going somewhat back to normal, I have been wanting to start traveling again. Of course, with the right safety precautions. I am also taking into consideration the fact that I live alone and am fully vaccinated. If not for these two huge factors, I am not sure I would travel yet.

I went to Austin, Texas this past weekend and had a blast. Austin has a nice mix of outdoor activities to do during the day and a solid nightlife. Their natural spring, Barton Springs, was a fun experience and a great way to relax in the water since there are no nearby beaches. Sixth street is a very cool experience for nightlife as they close off the street, and for good reason. There are so many people wandering the streets hopping from bar to bar. They have a bunch of fun clubs and bars to check out that are affordable. And of course, great BBQ.

One of the many questions I asked myself was will I like Austin or Houston more? Especially since before moving to Houston, I felt that ending up in Austin was a strong possibility. However, this is still a hard question for me to answer. They are both great in their own ways and pretty different. Austin has more outdoor activities than Houston, and it probably does have a better nightlife, but I really do enjoy the vibe of Houston and I think it is a great place to call home. I also think Houston has better food options. Just because somewhere is great to visit, doesn’t necessarily mean it is great to live. Sorry to disappoint, but I still don’t think I have a great answer to this question.

Today, I am leaving on a trip to Miami. I’ve never been before and am very excited as I have only heard amazing things. I can’t wait to hit up the beaches (can you tell that I am beach-deprived yet?).

After Miami, I plan on continuing to take advantage of WFH (work from home) and travel more. Chicago is another great destination that I have never been to but have heard great things about. Dallas, Seattle, and California are also on my list to see this year. And who knows, if the right COVID safety precautions are in place, maybe even an international trip.

I am single and have the freedom and flexibility to travel and see the world, so that is exactly what I plan on doing! I encourage everyone if they have the opportunity to travel, to please do so! Especially internationally. That is where you can really learn about different cultures and expand your mind and view of the world.

Where are your favorite places that you traveled to? (Mine are Prague, Barcelona, and Rome).

Where is the next place that you want to go to that you haven’t been to yet? Let me know in the comments or email me directly at eric@ericgolban.com!