This is Not a Trip

This is not a trip. This is not a vacation. This is not a holiday. This is my life. 

I am not traveling the world just to take a break or relax from the struggles of life - I am fulfilling my innermost passion. I am going where my life up until this point has driven me. This is my LIFE for the foreseeable future - and if my feelings since I was a small child are any indication, I will not be stopping my travels any time soon. My life pushes me to continue seeing the world. Yeah, I'll be picking up jobs here and there to make money. But money is no longer the focus of my life; experiences are. Cultures and new people are. Seeing more corners of this Earth is. I will make enough money to keep going, and on I will go. Maybe it will last a year, maybe it will last a lifetime. But this is my life now, finally, and I refuse to call it a trip.

Being a Backpacker

It's a funny thing, being a backpacker. Back home I am like a rare person in most of my friends/family lives that wants to travel like this, for so long and so far away. Now that I am doing it though I am seeing how completely common this is. It feels like EVERYONE travels this way! I am meeting people from countries around the world, far and wide, and everyone has similar stories of being on the road for x amount of time and they are hopping to x countries. Everyone has different itineraries but everyone is doing it. Im suddenly understood to the point of being totally unoriginal. People who have lived in at least five countries for a year plus at a time and taking small trips in between. People who do it because they cant not. Also people doing it because they just graduated uni or because they weren't sure if they liked travel or not, but knew now was the time to see. So many stories, one common thread: they have to travel.

The group I did the jungle trek with. I plan on visiting a couple at some point in the next couple years!

Backpacking is also a totally different experience than any other kind of travel I have ever done before. Staying in hostels, everyone is traveling on the cheap by staying in rooms with four to ten bunk beds. But it isn't just a cheap way to travel, its also an amazingly easy way to meet other people. And suddenly after talking with someone for a bit they say "Oh hey Im off to see a thai fight, you're welcome to join me" and then suddenly you are seeing parts of the city with someone for a day or two and getting drinks with a group of people you're in the same room with and it's all very fluid. You have to specifically not plan out every single day so you can allow room for things to change. It's also a better way to find out the best things to do around town because the people constantly coming and going from the hostel means people are there before you and have already done a ton of things so they can tell you the best stuff to do instead of relying on what the internet says.

Seeing a muay thai fight with Loic!

As much as Im enjoying meeting new people and whatnot though, Id be lying if I said I dont get lonely sometimes. Lonely in the sense I miss certain people, and the closeness I have with certain people. Meeting tons of travelers and having these things in common is amazing, but it all stays fairly surface simply because you dont have the time to develop much more before one or both of you are off to the next location. I really really hope some friends or family come and visit me for a couple weeks while Im in Australia this next year, but Im not holding my breath. I know how big of commitment that is with finances and time. Im sure things will change and it'll get easier the longer I am away, and and now after being on the road for three weeks it already has been. I imagine once I get to Australia I will be able to make closer friends too since I wont be hopping as frequently as I am now. We shall see!

My Trip Lately

Sorry for not posting much since Ive been on the road, there is just so much to do! I also have been keeping a daily journal, my Facebook page Sauntering Mayhem (which Im using as a photo dump, so check that out to get updates from me more often!), and my personal Facebook profile of course. So lots of things to keep up with.

Here is my trip thus far:

LA, California
I stayed with my friend Danny and his girlfriend Andrea in North Hollywood. I walked up to the Hollywood sign. Went to Venice beach and walked to Santa Monica. And all in all just enjoyed meandering around meeting people along the way. I had so much fun and am so thankful to Danny and Andrea for letting me stay with them. I really loved California and could easily see living there some day. Yes, there were the people who were fake and whatever else, but I feel like I met so many more genuine people who enjoyed living life and who are truly passionate about their jobs/projects.

Ridiculously gorgeous view

 

Journaling on the beach

Venice beach

Samwise playing the melodica

Bangkok, Thailand
I really was not that big of a fan of Bangkok. Like at all. I was happy to be rid of the place after two days. It felt so seedy and like everyone was constantly trying to get one over on me. I didnt feel all that safe either. Idk. It was just grimy. But, that being said I had a pretty good time. Went and saw about a million Buddhist temples, the reclining Buddha was probably my favorite. Also visited the Grand Palace which was pretty cool. Took myself to see Mad Max in the theaters. They really really love their king in Thailand, there are pictures and statues of him everywhere and before the movie started they had a little montage of their king while playing the national anthem that everyone had to stand up to. It was pretty cool. I also went to the biggest mall I have ever seen before. It was five stories and just massive, went on for idk how long, I dont think Ive ever been in a mall even a quarter of that size before. All the window displays and stores were really artsy fartsy too, and I even happened upon a fashion show in the middle of it.

The Grand Palace

Im driving a tuk tuk!

Listening to monks chant for 20 minutes

The view of riding in a tuk tuk

Shark fin soup available in the streets

Reclining Buddha. He was absolutely massive.

So many Buddhas everywhere!

