Place: Leipzig Hbf
Going to: Prague (Praha), Czech Republic
Here I go. I'm off! Finally, to another country besides Germany. And let me tell you, I am really putting my foot out there-I even have to use a new currency! HA. I am trying to be as ridiculous as possible. 4 months and 1 day since I left my cozy little home in Los Angeles and I have been doing nothing but adventuring so to speak. The thing is though, that I am not like the "normal" adventurer from the United States. Of course I love to see some of the historical and tourist sites but to me traveling is about the people you meet and those small places that no one finds. Sure I can go to the Reichstag and take a beautiful picture, but staying in a communal home that is building a hostel sounds so much more interesting. After all, a picture is just a picture, but there is nothing like a good story. Like that time I went indoor rock-climbing in Berlin and then went to a mini rave at an airport that no longer was in use. Perhaps the reason why I am not so anxiety ridden about seeing as many places I can in this short 2 months left is because I know I will be back. I know that my life will always consist of being a traveler. Frankly, like Kerouac says, it is a drug.
A lesson to learn in life is that as much as we want something, we don't always need it right away. I have had this thought in my head about the difference between the two-want and need. There is a fine line between them but when you think you must have something or do something... it is most likely not right for you. When you push too hard you lose sight of the things that are presented in front of you and more likely to help you. An example of this during my trip was when I simply took my time leaving Berlin and headed to the train station for Leipzig. A place I decided to go to because a friend of a friend had a place for me. (To me the city was much more beautiful than Berlin.) Funny enough as I was getting off the train at the Hbf to catch the next I ran into a friend that I was working with in Northern Germany. Had I tried to change my plans or pushed to leave earlier...anything that was not natural I would not have had this spectacular run in. A run in that made me smile and realize that to be a traveler you must have some intentions, but nothing too set that you can't let life take you where you are supposed to go. So now as I head to Prague to couchsurf with a man from America I am open to see what comes my way. As with each new step there are always some frightening feelings, but nothing that can't be saved in today's vast world of technology. To live and to travel is to be present, and to be exactly who you are, because there is one thing you can count on-people are people.
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