It’s been just over a week since I’ve ended my whirlwind trip through Central America, and I finally feel like I’ve had some time to breathe, readjust, and reflect on my journey.
There were ups and there were downs, and moments that were both beautiful and ugly. Through this trip, I gained independence, saw a new region of the world that was both scenic and stimulating, and met many truly incredible people.
More than anything, I honestly feel that I have learned so much from this experience; about the world, about solo travel (especially as a female), about myself, and about other people.
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on some of these lessons learned and truths uncovered. I decided that I wanted to create a list for myself to look back on, but also a list that could be shared with my readers and friends.
Some of these “lessons” are serious and meant to be thought-provoking, while others are silly and meant to make you laugh. A few probably won’t make sense to 99 percent of the people who read them. Some I personally experienced, and others I witnessed.
Either way, here are 90 true lessons I learned from my 90 days in Central America:
- You can live off of rice and beans for a LONG time.
- A smile is the easiest way to cross a language barrier.
- People are generally good.
- Sometimes, when traveling, the longer and less direct route is the most fun route.
- …On the other hand, sometimes it’s worth splurging for the direct bus.
- People will appreciate when you try to speak their language, even if you suck.
- Hiking (and other physical activity) is mostly mental.
- Never take hot water showers for granted.
- Wear bug spray and sunscreen, no matter how greasy and dirty they make you feel.
- Don’t scratch your bug bites.
- Breathing underwater is fun.
Photo via Underwater Vision - They look gross, but geckos are actually your friends and will eat the mosquitoes in your room.
- If you have food in your bag, ants WILL find it. Always.
- An injection or two in the butt will cure any illness.
- You can buy Easy Mac literally anywhere.
- Don’t pee in your wetsuit.
- “Free WiFi” is subjective.
- There’s a fine line between trusting people and letting your guard down.
- Only carry as much cash as you need each day; keep the rest locked up.
- Take more photos than you think you’ll need.
- Don’t get drunk before international border crossings.
- If a taxi fare sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
- Always travel with an eye mask and ear plugs for sleeping.
- Trust your own instincts.
- Make sure you actually know where the bus is going before you get on it.
- The world is much less scary than some people want you to believe.
- The saying “nothing good happens after 2am” isn’t always true.
- Sometimes, doing nothing is the best thing you can do.
- You don’t need to live a “traditional” lifestyle to feel happy and secure.
- Don’t believe everything you read on the internet.
- Travel will open your eyes to new ways of thinking and doing things….
- …but it will also make you appreciate your own culture even more.
- Not all bodies of water are suitable for swimming in.
- Never attempt to hike in flip flops.
- Nature is incredibly healing.
- Golf carts can handle a surprising level of off-roading.
- Travel doesn’t have to be expensive.
- Sharing snacks is the key to instant bonding.
- Monkeys are actually way scarier than sharks.
- Always carry toilet paper with you.
- Home honestly is where the heart is; if you’re truly happy, you can feel at-home anywhere.
- When possible, don’t book hostel rooms without seeing them in-person first.
- Traveling solo doesn’t mean being lonely.
- If you think you might have dengue fever, you probably shouldn’t go out to the bars.
- Moment are fleeting. Don’t take them for granted.
- Cheese does not taste the same everywhere.
- Beautiful sunsets never feel redundant.
- You can learn a lot about a person by the way they travel.
- Leather wallets are not waterproof.
- You don’t need a WiFi connection to be happy.
- Israelis are the best at salsa dancing, cooking, and rolling joints.
- Hatred of Donald Trump is universal.
- Travel light; your back will thank you.
- You really don’t need much money to be happy and comfortable.
- Women do have to travel differently than men. The world simply still isn’t equal in that regard.
- Adventures never turn out quite the way you expect they will….
- …so keep your travel plans flexible.
- The best way to practice a new language is by speaking with children. They won’t judge you.
- Sinus infections won’t cure themselves.
- You’re stronger than you think, and you can endure more than you expect.
- If you just pretend like you know what you’re doing, things will usually turn out okay.
- Fahrenheit actually makes no sense in comparison to Celsius.
- Always travel with an extra pair of sunglasses.
- You can find something in common with just about anyone in the world.
- The first step is always the hardest.
- Chicken buses are a perfectly adequate means of travel.
- Never try to out-drink an Aussie or a Brit.
- You can’t put a price on safety.
- Hammocks make incredibly comfortable beds.
- Time spent alone is good for the soul.
- You WILL lose, destroy or abandon multiple personal belongings while backpacking.
- Even the worst travel experiences will turn out to be a life lesson or a funny story one day.
- If something scares you, it might be a good idea to try it.
- Always travel with a pen.
- Never turn down the chance to learn a new skill.
- Hand signals and body language can communicate a whole lot.
- There are many correct ways of doing the exact same thing.
- Never burn bridges; the people you meet turn up again when you least expect it.
- Living simply is the best way to live.
- Travel is all about making choices. You can’t go everywhere, and you can’t see everything.
- Goodbyes can be incredibly difficult even if you’ve only known someone for a short period of time.
- People are usually willing to help if you’re willing to ask.
- The more you see of the world, the stronger your desire to travel will become.
