First up: Cape Town (& big feelings)
Well this week has been an interesting one! It’s been a whirlwind of events including my combined bon voyage and (very early) birthday party, my last day at work, packing up my Brooklyn apartment and moving things to storage, frantically packing and repacking my bags, and to trying to soak up these last couple of days of being with family and friends.
As a result, this week’s been one of mixed emotions - feelings of anxiety, exhilaration, sadness, excitement, gratitude, and just plain being scared. Throughout the past month, and this week especially, I’ve been reminding myself that all of these feelings are normal and as my friends like to remind me, if I wasn’t feeling anxious or scared about a big trip like this, then that’s when there’d be something for them to worry about!
I’m a champion at not dealing with “big emotions” and instead focusing on surface anxieties that are seemingly easier to manage. Here are just some of the more superficial anxieties that have been running through Dino May’s mind (this is what I call the May who goes through analysis paralysis):
Did I pack too little? Did I pack too much?
Both of these questions meant unpacking and repacking and re-rolling my clothes in different shapes, taking out and putting in new items, and consulting my Excel spreadsheet multiple times while Ugly Betty played in the background.
I’ve finally acknowledged that despite all the back and forth, packing and repacking, I will be packing more clothes than I normally would for a regular backpacking trip. During the past several trips I’ve regretted not packing more casual/nice clothes on non-trekking days to feel more “human” (aka not looking like a “backpacker” 24/7). Also I completely forgot how much space a sleeping bag & co (sleeping pad, pillow, liner) take up!
Conclusion: It’s not like I can’t just buy something if I really need it or discard something if it’s weighing me down! There’s no perfect way to pack for a year-long trip to abroad, though I’ll be keeping you posted on whether or not some items discarded/donated in favor of a lighter pack. Current weight is ~27 lbs not including my daypack but does include two large bottles of special contact solution. I did however do a last minute addition of a Smartwool hiking socks because I got panicked after reading REI’s1-2-3-4-5-6 rule for packing light:.
Is my backpack too big?
This happened very recently (two days ago!) and led to frantic and panicked audio messages to my cousin (thank you for letting me rant out loud). Keep in mind that I had done extensive research on backpacks yet the last minute jitters came on strong!
I felt so uncertain that I conducted a last minute dash to REI to consult with a product specialist (shoutout to Kevin) who helped reconfirm that I purchased the right size backpack. I should’ve trusted the May of three months ago rather than the May whose anticipatory anxiety is manifesting right at this moment.
Conclusion: The Osprey Aura AG 65L seems to be the right backpack for me. I was looking for a backpack that would work for a multi-day thru hike, be reservoir compatible, contain a separate sleeping bag compartment, include a rain cover, and have a comfortable yet sturdy harness. The Aura AG consistently came up as one of the best backpacks. It’s also available in the 50L (the size I used to have) so Dino May was trying to decide if she should exchange for the 50L instead a mere three days before flying out of the country.
Fun note: I decided to donate my previous backpacking backpack after a beautiful 8 year long relationship together across 5 continents. I purchased it way back during my GLOBE days in Hong Kong from a random mountaineering store!
Will my checked-in backpack make it through to Cape Town?
The anxiety was heightened when I found out that there is a strike going on at the Heathrow terminal where I’m laying over - welp.
Conclusion: All I can do is trust in the universe - this is entirely out of my control.
And the list continues - “what if, what if, what if?”. A friend and I were laughing over this recently as this is very much an ex-consultant mentality of trying to optimize for every single possible scenario, which is obviously impossible and unhelpful. That’s the inner perfectionist coming out that needs to be tamed!
^ How it feels like it’s going. Photo from the Polar Plunge in Antartica
So what’s up besides big feelings?
First up is Cape Town!
I’ll be flying into Cape Town with a couple of layovers (looking for those budget deals now that I have no income 😅). Keeping your fingers crossed for me that all goes smoothly!
I have several days in Cape Town to adjust to and get comfortable with this next chapter, but I’m also really excited to just explore the city. South Africa has been on my destination bucket list for a while but I’ll only be visiting Cape Town, at least this time around. I’ve had absolutely nothing planned because I’ve been so focused on getting to this point and planning the higher level things such as health insurance (very important lol) and personal finances. But I’m proud of myself for at least researching how to get from the airport to my hostel (in case you’re wondering, best option is Uber or taxi - the airport shuttle got shut down because of lack of ROI).
So far I’ve gotten some great recommendations from friends - thank you Jimmy, Eric, and Hein! If you have any recs or just want to send some well wishes, please share them below.
Bon voyage! 🤞
Postcards from El Chaltén and El Calafate
I saw the most magical sunrise while hiking in El Chaltén
Postcards from my trip in Feb 2023.
Most of these photos from my accidental 16 mile long hike in El Chaltén - the weather was looking too windy (30+mph winds!) to go hiking the other days, so I tried to squeeze in as much as possible in one day. I was so excited to see town afterwards and sit down!
