A mini San Diego getaway

“Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” – Cesare Pavese

This past two weeks have been absolutely bonkers, with reaching the Final Fours with my quidditch team at the Quidditch World Cup (out of 80 teams), to spending time with my family all around Southern California.

Despite the lack of free time to do too much aside from research and writing for school, it’s been a blast exploring Southern California with my parents. We spent a few days in San Diego this week, stopping by to visit Newport Beach and Laguna beach before coming home. They were all absolutely stunning, resort like, relaxing areas.

It was nice to be one with nature for those brief moments by the ocean. To hear the waves crash into the rocks, to witness seals snuggling up to one another, and birds flying in synchronization- is not something I have time to listen to on a daily basis.

With that said, there was still something missing. I miss the discomfort, the uncertainty, and being constantly off balance- the feeling I get when I travel alone – or to a distant place where I have to force myself to be uncomfortable.

There are different types of traveling, and 5 different typology of tourists according to Eric Cohen, a researcher who categorized through research different types of tourist. I am in the process of learning more about it, but from the journals I briefly read about these typologies- I have been more aware of the people around me and what type of tourists they are.

Depending on their initial expectations and goals, affect the satisfaction outcome of the trip. It also affects how one may be more or less inclined to be flexible. As I dream about my future trips, I am aware of this correlation and want to make sure I have the right mindset before jetsetting.

The next trip that will really put me out of my comfort zone will be in August. I’ll be heading to Costa Rica with my graduate program for a 4 week study abroad program. Being my first time in Central America, I’m absolutely ecstatic to learn the language, the culture, and to explore.