take a solo trip (the #DanasAmazingRace blog)

A few months ago, I went on an Amazing Race binge via Netflix. After a few seasons, it got pretty repetitive, but its impression had already been made on my Play-Doh mind. I was simply enamored with the diversity of places the contestants traveled to, and the rate at which they zoomed from place to place. They literally would be in Thailand on a Tuesday and South Africa on a Wednesday. Well, my passport is currently expired, and international airfare can be a real bitch on the credit card, so I decided to plan my own, smaller-scale [just-as-]Amazing Race. And the only thing I'd actually be racing is my time off from work (10 puny but awesome days).

The map of my journey, more or less (though I don't think I actually flew over Canada or Mexico).

My trip kicked off in Atlanta, where I stayed with my friend Drew. The Megabus from DC to Atlanta is only $25, so I decided to give it a shot (against Drew's warnings). I'd traveled to Knoxville on the Megabus before, and I didn't think it would be so bad. It was actually one of the hardest trips I've made in my life. We departed at 9 A.M. and arrived close to 11 P.M. It was not comfortable at all. When I got to the bus station in the A, it reminded me of D.C. a lot in terms of atmosphere and clientele ("How you doing miss?" as soon as I stepped off the bus). Drew's apartment was nice, and it was upsetting (I guess) to hear about the rent prices down there (you know, with D.C. being one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S.).

Drew and I in a cute semi-outdoor restaurant in Atlanta.

The day I arrived was a Sunday, and nothing (not even Magic City, which I didn't get to visit) was open past midnight that day. Atlanta is a weird place. I kept forgetting I was in the South. Everyone I met was super duper nice, and I got my meals and drinks paid for (in a friendly way, of course) several times. The hospitality was popping. My time in Atlanta was pretty chill—the only major place in the city I visited was Piedmont Park, which is sprawling horizons of green against the contrast of the city skyline. It was gorgeous, and it's where I saw my first hummingbird.

I left Atlanta on Tuesday morning and flew to Los Angeles. I've been to L.A. twice before so I wasn't necessarily in awe. But don't get me wrong, southern California is beautiful and one of my absolute favorite places to travel to. I love the palm trees and bad attitudes. This was the first time I visited LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) and saw all the things my Instagram community posts when they go to Cali.

Me in front of Instagrammy stuff at LACMA.

I also visited the Griffith Observatory for the first time, which is simply awesome. The views there can't be beat. The next day, we drove about 45 minutes to Manhattan Beach, which my friend Maya suggested. She was so spot-on when she said that this is the best beach in SoCal. It's clean, fancy, and fun (the trifecta of a wholesome beach experience). Usually, I don't submerge myself into the ocean—but I guess that's because the Pacific Ocean totally shits on the Atlantic, which I'm far more used to visiting. The water was actually blue, and I wasn't worried about condoms and jellyfish crawling up my anus.

On Wednesday night, I went to the restaurant with the most stars and dollar signs Yelp could give a place, which turned out to be Ink on Melrose Avenue. I would have taken pictures of the food if it didn't make me look like a broke bitch on a cheap vacation. Each plate was absolutely spectacular (in presentation and in taste). My friend and I had oysters, smoked trout, wild salmon circles, squid with ink shell pasta, and fried chicken oatmeal (with some cute lavender flowers as garnish, what the hell?). According to my friend, it was the most interesting meal he's ever had, and I might have to agree.

Me on one of the hiking trails at Griffith Observatory Park.

The super stupid view from Griffith in Los Angeles. 

My friend Maya and I at Manhattan Beach (before we got all the way in).

