Solo Travel: The beginning: Tahoe Series (Part 1)

New beginnings require you to unfurl yourself

The decision

“It’s been a while,” I think to myself. “I have learned to rely on someone for even the most menial, daily tasks. What makes me think I can take this on?”

As I get on with my day, I feel the thoughts and the conversations with my friends flooding me. How do I turn this sea of despair surrounding me into a ground to stand on?

There is merit to what my friend suggested. I will need to learn to rely on my instincts going forward and a practice run may just be the way to find out. “Choose a location which is nearby so that if anything goes wrong, you can turn around.”

Circumstances change and life happens. It’s often easier to live through a crisis than lead on with everyday life. When the battle is fought what remains is the living. The chaos has died down and you have time. Your brain has nothing to focus on but your life, and it wanders off in unknown territories. To bring your thoughts back to reality to get grocery shopping, laundry, cooking, cleaning done is a skill I have not acquired yet. Or maybe I just need to relearn how to live with myself. By myself.

The thoughts linger. I have never traveled alone, not like this. It’s silly but I keep thinking how would I plan for things to do at these locations. Even better, how would I even go about selecting locations to travel? I am also reminded of the fact that I haven’t lived alone in a while. I may not know how to do this at all. I have never been an outdoorsy person but I hear nature can be healing, therapeutic. Water calms me down. I may like this after all. Who knows?

As these thoughts simmer down and I am able to think through how I want the next 6 months to go now that I am fully vaccinated, I start looking at pictures of Lake Tahoe. “Sitting by the beach, letting the waves wash away my worries might just be what the doctor ordered,” I think getting excited by the prospect. Logistics will need to be figured out starting with getting around.

The Plan

During the lockdown, I had let my driver’s license expire. Because I wasn’t going anywhere, I hadn’t renewed it thinking I will do it once things go back to ‘normal’. Nothing’s normal anymore. Getting to Lake Tahoe is one thing but how do I get around in Tahoe without a car. Some digging around and a few hours of research later, I realize I can apply for temporary license and thus begins the planning phase of my trip.

I book a rental car first and then begin looking at places to stay through Airbnb. I look for something close to a beach in a populated area with a kitchen and a washer/dryer. Even with my determination and enthusiasm to make this solo trip happen, I am still a girl traveling alone. Can’t be taking those kind of chances. I find something I like and complete the reservation. On to the next order of business — what to take on this trip with me.

I look at my stuff, now in suitcases and boxes, and start coordinating what I would like to take with me. Several hours later, I am done packing. Tomorrow I get the car and drive to Lake Tahoe.

I am really doing this.