- Never let your fears hold you back.
- Appreciate what you have, because you could have a lot less.
- It’s worth trying anything at least once.
- There’s no right or wrong way to travel–follow your heart and trust your decisions.
- It’s possible to eat $1 meals and sleep in $5 beds and be completely and utterly happy.
- The best part of traveling isn’t the sights you see, it’s the people you meet.
- Travel changes you permanently. You can return home, but never as the same person you were when you left.
Have you found any of these “lessons” to be true while traveling? What have you learned from travel?
A lot of these had me laughing – and I agree, monkeys are terrifying!
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Haha good, that was the goal with many of these!
Thanks for sharing! Saw this blogpost via Facebook! I traveled in Central America (Nicaragua and Honduras (Utila *-*) with a Friend three month ago and you are so right! We experienced nearly every lesson you’re writing about too 🙂
That’s so cool! Glad to know I’m not the only one who encountered a few of these 😀
I’ve loved reading about your trip! Great list–#46 really struck me funny for some reason! 🙂 Hope you’re loving Canada as much as I do. (My dad was born in Quebec so I’ve had lots of great Canada times in my life!)
Thanks Paige! Haha 46 was definitely a funny one…for some reason the cheese all over Central America was SO bad!! Canada has been great, totally loving it up here. We also got lucky with some snow today!!
Wow, I just returned from my South America trip and TOTALLY agree with so many of these. The sunglasses, comfortable hammocks, bug spray and sunscreen always, $1 meals, hiking, CELSIUS! Can’t wait to see what you’re up to next.
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Hahah glad to know I’m not the only one who loses sunglasses and gets eaten alive by bugs! I’ve loved reading about your South America adventures, can’t wait to see where this year takes you as well!
Great list! And yes, I can nod my head in agreement to many of them!
Wondering if you stayed in guest houses or hostels when you were in Nicaragua ?
I am planning a solo trip and trying to get some ideas.
I have travelled to Peru, Chile and Ecuador and Costa Rica before but did not stay in dorm rooms in hostels ( kinda past that now😀 – I suppose I am more of a flash packer. What was your 3 fav places in Nicaragua ?
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Hi Janet! I loved traveling solo in Nicaragua and had such a great experience with it. I stayed in hostels, but all of the ones I stayed in also had private rooms available, which could be an option for you. I know there are also quite reasonably priced guesthouses throughout Nicaragua as well. I’d say my top 3 favorites are Granada (cute, colonial, colorful), Isla de Ometepe (unique island on a lake with lots of amazing nature) and Matagalpa (a bit less popular with visitors, great hiking/nature and coffee plantations).
THIS –> “Make sure you actually know where the bus is going before you get on it.” I’ve done this way too many time in Sri Lanka 🙂 It makes for a good journey though….
Another one –> “The more you see of the world, the stronger your desire to travel will become.”
find that the more I travel, the more people I meet who tell me where I should go next. My travel bucketlist is forever growing 🙂
Keep it up, girl!
Hahah, it seems like common sense but it happens all too often!
Thanks Emily!!
“Beautiful sunsets never feel redundant”… perfectly said!! I just recently discovered your blog and I think it’s great so far! Also very excited to read about all the info you have on Latin America, as I’m planning a big trip 🙂 Great list and beautiful photographs, looking forward to reading more!
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That’s awesome, I adore Latin America! I’m sure you’ll have a blast!
Hi Kelly, I’m so glad I found your blog and these posts on traveling as a solo female traveler in Central America! I’m looking to do some extended solo travel myself in the same countries. I’ve been to Guatemala twice with family (my stepmom was born there and grew up there) and have been planning a third trip. At the same time, I’d like to explore the surrounding countries. I’ll have to look through more of your posts, but just wondering if you have any Spanish school recommendations? I don’t speak the language, and would really like to immerse myself in the culture while I’m there. Any recommendations would be much appreciated!
…to add on to my last comment…I’m interested in taking Spanish classes while spending some time in Lake Atitlan, but would also be interested in Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, etc!
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Hi Melinda! That’s awesome, I’m sure you’re going to have an amazing time. As far as places that I visited, I do think that Lake Atitlan is one of the best options for Spanish school, since you can easily travel to the other towns on the lake. I met lot of people who took Spanish classes in Antigua, Guatemala (extremely popular spot for Spanish schools) and Granada, Nicaragua (not as popular for some reason) and for me personally, these options aren’t as appealing since it’s not as easy to get out of town if you feel like it. Look into options on Isla de Ometepe in Nicaragua–it’s one of my favorite places in the region, and while I’m not sure if they have traditional Spanish schools (although they might!) they definitely have homestay options where you can immerse yourself in the local life and receive help with your Spanish.
I was really enjoying this post until you started getting political and talked about hatred for Donald trump , not cool at all , I think trump is the best for America and I found what you said very un cool . just my two cents . I love to travel , I’m
a good person and I like trump .
Sorry for any offense Peter, to each their own! I know that there are many Americans who support Trump, but among all of the travelers I met from the rest of the world (Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South America, Canada, etc.) I didn’t meet one person who was in favor of him. Just an objective observation! Happy travels.