The End of 2020 and Everything it Stole from Us

2020 is almost over. That is a statement of relief to most of us, with a glimmer of hope at the end. Some lost great and profound things this year. For others, they survived just by the skin of their teeth. For me, it was luckily only frustrating and scary. However, but the fact that I got married this year (despite having cancelled my big wedding, but lets not go there) made this year have one very great reminder. This was year of reflection and introspection for me and my (and those close to my) generation. 

The year begin with talks of this new virus. Nobody paid much attention to it. After all, isn't there always something popping up in the news? Didn't Ebola happen like a few years ago and we survived just fine? Once March came around and borders started closing and "stay at home orders" started taking shape, the world froze. Most people I knew were frozen scared, nobody traveled, people were hoarding toilet paper (yeah-- remember that?). As months went on and summer approached, we got a glimpse of "hope," people started gathering at parks. Little outdoor kickbacks started popping up, even clubs started to reopen (with food options, and seated of course). But cities found loopholes to allowing people have fun again. I took advantage of it for things like outdoor dining. Heck, we all did. 

Then, things got worse again, and man, countries didn't skip a beat when deciding to close its borders to Americans. I was not surprised. Once businesses closed back up I noticed my friends taking advantage of things like camping, hiking, traveling to Mexico, Las Vegas, Palm Springs. They were trying to find a way to escape the suffocation of restrictions, more than the virus itself. The suffocation felt like a hand gripping tighter and tighter around our necks, so I couldn't blame them. I summoned the courage to schedule a trip to Solvang, CA (as you probably saw on my Instagram page). I cracked. I couldn't take being in isolation any longer. I had not taken a trip since I got engaged in October of 2018. Two years without traveling for someone who loves to do so, is like removing the blood from one's veins. I booked a trip in a place that was low with cases, that had lots of outdoor things to do, and seemed safe. My husband and I had a blast. We drank wine outdoors, we ate out, walked around, went to the park, it was lovely. 

Suddenly, and almost as if I was waiting for it to happen, I started hearing about friends returning from their travels sick with COVID-19. As if by a domino effect, I started hearing about how those "kick backs" caused 3 of my friends to get infected. And suddenly, everything froze again. It felt like everyone around me was getting sick and I regressed to fear and frustration. Its agonizing to follow so many travel pages social media pages and wonder "how are all of these people all over the world still traveling?" I just don't get it, or maybe I do get it, but I'm horrifyingly jealous.

I'm not sure what will come in the following year. But I fear that borders will remain closed to us for a long time. Next year I predict American travelers will resort to staying within the US for a while, or hop on over to Mexico, until the world is ready for us. I have had a pending trip to England and Peru that I have hopes I could embark on as soon as I can get inoculated. As cringy as it sounds, only time will tell. How have you been coping with being confined to your home? Or have you broken free and traveled anyway? 

2020 is over, but the end is not near.

Interview with a traveler: Sonya Castellanos

“Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes you; it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you. Hopefully, you leave something good behind.” – Anthony Bourdain

Traveling isn't always champagne and selfies at the airport. Sometimes it is stressful, sometimes it is hard, and sometimes you get disappointed. That is why it is good to know the good and the bad whenever you are going somewhere. I am very fortunate to have many friends who love to travel. The good thing about sharing your experiences with others is that you get to learn new things and be prepared. If you have never traveled or not traveled much it can be useful and help you prepare. I sat down with my dear friend Sonya, to share some of her many stories, tips and tricks of the many places she has been to. She is one of the people whose traveling makes me green with envy (but in a good way!). Let's dive in...

[a couple of glasses of red wine later]

Rx: Can you share a list of all the different countries you have traveled to, so I can get an idea of how much globe you have covered. 

SC: Surprisingly it hasn't been a lot. I started in my 20's and went back to the same countries: Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Panama, Thailand, United Kingdom, Aruba, St.Maarten, and a lot within the U.S. For me, traveling means going on an adventure. It means going somewhere I haven't been before. It required effort to get there like taking a plane or train. Unlike my past trips, my travels in the next couple of years will be within the U.S. I have hobbies that give me opportunities to travel like: scuba diving, hiking, etc. Right now, I want to go to places like Idaho and Utah. I like to camp also, but with a purpose. I need to be out in the dirt with a purpose, whether it be to go hiking, white water rafting, etc.

Rx: Give me a run down of your first travel experience, and tell me how that went. Tell me what you learned, and what lessons you took away from that.

SC: OK, so I am Mexican-American, and when I turned 15, my mom asked me if I wanted to have a "quinciañera" (Mexican celebration) or a vacation. We didn't have a lot, and so I wanted to travel. We went to Hawaii. That was my first big long trip. Went to 3 islands. I remember vividly because it was one of the biggest trips I had and I went with family. I have a big gap with my brother who is 6 years older. He was daring and loved to snorkel and boogie board. I went with him the first time I snorkeled. Ever since I was 15, I would see the divers, and say "I want to do that." This trip was an adventure I had not experienced before. We stayed in nice hotels and just doing fun stuff. I was exposed to a very different culture. I learned there was so much to see and experience. I was so young and I knew I wanted to continue to travel. 
I guess the travel bug bit me. It helped a lot that my moms best friend was a travel agent. So she began her travels way before that. She started seeing the world. It was difficult at the beginning for my brother and I to travel since she had to get consent from my dad. Otherwise, we probably would have traveled younger. We ended up taking 3 or 4 hawaii trips from the age of 15-17 because she didn't need consent as it was within the U.S. Otherwise, I would have probably gone more.  

