How brave!

To whoever I say I'm off to travel alone, this is the first phrase I hear.

Courage is the virtue that overcomes fear. Why are people so afraid of traveling alone? And why do they admire so much those who take a chance and leave followed only by their backpacks come from?

This was my companion.

Often the difficulty with languages ​​paralyzes people. In other cases the problem is shyness - the challenge of communicating with strangers, even though you speak the same language. Sometimes you're just worried that something might go wrong - missing a flight, being robbed, having an accident, running out of cash - and there'll be no one around to assist you.

But i think deep down people fear loneliness.

You.

We learn from an early age that loneliness is a bad thing. We learn that it belongs to the eccentric, to the introverted, to the anti-social. So we run away from it at all costs. Even locked in a room with anyone else, we seek distractions to conceal our solitude - the internet speaks for itself. Being alone with our own thoughts can be tedious - when we don't know what to think of - or painful - when we don't want to face our monsters.

Traveling alone is seeing your purest and trueliest essence thrown in your face, uncensored. Your way of reacting and dealing with each situation is personal and nontransferable. The energy that comes from your eyes will define how - and if - people approach you. You'll spend long periods without internet and cell phone signal, and when you finish your book or yout tablet battery runs out, you will be forced to think to pass the time. Reflection is inevitable, as well as the growth that accompanies it.

Those who travel alone unveil not only the world, but above all themselves. Going out and living extreme situations, they turn inwards and learn more than any school could teach.

This is the best school.

Lone backpackers are sociable - they may not have been born this way, but they learned it not to become hermits.

They're insatiable - they know that it's not the world that changes, but themselves, and they quench their thirst for novelty everyday simply by changing their perspective.

They're less judgmental - they learn that different is only this, neither better nor worse; and, most of the times, this role will be theirs.

They're smarter - they learn the hard way to deal with so many different troubles and to overcome frustrations.

They're lighter - they understand that happiness lies in the magical moments they built, and not on the things they have.

They're more authentic - they know they don't need to wear masks to be perceived as interesting persons.

They're cool - there's no room in the backpack for the latest trends, so they dress of their personalities.

I travel by myself because what I want the most is to learn how to be this person. But if you don't have a whole month of vacations, don't know other languages or don't have money for a plane ticket, don't worry. A weekend at the beach or in the mountains, just around the corner, is enough to start.

You don't need to go far to find yourself.

Arriving in Germany

After the Ethiopian Airlines marathon, I finally stepped into German soil. I barely got off the plane and already started being offended by signs that said, right to my face, things like Einschiffung, Sicherheitscheck, Endgerät, Flughafen, Gepäckausgabe...

Gepäckausgabe is yo mama!

I regained my composure after the initial impact, focused on the drawings and ran to the passport control. Purpose of the haste: I had scheduled another flight from Frankfurt to Berlin that same day, in less than three hours.

Bad idea? I agree, but the other cheap flight was only on the next day and backpacking causes a weird side effect in my brain: it goes into "travel mode" and makes all unnecessary risks that may result in time saving seem a much better option than the safety of well done planning.

The result was arriving breathless at passport control and therefore getting the first suspicious look of the trip.


"Purpose of this trip?"
"Much deserved vacations."
"How much time in Frankfurt?"
"A couple of hours - but in Europe, 28 days."
"Do you have a return ticket?"
"Sure ... just a sec."

I opened my very messy handbag and pulled out a bunch of papers. Luckily, the return flight was the first. The controller examined it, confused with the amount of connections and stopovers. It seemed like I was going around the world.

"Do you have a receipt of your accommodation in Germany?

"In Berlin I will stay with a friend, but I have the other cities'."

As I browsed the papers, I narrated what I found to save time.


"Here: hostel in Prague, Dubrovnik, Krakow, Budapest travel tips, Oktoberfest guide..."

I realized my hurry was making the officer exasperated. She said ok and stamped my passport, probably relieved to get rid of me.


