Try something you’re uncomfortable with.

I just got off my first cruise.

Cruises never appealed to me. I don’t like the idea of being confined to a boat when somebody else has designed the schedule. Most of my trips are solo travel and I love being able to make all my own choices. Being herded around from one stop to the next sounds horrible to me.

Still, I couldn’t pass up a chance to ride the Delfín III. Delfín Amazon Cruises in Peru are on the Amazon River and its tributaries, which means they’re all in the rainforest. As much as I love the idea of the rainforest, and all the biodiversity it harbors, I hate the hot weather.

I was unsure about the heat and the boat, but I loved every minute of the Delfín Amazon Cruise.

Every time I step outside my comfort zone or try something I don’t think I’ll like, the experience is worth it. It’s not always as fabulous as the Delfín, but it’s always worth it one way or another.

For me, travel is about new experiences, even the ones we don’t think we’ll like.

The times I’ve been pleasantly surprised have far outweighed the times that my worst fears were realized. If you’re considering a trip that you’re not sure you’ll like, go for it. You’ll likely find enough things that you like about it to make it worth it. Even if you don’t, you’ll certainly have learned a lot more about yourself and how you prefer to travel.

I’m headed back into the rainforest tomorrow to stay at the Treehouse Lodge, so this week’s newsletter is short. I’m only in Iquitos one night between the cruise and lodge, but I will have all sorts of fun jungle stories for you soon!

Article

Rowing Alone to Antarctica

This BBC article I wrote about Antonio de la Rosa is an extreme version of stepping outside your comfort zone. Antonio attempted to row alone to Antarctica. He didn’t make it, but he survived a month in the most violent seas on the planet. Click on the link above to read about the trip you’re glad you didn’t go on.

Blog

 My First Iquitos Trip

I’m currently on my second trip to Iquitos and will have new blogs soon! In the meantime, here’s my previous blog about my trip in August, 2023. It was only marginally worth the heat wave I endured, but I still liked Iquitos enough to give it a second chance. So far, that second chance has been wonderful! I’m so excited to share my blogs and articles after I get home to Cusco next week.