exploring sLOVEnia

Gorgeous weather and view in Bled, Slovenia

There is something incredible about traveling alone.  For the majority of my travels, I have been “alone”, which really just means opening yourself and your schedule up to the infinite possibilities of life on the road.  As much as I cherish my alone time during my travels, exploring cities at whichever pace I deem appropriate, and simply soaking up the local culture in whichever way it presents itself to me, there is something very special about traveling with a companion.

My mother told me that if you want to test a relationship, you should travel with someone.  Though it may shock her, I think she is absolutely correct.  I do not think there is a more comprehensive or honest evaluation of a relationship than to expose it to the infinite consequences, both positive and negative, that come with traveling with someone. 

Being weird at Vintgar Gorge in Bled, Slovenia

What do you enjoy seeing or doing in a city?  What do you like to eat?  How often do you eat?  What is your morning routine?  How do you respond when your normal routine is disrupted?  What can take you from zero to absolutely pissed in the blink of an eye?  What is your default attitude towards life? How do you interact with new people?  Do you like to approach people or wait for them to approach you? Do you get tired of one another?  Do you get tired of seeing each other in the same outfit every day?

The questions and emotions that traveling together reveals are endless. 

Everyone has their “things”, both good and bad, but it’s a matter of determining if those seemingly unimportant idiosyncrasies are cohesive or detrimental when combined.  Maybe together you strengthen and support one another, or maybe when fused these "things" form a nasty, lethal combination.  

Overlooking Ljubljana, Slovenia

 If you haven't already guessed from my pictures and this build up, I met and fell in love with someone.  His name is Alex and he is from the Netherlands.  He is funny, intelligent, handsome, driven, and we could talk for hours on end without realizing that even a moment had passed. 

We met in Sarajevo at a bus stop a few weeks ago when I was in the midst of a full blown damsel-in-distress moment.  Suffice to say, I never dreamt that I would find my knight in shining armor in a dark, dingy bus station in war-torn Bosnia, but I am very glad that I did.  

Up until two days ago we had been together for every minute since our fateful meeting.  Our Bosnian hostel owner, Unkas, was partially to blame.  And by partially, I mean fully.  He decided that separating us into different rooms was inappropriate because he thought we should be a couple even though we explained multiple times that we had just met. After filling us with complementary local rakia shots he sent us to a restaurant with directions that forced us to pass the "Lovers Fountain", which we obviously taste tested.  

That all being said, I think that Alex and I traveled seamlessly together.  The past two weeks of my life have been heaven, and it was not just because of the stunning scenery surrounding me.  I could write a small novel about how much happiness, love, passion and peace was suddenly introduced into my life, but I have exhausted those details in my personal journal while listening to Taylor Swift on repeat.  You don’t get much girlier than that, people. 

From falling in love in war-torn Sarajevo after drinking from the Lover’s Fountain (seriously, sip with caution!), spontaneously heading to Slovenia, exploring the gorgeous Balkan scenery, spending the night in a jail cell together, laughing endlessly, discussing life and traveling, learning regional history and exploring museums, being weird and simply disregarding the rest of the world, my time with Alex was perfect. 

Being weird, again.  This happened more often than not.

The only regret that existed was that we were headed in two very different directions.   

Alex had traveled from the south and was headed north; my plan was the exact opposite.  He had already visited the cities I wanted to explore, and vice versa.  Usually this is preferable with a fellow traveler because it makes for amazing suggestion exchanges, but it is definitely not the best plot line for a love story. 

Dragon Bridge in Ljubljana

In a lifestyle where you are constantly saying goodbye to cities, hostels, new friends and experiences it is an unexpected and emotional experience to have a painful farewell.  Until now, saying goodbye to Jennifer and Damian had been among the very rare, pain-filled moments of my year, and now Alex has (unfortunately for him) joined the ranks of my tearful goodbyes.

Hiking in Bled, Slovenia

Although we are both enjoying our solo travels again, the adjustment back to traveling alone especially after such a wonderful experience can take a day or two.  I don't think I need to tell you that I miss him and our joint travels terribly.

Now in Serbia, I have met a few great, and crazy, new friends in Belgrade and I was able to distract myself from my seemingly unending heartbreak with some salsa dancing and plum rakia shots last night, but am (not too secretly) hoping that my travel and life plans intersect with Alex's again soon.

Forever Young