Shonna pointed out to me that my social media posts made it sound like I haven’t been having a good time on my trip. While I may have made it seem that way, that absolutely wasn’t my intention nor is it true. But her bringing this to my attention made me think more about what I have been posting and how it may have come across.

Not all parts of traveling are rainbows and butterflies and sunshine. In fact, there’s some downright shitty parts of traveling. Literally. I even experienced shitting my pants on this trip. I never thought I’d share that with the general public, but there it is. It wasn’t pretty or fun, but it happened and I survived.

I may not have posted about me soiling myself in the Singapore airport, but I did complain about the heat and bug bites and probably a number of other things. I think traveling can sometimes be glorified as something exotic and magical because people ignore mentioning some of the everyday and rather unpleasant things that occur when you go to another foreign place. Or maybe because people mostly just don’t want to hear it. But it is real and it does happen.

On our last night together in Myanmar, Taylor and I watched the Anthony Boudain “Parts Unknown” episode about Yangon that was fascinating but also bothered me because he made everything look so easy. Things aren’t so simple when you’re exploring the unknown and not everything you eat is going to be amazing! the best ever! life changing! Some shit may make you sick. Or you may be uncomfortably packed into a crowded bus. Or you could get lost or have to spend 15 hours in transit. These things aren’t all so bad, but they’re all parts of what makes travel worth it but exhausting.

Posting about our travels is just one more way we like to glorify our own lives, but I want to try to always keep it real. I did have a wonderful trip, but I also did have some miserable moments as well. That’s just part of life though, right? What’s the ups without the downs?

Signing off from the Taiwan airport now – one more flight (of 3) left to go then I’m home sweet San Francisco!