Chiang Mai, Thailand
I took a 12 hour train ride from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Chiang Mai is wonderful and a stark difference from Bangkok. Everyone was so friendly and I felt completely safe walking the streets. I did a 3 day jungle trek with some of the coolest people I have met on this trip so far. It was definitely far more intense and strenuous than I had anticipated, but well worth it. There were things I would have preferred to be different, but so it goes. All in all I walked at least 15 miles, up hill swam in three different waterfalls, and laughed constantly with some truly wonderful people. The last day we took a bamboo raft down river which was AWESOME. It was quite refreshing and cool, and allowed me a different perspective of the jungle I hadn't gotten before. Then afterwards we went to an elephant camp. Most of my group declined to ride the elephants since they are abused so bad, but I did go down to the river with a couple and got to wash one! That was really cool and my conscience is clean. I enjoyed meandering Chiang Mai another day and a half afterwards, saw a really magnificent temple and went and enjoyed some muay thai boxing. I also had the best massage of my life from a ladyboy, it was all elbows, feet, and cracking my bones. I wish I had gotten one every single day I was there!

The view from one of the places I stayed on my jungle trek

Muay Thai boxing

Artur decided he needed to climb the waterfall

The trains toilet, yes thats the track you see in that hole

No Doubt In My Mind

I can say with a certainty I have never had before that I know for a fact this is exactly what I should be doing right now. I feel so at ease, fulfilled, and confident in quantities I've never had before. I wish I knew how to explain it accurately enough for you, but I dont think I can.

For the first time in my life I am able to strike up conversation with complete strangers, a talent I have never possessed before. I am wide open, willing to talk with them about anything at all. It's what I have always wanted to be able to do, but never knew how; and yet somehow since stepping into the Atlanta airport I have magically had it. Meeting new people every day, hearing their stories, talking philosophy and goals or just bullshitting. I know that this is what my trip is about. It's not just seeing all the sights across the globe, it's about meeting and connecting with the people.

For the first time in my life I have gone out into a city I have hardly any knowledge of, with no one there with me, and wandered without any real goal in mind just to see what happens. It has been such a pleasure allowing myself to saunter along. Truly, I have become sauntering mayhem and it is a glorious state of being!

Hey look! There I am!

For example this morning I hung out at the house for awhile just chatting with my friends online and slowly waking up. Then I decided I needed to go to the post office to buy stamps, so I look up on google maps how to get there, just half a mile down the road from where I am. Along the way I come across a small local Farmer's Market, decide to check it out and I tried some of the tastiest honey I have ever had. It was orange blossom honey and the lady told me how they dont feed their bees sugar water like most other beekeepers (she said whenever inquiring about honey, dont ask if it is local, ask what they feed the bees. THAT makes all the difference.), she actually lets the bees keep some of their honey and are fed by her citrus orchard. The honey was that immediate sweet honey taste and then ended with a wonderful orangey flavor. Oh how tempted I was to buy some! It was so delicious! Then I bought this delicious mango drink that had real cut up mangos in it, bought my stamps from the post office, and on the way back saw there was a Buddhist Center so I decided to go check out what they were about. Because why not? So I go in and am immediately greeted by Mark, Emily, and Chris and we talk for at least half an hour about their particular sect of Budddhism, Soka Gakkai, where they focus on chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and their belief that everyone has an inherent enlightened being within them. It was a fascinating conversation that I could very much relate to and so very informative. I had no idea there were different sects to Buddhism! And I wouldn't have had any of those experiences if I hadn't decided I needed to walk to the post office or waited til my friends got home to drive me there.

Plans Never Go to Plan

Im sitting at the airport awaiting my flight to LA. I arrived at the airport and was informed that my flight was canceled due to mechanical failure. I suppose it's better to wait longer for my flight than to be on a plane that isn't working properly. So now Im being rerouted through Dallas and will be arriving at LA at 7:12pm, about five hours later than my original plan.

But I suppose thats the thing with original plans, life happens and plans have to change over and over again. I think that is the thing I am most excited about with my trip, I KNOW shit like this will continue to happen constantly and I just have to roll with the punches. I get to see where the wind takes me, because I will not always have a choice in the matter. And that's exciting.

I'm glad to be who I am. Which now that I am writing that, sounds quite funny. I dont mean it in a conceited way, what I mean is I'm so thankful that that is my perspective. Because I know tons of people who would be in a rage right now, pissed their flight was delayed and ruining the rest of their day. They would think to themselves, "Oh, of course this would happen to me! This is the very first part of my dreams coming true and it starts out the worst. Just my luck.". I am thankful that that is not me. I think to myself, "HA! Of course this happens, a nice mini reminder that things wont always go right according to plan. And that is perfectly ok."


Anyway my best friend, AKA my non-sexual life partner, Sean took me to the airport this morning. God I love him so much. And here I am! Off to go on an adventure with absolutely everything I am taking with me.

With the most cliche touristy hat and everything!

And here are all the belongings I am leaving behind in storage

I feel good. I feel refreshed. I feel the right decision is happening. No matter what happens from here, I will know I am staying true to myself and doing *exactly* what I need to be doing. 