On Thursday afternoon/evening I flew to Seattle. This was definitely my favorite place overall. Seattle is fucking quirky and eclectic, though I hear all the areas in Washington outside of it are not. The scenery was amazing, everything from Mt. Rainier to the many lakes to random sunflowers and cherry tomatoes growing along the sidewalks. My friend even had the most delicious wild blackberries growing all throughout her backyard. The most important part, obviously, is that weed is legal in Washington. Well, it's kind of hard to explain, because it's not like anyone can just stroll up into a dispensary and purchase weed. But, if you do have weed, feel free to smoke it in a park or walking down the street or in your house or whatever. I saw a couple asleep in a park next to the world's tallest bong. I also saw some homeless guy shooting up, but that's neither here nor there.

In Seattle, I visited a couple of beaches and parks, some great art museums (Frye and SAM), and a brilliant little place called Taco Time. Yum. This was the one part of my trip where I rented a car, and it certainly came in handy, but in Seattle, I feel like you can walk in a very small square distance and still have plenty to do and see. 

Just one example of pure Seattle gorgeousness.

An "abandoned" soda machine that is somehow always stocked, and you can only press the "Mystery" button. I got a Black Cherry Fresca.

I left Seattle on Saturday night, and flew a redeye (did I use that right?) to JFK Airport in grand old New York City. NYC is another one of those places I've been to a couple of times before, but I'm far from being a "New York person." As I remembered, it carried a strong odor of urine pretty much everywhere throughout the city, but there are plenty of aspects of NYC that make up for that. For starters, look at the train system. You can get anywhere on the train, and if you can't, you shouldn't be going there. Also, NYC is the definition of diversity. Seattle and L.A. are both diverse places, but to a much lower degree. Walking on the streets in NYC can feel like a zombie apocalypse. It's really bizarre if you really just stop to take it in (like I obviously did). 

NYC was like Atlanta in that I mostly just chilled. I hung out with friends, smoked, grabbed drinks at some dirty hipster bar in Williamsburg, got some Grimaldi's pizza (best ever), and read a book in a park. Nothing scarily exciting, but it was nice to be absolutely unnoticeable. There are way too many people in New York to ever get noticed unless you're trying to be. And I'm not. 

View from Brooklyn Bridge Park.

So, I took the bus home, and had to work the very next day. Absolutely no time to revel in my travels. But it's okay, because although the trip was only 10 days long, it felt much longer. I enjoyed being by myself in cities full of strangers, while still having friends and loved ones within my reach. I realized the importance of traveling alone, and traveling frequently. Travel isn't the same when you are compromising your itinerary to find a balance between your interests and another person's. We may not be able to do it all the time, but I know that whenever I have the opportunity, I'll explore another place for a day or two. It helps me grow in the most human way possible.

For the visual learners, here's a chart: 

And finally, here are a few tips for planning a solo trip!

1. As much as possible, try to venture somewhere where you know at least one person. I knew someone in each city I visited, which helped to save on hotel costs, and also provided an optional tour guide for each place. Being with someone who knows the area is obviously an advantage. If you don't know anyone, air bnb is always a great resource.

2. Don't look like you're lost. I know you have to look around a lot when you don't know where you are, but a look of panic on your face can't be a great thing. I found that there are people willing to help you out with directions no matter where you go, but I think it's still semi-important (if only for your pride's sake) to appear competent and traveled.

3. Minimize baggage. I brought just one duffel bag and a small Jansport bookbag with me on my trip. I repeated clothes frequently. And if I could do it again, I may have avoided bringing my laptop. You never know when you'll have to walk or travel long distances with your stuff, especially if it's in a place you're totally unfamiliar with. Less baggage, easier travel. Stick with the necessities instead of worrying about having enough deodorant or a pair of shoes for every outfit.

4. Always carry a book, your phone, headphones, a charger, and if possible, a Mophie too (for iPhone users). I'm not a real hippie, I depend on my phone too much. Maps is a lifesaver. And you don't want to worry about a dying phone when you're trying to meet up with someone or get somewhere on time. And for idle times like at the airport gate or waiting for your friend to get off work and take you to the bar, nothing beats a good book (I was reading Catcher In The Rye during this trip).

5. Fly JetBlue if you can! It's just really nice.

Happy travels!