Published: December 15th 2024, 9:27:09 pm
GUYS I didn't forget you! But I fell asleep so early yesterday because my night prior was awfully disturbed my some chickens shouting from the window into my bedroom RIP. + me and Daniel shared this small mattress meaning we had like no space and it was super hot. BUT I had even better sleep today!
Yesterday we had our only day in Port Moresby. I felt like in a time capsule.. we were AMAZED walking in the mall, seeing people dress more like we are used to (which now, after 2 weeks in PNG felt unusual) and NOT chewing beetle nut. I think one part of being a traveler means adapting really quickly. Your new norm quickly becomes your standard. It has to, otherwise it will be too exhausting for your system to always process and question why something is. Currently, anything that'd be considered normal civilisation back home feels almost a littleeee... weird. I am now used to cooking food over fire, washing clothes in river and taking bucket showers. PNG feels like we went back in time a little. And I am not saying this in a disrespectful way - not at all. Just its so different and less technological advanced, there willl be a massive difference to Singapore where I'm headed today for my first layover (I am exciiited I am meeting 2 of u guys from Instagram and can't wait hihihi). I AM ALSO EXCITED for some good food again omg. Indonesian food is at least full of spices and flavor, they had this one dish "Gado Gado" everywhere which was a peanut sauce, tempeh, some vegetables and other stuff. I could have eaten this for 20 days straight and not feel unsatisfied. Yesterday, all I managed to find in the whole mall was ... again ... rice and vegetables. Not complaining, but its BORING. Luckily I found a coconut and it suddenly lifted all my spirits (even tho it sounds like I am complaining dw, if I find for example a ripe mango idc what I eat that day, that mango will make me so happy I will be fine eating the rice again... just as much as I need to survive lol bc the flavour rlly isnt hitting haha). My parents are super sweet and usually when I come home they prepare many of my favorite foods / have them at home. These things I TRULY love: good dates, a vegan poke bowl, GOOD ! matcha powder, yeah pretty much that. These are like a delicatesse for me. They are always so sweet when I come back and its truly so heartwarming seeing my family again. THIS TIME, I will return on my dad's birthday and they have no idea ! All they know is sometime before christmas.... My sister also always is super excited to see me again (and what can I say... I COULD SCREAMMM bc me too :,), and if you couldn't have guessed my love language is Quality Time. A lot of the times for presents I will think mhh.. is there a thing the person actually wants or can I just somehow provide them with a memorable experience instead? I think experience usually go a longer way:) So I planned a pre christmas self care day for us. Self care, especially after exhausting trips etc, is just a big HUG to myself. It does wonders for my mental health and I want her to experience the same. So I booked us an amazing jaw massage (reliefs pressure and stress, improves sleep; as a chronic teeth grinder, I can use this...), and a facial and manicure. I have never been able to afford it before and especially not for the both of us but I have a little savings rn and I thought f*** it, this is why I work to have money (I work as a freelance photographer btw). I already know that we will have such a good time and feel so so good afterwards. This will be SUCH a treat! Besides, the topic christmas presents comes to my mind daily.. I wanna be intentional with what I give, as I am really not a fan of buying useless materialistic that will just trash our planet more. My brother will get a befree filtered waterbottle (he loves traveling and being outside too so this will be great for him), my other brother will get a victorinox smart walled (its a super cool gift, look it up!), and honestly for the rest I don't even exactly know yet. Gift giving is also a big love language of mine, so even though the gift seems simple, I thought about it for hours wether the person could like / use it or not. My parents asked me if I have any wishes and I said if anything, there is this one super good vitamin powder that you drink everyday that I want and a vegan protein powder from a holistic brand lol. I don't really need anything, except good stuff to invest in my health. I have my backpack and not really more space anyways, 90% at times in my life bahaha so I'm good. Traveling has taught me to detach from materialistic in a way I think regular life could never have. In a way, I feel like it taught me what LIFE is actually ABOUT. Its people, experiences, health, so much other factors but NOT things. I highly recommend anyone, traveling or not, tapping into the practice of detachment and really thinking about what materialistic mean to you and how high you put them on the importance rank in your life. Especially now prior to christmas, I urge everyone to be conscious about their purchases. :)
Besides, I wanna know - what is your top love language? To give and to receive? I find they can be different. To receive, I don't really care for gifts as an example. Quality time is still TOP TIER hehe.
Okay, I talked about food, now let me tell you about the second AMAZING thing you will feel stepping back into a zone of COMFORT after roughing it for a solid month: A HOT SHOWER AND SCRUBBING YOUR WHOLE BODY. O.m.g. That first night when i get home... guys... I am soft as a baby, full of lotion and craweling into my bed wearing the softest pyjamas ever... into my cozy and soft bed... where I don't see spiders and cockroaches and rats.. this feeling is unbeatable. I feel like a GIRL again when I do this LMAO. I can wash my curls and when I wake up the next morning I feel REVIVED. I get to put on some lipgloss again and just wear a cute dress around the house just because I can, THATS FREEDOM I MISSSS. I have been chill with clothes here in Papua New Guinea, and I can definitely tell I packed cute and colorful Leo style, and the reactions I get are usually wholesome, but sometimes you do have to dress down and cover more, safety wise. If I were to travel solo here... so much more. I always recomment people - depending on the destination and now if we assume they are just doing a regular first time backpacking trip lets say to maybe SEA - pack clothes you like!! When I first started traveling, I didn't pack enough clothes I felt ME in, which is okay bc that means idc if they break, but I realised eventually... I won't stop traveling so I DO want cute clothes with me on trips. It brings me a lot more joy than if they are just sitting at home in the closet. And for me to wear them... that's what MY clothes are actually for in the end. Of course, I won't bring my finest white gown (do i even own such thing lol??), but you get what I mean. Feeling like yourself through whatever way you express that is important. Partly, my jewellery does that for me! One could also argue why it is inconvenient to have it on when traveling but I literally couldn't care less, because my jewellery IS ME. :))
Anyways, it's like 7:30 AM right now, I woke up at 6:30 and started writing on here... at 11 am we grab breakfast with a local I met on Instagram ( love my community hehe) and then we will go to the airport for flights. I AM READY WHOOP WHOOP. I only properly came home twice this year (one time in June and now) after two multi-month travel stretches, and both times I felt ready. First time, I was in El Salvador, and rainy season just really wasn't it, and now I just need everything else that PNG offers me right now haha. I will talk to you once I reached Singapore tonight, Hugs xx