Rx: Do you have a favorite place to go to in LA?

SC: I love going to Grand Park because I feel like it is the heart of L.A. I work for city of L.A and it is close to my office and home. They have music events called Sunday Sessions there and we dance barefoot. I love taking off my shoes and being a hippie. The park brought back house music. It is an open environment for all ages, nationalities, orientations, dogs, etc. It's very "picnic style." People don't know this, but if u go to city hall, it's open to public. They have something called the Tom Bradley Tower that gives you a 360 degree view of the city.

Rx: Harry F. wanted to know, "How do you pick your next destination?"

SC: There's usually a specific activity I want to do in that location when I pick. I want to hike in Machu Picchu and I have been training for a 8 months. I want to go to Argentina because I love malbec wine so I want to go to Mendoza for the wine, specifically. I also love my music. I go where  the music goes and have been to lots of music festivals like Playa Del Carmen and Costa Rica for BPM. 

Rx: Now, I think you travel a lot (in a good way!). In terms of financial aspect of traveling, can you share tips on how to afford to travel? This is a big question because I know many people who don't travel because they think they can't afford it. Personally for you, would you say it helps to have a good job, a flexible job, to save up, or is it OK to charge and pay later, or something else? I personally am not a fan of the charge and pay later. I get satisfaction from coming back from my trip debt-free.

SC: I think you need to have of good job. LA is expensive and you need to have your needs met first and foremost. I have been trying to promote up at work. I went to a seminar that asked: "why do you want to promote up?" I will take more and more work and promote up as long as they allow me to explore. I have 17 more years until I retire. However, I am also frugal with my money. I meal prep and  I take lunch to work. I would rather spend it fine dining on vacation. I also request my vacations about a year in advance and have to plan it out. It gives me time to save and make a budget. What's f****d up is, if u charge it, when you come back you have to pay for something that already happened and you can't even plan on the next trip. 

Rx: Traveling is wonderful and you learn a lot along the way, but have you had any negative experiences traveling? Any scary moments?  Has terrorism impacted your traveling?

SC: Yes, there's always a fear of the unknown. I feel excitement and fear together. I don't get excited until I'm on the plane. Right now a lot of people say "don't go to the Dominican Republic." But hey, if something happens to me, it is what is. I am doing what I love. 4 years ago, I went to Thailand and I was at a yoga retreat. A terrorist bomb went off and we thought it was an earthquake. I saw people fleeing and screaming. It's scary. In the next 2 years there were lots of deaths from similar incidents. Also, on a trip to the BPM music festival, there was a mass shooting at a nightclub. There were many lives lost. Nowhere is unsafe. The U.S is unsafe. You can go to the movies and get shot. And what am I going to do, stay home for a fear of getting shot? No, I won't stop traveling for fear. I am always cautious. I live in a bad part of LA. When the London terrorist attack was happening, I still went to London. Of course I will still be cautious and aware of my surroundings, but I won't stop living my life.

Rx: Would you say there are countries that are better to travel when you are single, in a relationship, or with a group of friends? 

SC: Bikrum Yoga Retreats is doing a retreat in Ibiza. I love yoga, but I don't want to go there and do yoga. I think you can do anything anywhere. I have done solo trips and dont think it matters as long as you are open to new experiences, meeting people and socializing. There are a lot of girls that won't even go dinner alone. I think maybe Paris and Florence would be more special with someone. I have some places saved up for that. Aside from that, I think you can go anywhere. 

Rx: Traveling alone, traveling with one person or traveling with a group of friends. How do you feel about that, what do you prefer? What are the pros and cons of each?

SC: It all depends on the activity. I love music festivals. I love going with a large group of people. I love getting and Airbnb and sharing a space with friends you don't normally get to spend time with.  I think I prefer an intimate group when you are exploring a new country and do a lot of sightseeing because it's hard to meet everyone's expectations. Going with one or two people is ideal. Time is money,  and you spend a lot of time planning so I am pretty selfish and picky with who I travel with. 

Rx: What about selecting the people to travel with, how does that matter and how does one know? The reason I ask is because when I first wanted to travel I realized that many people say they want to go somewhere and end up changing their mind or "flaking."

SC: I am very selective, time is precious. You want your friends to carry you on your trip (not literally). Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. What you don't bring to the table, I will complement. You don't want needy people that won't bring anything. For me, it's also people who I have fun with. No drama. There's always going to be people upset. You want a positive attitude to bring out the best of you. You learn this through time. You are spending time and money, but time is more valuable when you travel. 