I spent that entire hike in Los Glaciares National Park (Parque Nacional Los Glaciares), and I wish I spent more time there so I could check out all the trails. My favorite was the sunrise hike to Laguna Capri which are most of the postcard photos - the light was phenomenal, and I’ve never seen any sunrise like this. I had the entire lake to myself and it was a quiet and magical moment.
Empty nester
The close of one chapter and beginning of another - getting ready to say goodbye to New York
No, I don’t have kids. I just literally have an empty nest - or almost an empty nest.
The move, part I.
I’m in the process of moving out of my apartment and moving back to my parents’ home, so the apartment is becoming an empty nest.
This content is not as exciting as waddling penguins or diving humpback whales, but it’s a meaningful moment for my upcoming journey. I have a feeling that I’ll want to look back on this moment and remember all the feelings - a mix of being scared, anxious, excited, and overwhelmed. Disbelief that it’s really happening and bittersweet because this apartment has been a home full of precious memories - egg freezing during COVID and being confined to the apartment’s four walls, hosting dinner parties for friends to celebrate the holidays or our friendship, putting in loving care to create a beautiful sanctuary.
This moment is a pause, and ending, and a beginning. A pause because - I’ll be back, New York! An ending because this period of time in my life is drawing to a close. A beginning because the next adventure is about to begin.
The early days of move-in, back when pandemic days were still a thing.
My favorite place in the apartment - the colorful cozy living room. Home.
How much of an apartment can you fit in a backpack?
Postcards from Ushuaia, Argentina
Ushuaia was more than just a gateway to Antartica, but a region with its own unique hiking opportunities
Ushuaia was surprisingly beautiful. It’s usually branded as “just” the gateway to Antartica (the majority of cruises depart from there), but there were several national parks and trails to explore. In my opinion the scenery isn’t as stunning as other parts of Patagonia, but I’m glad I spent some days hiking in Ushuaia.
Postcards from Antarctica
The most amazing views of ice, snow, and animals
Here are some of my favorite photos from Antarctica to tide you over while I find time to blog. Think of it as an amuse-bouche to the main course!
A place full of wonder
Reflecting on my trip to Antarctica
I went to Antarctica!
Antarctica filled me with wonder.
It’s hard to describe what it was like being in Antarctica. When people ask how my trip to Antarctica was, it takes me a while to come up with the right words. Even now sitting at my computer trying to think about how to describe my experience, I pause and softly smile because for me what best captures the experience of being in Antarctica is a feeling, rather than words. But since I can’t plop you inside my head, let me try to articulate and share that feeling.
There’s that first moment where it hit me that I was in Antarctica - my “oh sh*t” moment (which didn’t happen until my second day, so I was initially worried that I would be let down). The feeling of exhilaration of being actually being there and being surrounded by so much beauty. Then there are the moments scattered throughout the trip of being in awe, moments where I would softly let out a little breathless “wow” when I saw something majestic, like a humpback whale’s tail gracefully emerging from the sea or the intimidating-looking mountains looming over the pure icy blue of enormous glaciers. I felt so incredibly humbled and filled with amazement by the force and the beauty that is Mother Nature.
Then there’s the most memorable part of the trip. I went sea paddling and our group conducted a five minute silent meditation. In those five minutes of silence I was completely immersed in the experience of being in Antarctica. I could hear everything - the air emitting from a humpback whale’s blowhole from some distance away, the gentle lapping of the waves against my kayak, and the splashes from penguins porpoising their way through the ocean. The air was so pure and crisp and clean, and in that moment I felt utterly content and completely at peace.
Then there were times when I’d be in the Zodiac (a small inflatable boat fitting ~8 people that takes you around the icy waters) and it seemed like we were the only ones that existed in the world because you couldn’t see or hear any other people or boats. It was only us and the wildlife, and it felt exhilarating. There was also a feeling of insignificance in knowing that nothing was out there other than the wildlife, miles of snow, and me. Everything else - personal struggles, frustrations at work - fell away. Nothing else mattered except that present moment.
I think the best that I can come up with is that Antarctica filled me with wonder. Wonder at feeling complete with and being one with nature. Wonder at how the universe can create majesty such as this. Wonder at being alive and here and now.
Click through for photos that capture those feelings of wonder.
Mom, I made it to Antarctica!
I made it to the bottom of the world!
Wow, first post EVER about Antartica. Too intimidated to put more than just one photo, so here you go. Proof I made it to Antartica!
Neko Harbour, Antartica
Important to note: this was an actual CONTINENTAL landing. Prior to this our cruise had only stopped at islands off of the peninsula of Antartica, but this was our first landing on the actual peninsula itself!
(In case you were wondering, no this was not my seventh continent).
Postcards from Tour du Mont Blanc
I was completely stunned by the views from the Tour du Mont Blanc
My favorite landscapes from Tour du Mont Blanc - it was so hard to just choose a few! This was one of the most incredible hikes I’ve ever done.
Note: These were taken back in September 2022.
Postcards from Grand Teton National Park
Scenic alpine views from Grand Teton National Park
Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA.
Photos taken in Aug 2022.