I ran to the baggage claim area only to find that all my haste was in vain: it was empty and I had to wait with all the other passengers until they decided to release them. And I thought Germans were efficient...

The backpack was easy to spot: it looked like a baby alien, all wrapped up in green plastic. I didn't want to unwrap it because I had another flight soon, and I couldn't get a trolley: it costed 2 euros, I only had BRL and there was no ATM in sight. The result? A clumsy Brazilian running through the airport grabbing a backpack in her lap as if it were a child. Extraterrestrial, just to top it off.

Luckily I got to the right terminal on time and checked in. Hands-free, I could finally focus on more mundane things like withdrawing money, going to the toilet, eating.


Already in the departure lounge, I tried to confirm the right way to my gate with an employee:

"Is Berlin this way?"

He replied with no hesitation:

""Yes... But Frankfurt is that way, if you decide to stay." And finished it with a wink.

My trip's first pick up line, with a lot of style.

From then on everything went smoothly, I boarded and, with a Prosecco in hand, I eagerly awaited landing in Berlin and officially beginning my adventure.

My experience flying with Ethiopian Airlines

I'll start with a confession: I chose the lousiest possible flight just to save a few pennies. This is something one has to experience before stating: NEVER AGAIN.

 

My flight with this infamous company left São Paulo, Brazil, made a brief stopover in Lome, Togo, a connection in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with a waiting period of - gasp - 12 hours (!!!) to only then drop me off in Frankfurt. When I noticed this damn connection it was too late, the ticket had already been issued and only by forging a death certificate would I be able to get my money back. Then I thought: I'm a backpacker. What's the big deal with spending one night sleeping on an airport floor in Africa? It's just another adventure :)

 

I arrived in São Paulo GRU airport with a tranquil heart, at peace with my fate. Then came the first good surprise: I received, along with the boarding pass, a voucher that included transfer, accomodation, dinner and breakfast in a four star hotel. Way to go, Ethiopian!

The plane itself wasn't much. The seats reclined very little, it wasn't very comfortable. But, as it was a new company in Brazil and therefore not so widely known, the flight came empty and I could lie down in three seats. So much win! I arrived at the airport half drunk after a marathon of farewells with wonderful friends and passed out the second I got on the plane. When I woke up takeoff had already finished and I went back to sleeping like a rock. 

I was keenly awakened by a stewardess wearing a very colorful African outfit, asking if I wanted "fish or meat." I chose the meat and received a typical economy class meal: A tasteless glop. At least the wine was ok.

Hmmmm.... tasty! NOT.

Once awake and (mis) fed, I decided to navigate the entertainment center. Each seat has an individual screen, something that should be default for long flights but unfortunately it isn't, so point for Ethiopian. The movie selection was surprisingly good: lots of blockbusters and classics, a few European, Asian and African movies. I watched The Internship and Before Midnight, both very entertaining.

At this point the sun had risen and breakfast was served - which was at the very least, well, eccentric: a kind of unidentifiable mousse/pie followed by baked potatoes and chopped tomatoes. It must be typical Ethiopian, but it did not match my tastebuds. At least there was also a piece of bread and some fruit salad to ease the stomach.

I was under the impression of seating behind three African celebrities. Throughout the flight both passangers and flight attendants came talk to them, and by the end of the flight pretty much everyone greeted them. I found the Africans very smiling to each other, but not as much to me. Maybe it was my crumpled sleep face, or the competition with the celebs, i don't know.

Flying over the African coast was a thrill. I saw eternal beaches and a lot of green - I couldn't expect any less of a continent that was brothers with South America on the days of Pangea.

And one last thought: my experience in that place has proved that using deodorant is not part of the local culture. Brands, that is a huge market to explore!

P.S.: However long and uncomfortable was this trip, I'll never regret buying those tickets because of this scene - the vastness of the Sahara merging with the Mediterranean, which in turn merges with the bluest sky I've ever seen.

So so, I know.