After completing the boat safari we jumped on Sri Lanka’s only major highway to head back to Colombo. Since my flight left very late, Sanju took me to a few souvenir shops at my request before giving me a tour of the capital city. We visited a few places of national significance and with a little more time to kill he took me to the waterfront. It was magical. We walked for a little bit and I admired the sun go down. And in it that moment I thought, was this really just a fantasy in my head? What kind of move was that to take me to the waterfront right when the sun was about to set? Did he not get how much I was starting to like him and how much I knew I couldn’t!

He took me to one last stop so I could eat before going to the airport. He convinced to try one of their dishes called Kothu Parotta It sounded inedible to me but turned out to be very delicious. And this time he sat with me and we had dinner together. If I hadn’t already paid him for his services in the car, I would have thought he was trying to butter me up for an extra tip which he did in fact get by the way. He deserved it more than he knew. After our dinner together he dropped me off at the airport. I did the same goodbye I do to all my guides promising to return with a slew of friends. He hugged me. Yes, he hugged me not the other way around and it wasn’t brief in the slightest. Another life time Sanju. Another lifetime.


I had fallen madly deeply and unapologetically.... in love with traveling. Every town, city, village, or country I’ve visited held a special place in my heart. They’ve matured me. They’ve made me more secure as a woman. They’ve inspired me. They’ve even redeemed me on certain occasions. So I didn’t actually meet the love of my life in Sri Lanka but I came to the realization that I had already found a deep love for something in the last three years of touring the world. And every time a flight deal popped up or Trip Advisors posted an awe inspiring picture of yet another dope place in the world, I get excited. I get excited knowing there’s still so much of the world for me to see. For me to explore. For me to fall that much deeper in love with.

Traveling may have saved my life. If not for a quick weekend trip to the Poconos wherein I spent the majority of my time in a hot tub, I wouldn’t have provoked, rather exposed what was going on with me in the form of an attack. I haven’t had another attack since I first suffered from double vision. I’ve been extremely blessed and fortunate. As a result, I live my life exactly that way, knowing how extremely fortunate I am. At first, I was convinced that my diagnosis would render me an invalid before I knew it. This lurking concern that I won’t be able to be adventurous because my disease may take a turn for the worst is truly what makes me so bold, so fearless. So to everyone who thinks so highly of my travels, and labels me this brave human (including my neurologist), because I often do it all alone, you should know I have an extra battery in my back motivating to do what I’ve done. I can’t wait to see what I’ve got planned next!

**My guides true identity and name has been changed to protect his privacy. And mostly thats because I’m a mess for insinuating that he was anything more than professional**