Rx: Now in terms of extravagant traveling versus general traveling and backpacking what are your thoughts. Have you done it all, do you stick to something in particular? Does it depend where you go?

SC: I have done them both. I have experienced it all. I have done hostels with no hot water. I have traveled with my yoga friend and since she is a hotel connoisseur, we stayed in the finest hotels. In my 30s I am all about splurging. I am at a point where I value the experience. I want to splurge on the activities, and they cost money. Scuba diving is obviously one of them. I love Airbnb because you get value for your money. Although it depends on what the goal is for the trip.  If im sightseeing a lot, I will get a hostel. If I am chilling, I want to stay in a nicer place. I am a diverse traveler. I can camp in 120 degree heat, and to very nice yoga retreats in Thailand. 

Rx: When you are on vacation, do you ever drive in that country, prefer public transportation or use private chauffeurs? 

SC: First of all I don't drive. I Uber or walk. I do public transport. I prefer to gain experience. Be a traveler, not a tourist.

Rx: Can you share the trips you have lined up or plan on taking?

SC: I told myself I wasn't traveling soon, but I am going to South America and am finally going to Peru. I will be hiking Machu Picchu. Then I will be heading to Chile and finally Buenos Aires. I am also going to a music festival in New York City. Later, I am heading out to Costa Rica for BPM.  

Rx: Why do you like to travel? And what would you say to someone who doesn't travel to encourage them to do so? 

SC: I think when you step outside of your comfort zone, there is a sense of growth. I get fearful and anxious. But I try to convert that into excitement. I think it helps you grow as a person. It helps you overcome uncomfortableness of the new and unfamiliar. Then, you feel accomplished and empowered. I guess I would say we are here for a short amount of time. We are so small and there is just so much to see! 

Rx: Are there any final thoughts you would like to say or share regarding traveling in general or anything that we might not have talked about?

SC: I still have so much more to cover that my scuba hobby has taught me. When you go down under, it's like another world down there. I have seen and experienced life on the ground level in these countries, but now I want to explore underwater in places like: the Philippines, Galapagos, Honduras, and Australia. I think that the more I see and experience, I realize there is even more to see and experience.

I would love to thank Sonya for sharing her stories and her tips. Click here for her Instagram account. Hopefully you were able to take something away from this and it inspires you to take a trip. Life is too short and the world is too interesting to spend it at all in one place.

Who Am I?

I feel that it is appropriate to introduce myself in this journey of mine that I have no idea where it will lead me. Your guess is as good as mine, but I appreciate you coming along. I want this post to feel like a conversation (like a young kid listening to an old person tell the stories of their life).

I was born and (mostly) raised in Los Angeles, California, although a small portion of my life I grew up in Uriangato, Mexico (but I will leave that story and review for another time). When I say I grew up in Los Angeles, I mean my postal address actually had "Los Angeles." However, I have recently moved and am now that person who says "I live in Los Angeles," when in reality I live in a neighboring city. That happens often here. I grew up in the south Los Angeles, a place full of sandpaper-type "roughness" where us kids were just struggling to put our differences aside and simply get along-- and we did. LA is the place known for "NWA," Mexican food, wearing sunglasses at night, traffic, food trucks, "el paletero," Smiths-fans, and "Los Doyers."

I work in a non-profit preschool (not a teacher) close to the beach (aka my commute sucks). I work with low-income and at-risk families. I enjoy what I do. I love meeting people and hearing their struggles and stories. However, I always felt there was something more for me out there and hence why I decided to do this. As for my education, I have a degree in English and journalism that I received over a decade ago. I am pretty sure I forgot all of the basics that I paid good money to learn, but regardless the passion never dies. However, thanks to the soul-crushing economy at the time and massive demand for money, I wasn't able to develop that passion professionally as I deeply desired to. I did create two other blogs over the years that didn't really lead anywhere. One was a poetry blog (Rx Mental Crumbs) and the other was a music review blog (Rx Music Fusion). Poetry is a hobby for me and music is a delicate industry to dive into. Mad respect to my fiancé though, who has probably met every single worthwhile living music star in the whole damn universe.

As an adult I discovered my interest to see and experience the world in every aspect. Later in life I met my friends and fiancé that helped me develop that interest for traveling and wandering around the world. Pair that with my zest for enjoying life and this blog was born. I hope you enjoy it as much as I am enjoying creating it and planning it. The goal is not just to simply travel and write reviews to tell you the best places to eat, because (honestly) who do I think I am, Anthony Bourdain? No, most definitely not. Obviously, I am not a professional and simply a person trying to share my personal experiences or first impressions of the world that chose me to live in it. I won't only be talking about international travel, but also places to go to and things to do in my own backyard. I might also talk about other places in California. The world is big. There is a lot to talk about. I want to combine my background and passions to paint a picture for you and help you experience what I experience, through words. If only for a moment or an hour in your day, I want to bring you along with me to see the good, the bad, and the ugly that the world has to offer.

Madrid, Spain - August 2013