Solo Travel: Austin, Texas

Solo travel: Austin, Texas.

In the New Year I swore to myself that I would travel more even it meant I had to do it solo. Well, a couple weeks went by and I was ready for my first getaway–Austin, Texas.

 

 

Frankly, I didn’t choose Austin, Austin chose me. I had six consecutive days off from work coming up and wanted a change of scenery. While browsing my computer, Frontier Airlines flashed across the screen with a hella cheap ($90) roundtrip flight promotion from Orlando to Austin. I went to their site, compared their dates to my schedule, and booked my flight all within a day’s time. I’ve never done this by the way. The catch (to keeping it $90) was that I could only pack a personal item and I let the airline choose my seat instead of paying for a preferred seat.

Days following, I began researching where I was going to stay. Initially, I wanted to stay in a hotel for safety reasons and somewhere that was within walking distance to majority of the places I wanted to visit. But the way my bank account is set up, AirBnB was the most logical choice. Airbnb has this “newish” feature to book “Boutique” style spaces that offer more of a hotel vibe. I read A LOT of the reviews, asked the host several questions, and committed to a centralized location near several shops and cafes.

 

One day before I was set to leave Orlando, my anxiety got the best of me and I decided to rent a car. Something about relying solely on public transportation/ride share/my sense of direction got me dreading the solo experience rather than being excited for it. Best decision I could’ve made. Having a car to get around was extremely helpful…especially since it was cold and rainy 98% of the time. Fortunately, Austin is a car friendly city.

 

 

For some reason, I get a thrill out of being able to pack 3-5 days worth of stuff in a personal item. I like to think that I’m a minimalist and enjoy packing strategically and intentionally. I did just that. My Day 1 outfit was also my airport outfit which included my bulkiest items: oversized scarf, leather jacket, platform leather sneakers, and a wide brimmed wool hat. Day 2 and Day 3 outfits, 1 set of PJs, and undergarments all fit into one of my packing cubes. Next, I added my toiletry bag, book and journal, gorilla tripod, Sony A6000 camera, snacks, and case for electronic accessories. The key is to make everything as flat in the bag as possible. Boom. Done. I was all set for my 4AM alarm the next morning.

 

 

I had an uneventful early morning straight flight there, picked up my rental car, and made my way into town. I had a list of restaurants and addresses to the street art I wanted to see in person. My only goals for this trip were to actually follow through with the trip, learn how to use my damn camera, learn how to take decent photos, and engage with complete strangers. I did all of that. Some of it was frustrating as hell (turns out I don’t actually know how to use my camera or understand lighting) and put a damper on my overall outlook and mood. The low moments took away from my being able to enjoy the present moment. But, it’s all a learning experience which I can build upon for the next solo trip.

 

Happy traveling friends! You can refer back to my previous post to help hold me accountable this year.

 

P.S.-I did eat. I ate at the infamous Texas chain, Torchy’s. Damn Good.