🌍 My mom traveled solo abroad for the first time
Here are some powerful tips she me about traveling and life
Hey there, welcome back to Itchy Feet! I’m honored you’re here. This is a brand new post after a couple of weeks away. Let’s get to it!
Recently, my mom took one of the biggest adventures of her life:
She traveled solo to Colombia. 🇨🇴
This journey marked many milestones:
Her first-ever passport stamp.
Her first time leaving North America.
Her first solo trip overseas.
Her longest single day of traveling.
A woman who likes routines, this was a colossal change for her. She’s 72 and recently retired.
Why’d she fly to Colombia?
My mom leaped out of her comfort zone to attend Yesi’s and my wedding. We had our official ceremony in Neiva, Colombia a couple of weeks ago.
Despite having never been to Colombia, my mom didn’t want to miss our special day.
Long story short, not only did she make it safely, but she absolutely had a blast in Colombia.
I was amazed and inspired.
I expected to have quality time with my mom. Her presence with us also taught me a lot about traveling and life:
Airline “comfy” seats aren’t actually that comfy.
ABSOLUTELY ask for wheel chair at the airport if you have any walking issues. (It can be a game-changer)
Be aware of which terminal your connecting flight is in.
Maximize comfort wherever possible like wheeled luggage or a neck pillow.
Give yourself more time than you think you need between connecting flights: Plan for possible delays.
If going where English isn’t the primary language, knowing some basic phrases in the target language can go a long way. But don’t stress too much if you can’t speak the language, especially with technology like Google translate.
Don’t let the language barrier stop you from traveling.
It’s never too late to break your routine and travel. You are capable of more than you think.
If it’s your first trip overseas, it’s best to go where you know someone.
🚀 Travelish Quote of the Week
“Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
🤲 Did You Know?
The Guinness Book of World Records says the rural Croatian town of Hum is the smallest town on earth.
In recent years, there were only 17 inhabitants. You can also buy the world’s smallest commemorative coin in Croatia, called the “Hum” gold coin.
They’re denominated in kuna, which was the Croatian currency before the euro.
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🎏 Culture Corner
One famous Mexican dish called taco árabe “arabic taco” isn’t served with a tortilla. It has pita bread. I love Mexican food and took a deeper look.
According to Serious Eats, Puebla is the birthplace of tacos árabes which are shawarma-style spit-roasted pork tacos.
Eat Mexico says the Middle-Eastern influence in central Mexico is thanks to Lebanese immigrants who moved to Mexico City then Puebla in 1933.
A Lebanese family-owned restaurant, La Oriental, opened its doors to the public.
It served kebabs and shawarmas but with a twist: They used Mexican ingredients like lime juice and salsa.
It became very popular. A mutual love for pork between both cultures helped propel this Lebanese dish into the Mexican culinary mainstream.
Now tacos árabes are all over the world.
La Oriental is still open and serving tasty food to this day!
🌆 Fun Things to Do in Des Moines, Iowa
Let’s keep it local this week! I haven’t been to Des Moines, Iowa yet. If I ever go, then below would be my to-do list:
Visit the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park:
This 4.4-acre park features art sculptures by 22 world-renowned artists like Yahoo Kusama and Louise Bourgeois.
The State Law Library:
I’m a huge library nerd, and the State Law Library inside the Des Moines Capital Building is MASSIVE.
If you’re a fan of libraries, this is a can’t miss. It has a spiral staircase…just throwing that out there!
Try Steak de Burgo:
This is arguably the signature dish in Des Moines.
It consists of juicy beef tenderloin topped with a special cream sauce, garlic, and Italian herbs. It’s comfort food in its truest form.
Different restaurants, like Americana, offer their own iteration of Steak de Burgo.
Get festive:
The two biggest music festivals around Des Moines are the 80/55 Music Festival in July and Hinterfest Festival in August (located in nearby St. Charles).
There’s also the World Food Festival, Iowa State Fair, Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, and the popular Des Moines Arts Festival.
Enjoy local sports:
Despite not having a big-market professional sports team, De Moines still has a lot to offer fans.
You can enjoy Minor League Baseball (Iowa Cubs), the NBA G-League (Iowa Wolves), the American Hockey League (Iowa Wild) and professional indoor football (the Barnstormers).
Ok friends, let’s set up camp for a week! Have a great day. Thank you for reading Itchy Feet and supporting my writing.
Much love,
-Daniel
Instagram / X / YouTube / Travel Planning
P.S. Consider working with me to plan your next adventure.
I love planning trips and thoroughly do research every week, so let’s chat. Send me a message or learn more here.
So wonderful your mom was there to share this special day with you and your bride! Fantastic! Felicidades!
Congratulations for getting married!
And thank you for sharing info on Croatia and Hum :)