Changing things up - Solo travel

New Year's Day

I write a hundred yards from the stormy Indian ocean, in southern Bali. It is peaceful, despite the powerful storm that just blew through and deluged inches of water.

Muriel is stirring up to greet the day thousands of miles away, in southern Thailand. She will spend the day climbing on those stunning limestone cliffs in Krabi Province.

1st day of international travel

This new, temporary reality is one that was the product of different preferences for our last month of travel in Asia. We have now been apart for more than two weeks, splitting up on New Years Day in Malaysia, where Mu returned north and I headed south towards KL and Indo. We reconnect in Singapore on the 19th before our flight back home.

Our separation was a sad moment, made all the more poignant for the degree of closeness that we have cultivated from this grand adventure. A closeness of the physical proximity and also that of knowing each other better than ever mentally and emotionally. But, we both were excited about what was in front of us too. Mu wanted to push herself fully in climbing and I wanted to explore a part of the world that I had anticipated for years. These 18 days are the longest that we have ever been apart.

331st international day of travel

 

The distance feels both close and far, I don't have a cell phone (it got stolen last month in Thailand, boo) so we have not spoken since we split up. That is kind of weird. But, we have exchanged emails and messages often and that works pretty well. Also, with the ubiquitous low cost air carriers we knew that if things went wrong it was easy to get a cheap flight and meet up. A safety valve of sorts.

One realization of traveling solo after being together with my life partner almost constantly for almost 18 months is the degree to which comparative advantage take place in a marriage an/or travel pair. Comparative advantage is the economic theory that drives our global trade regime. Comparative advantage basically calls for the specialization of economic units at the production of things that they have an advantage relative to their trading partner. This is a relative relationship, not absolute, and is usually the dual result of endowed attributes and productivity investments. For instance, the US generally has a comparative advantage in technology innovation, while China has one in manufacturing. Hence the trade flows that define our consumer existence.

The theory certainly applies our travels. and being solo means I have to step out of my specializations and do it all. Mu is amazing at extending herself to find out info, she will talk to anyone too. Then, I have an innate sense of direction, and can usually get us to where we are going based on my intution. So, this means Mu is usually sussing out a confusing situation from locals and I am the one to get us back 'home' in the middle of the night in a dark scary place. Now, Mu and I have to attend to both independently. This decreases our efficiency, but stretches ourselves - which is undeniably a good thing.

One last benefit from this time apart has been the space to do some thinking about life, this adventure, and what is next. When traveling as a pair, we tend to use our time so fully in recreation, culture, eating that there is not tons of time for reflection. Well, nothing is better for reflection than being alone. There is no conversation to fall into, even if you would be well served to do some thinking at that moment. In this respect, it has been fortunate that our solo travel has come at the end of our trip, allowing us to decant our memories and learnings in quiet, and undirected, self reflecion.

Overall, I think these last few weeks has been an enjoyable experience for both of us. We have gotten most of what we wanted out of our time apart in terms of climbing goals or places visited. All of which will it make all the sweeter when we reconnect in Singapore and go back to living our dream together.

 

 

 

 

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