The Anxiety Waves & Saying Goodbye to Atlanta

Oh man. The less than a month mark happened and immediately my anxiety spiked through the roof! My excitement and anxiety are kind of crashing like waves on me, one after the other, in equal measures.

My emotions are high, and I cant help but think to myself "Why am I just meeting so-and-so NOW? I wish I had more time with them." But that's just my brain trying to hold on to anything to make Atlanta stick. It worked last time, but not this time damnit!

Weirdly my anxiety left me for a couple weeks after that less than a month mark. Gone entirely. Then it came back with a vengeance Saturday at my going away party. I think the thing I have been stressing over so much the last several days is the possibility that perhaps I will embark on this trip, this trip I have dreamed of my entire life, longed over, cried over, felt desperately empty in not currently doing it, a defining goal that is as much a part of me as my left arm - what if it turns out to be something I dont enjoy? I dont want? What if I hate it? If that were to happen I know I would feel utterly lost. Lost in who I am, lost in where to go next. This dream has been so imperative to me as a person, I dont know what I would do without it. I would have to start over entirely, unsure of myself as a person. That thought is terrifying. And this is the moment, finally, where my fantasy becomes a reality and I am going to know the answer. What if it isnt the answer I want?

And all of that was suddenly on me at my going away party, it was almost too real. My chosen family, and some of my blood family, were all saying goodbye to me. Never to know when I will return. Telling me how important I've been to them, how much they love me, how Atlanta wont be the same anymore. That was quite intense. Emotions were high for all of us.

My cousin, myself, and mama at my going away party!

My lady came up from Tallahassee to send me off

The next day James got a hotel room for us at the Marriott on the top floor! It was absolutely breathtaking. I got to fall asleep overlooking the city I love. I kept thinking of Macklemore's song "My Oh My" the line goes a bit like this "My city, my city, my childhood, my life, that's right under those lights. My oh my." To be honest I kept replacing childhood with the word home though. Atlanta has been my home for the last five years and I've found more of a home in Atlanta than I ever have anywhere else. It's hard to be leaving, but I know it's what I need to do. I dont have the desire to settle anywhere permanently for quite some time. There is just too much of the world to see! Getting to spend time overlooking the city I love that has been so so good to me, was such a treat & honestly was quite emotional. It's always cool getting to overlook a place, get the bird's eye view. Suddenly everything looks so tiny and so big all at the same time.

LOOK at that view!

I found a lot of myself in Atlanta. It has been the perfect place for me, meeting the most amazing people who inspired and motivated me. I got to lose myself in every adventure I could happen upon - and wow there have been so many! I will forever be grateful to those in my life who have helped shape me, but now is the time for me to go out alone and put in the finishing touches.

WHAT is in my Pack?!

If you were curious, here is everything that is in my pack:

CLOTHES
3 Shorts √
5 Tanks √
5 Tshirts √
1 Long sleeve √
2 Pants √
10 Panties √
3 Socks √
2 Bras √
1 Bikini √
1 Jacket √
1 Scarf √
1 Buff √
1 Skirt √
1 Shoes √
1 Flip flops √

ELECTRONICS
Kindle √
Laptop √
Cell √
2 Chargers √
External hard drive √
Power converter √
Headphones √

MISC.
2 Hats √
Sharkie mask √
Umbrella √
Cards √
Sunglasses √
Pen √
Sewing kit √
Headlamp √
Locks √
Silk Liner √
Duct Tape √
Ear plugs √
Eyemask √
Travel towel √
Laundry line √
Sink stopper √
Water bottle √
Spork √
Chain √

PAPERS
Copies of paperwork
Cash
Travel insurance √
2 Credit Cards √
Plane tix √
Passport √
Driver’s license √
1 Debit Card √

TOILETRIES
Deodorant √
Toothbrush √
Ibuprofen √
Diva cup √
Mascara √
Concealer √
Eyeliner √
First aid kit √
Hair ties √
Chapstick √
Tweezers √
Qtips √
Travel Kleenex √
Allergy meds √
Toothbrush holder √
Toothpaste √
Dr. Bronnors bar √
Soap holder √
Wet ones √
Conditioner √
Lotion/sunscreen √
Bug lotion √
Anti diarrheals √
Antibiotics √
Jewelry √

BAGS
3 Freezer ziplocks √
Pack rain cover √
1 Pack √
1 Day bag √
1 laundry bag √
1 Toiletry bag √
Packing cubes √
1 bra pocket √


Im actually taking a lot more stuff compared to a lot of the bloggers I have been following online. But I figure there is nothing wrong with throwing things away if I end up not using them and their taking up too much space in my backpack.

A note on packing cubes! Um, they are awesome. Check this out:

All the clothes Im taking

I hope these pictures do them justice. Because holy moly they are wonderful! They pack up sooo much stuff! I couldnt believe it when I first read about them, but then I decided to try them out anyway, because I can always return them if they aren't great, and not only did they make all my clothes way more compact and take up less space but they also provided me with organization in my pack that I hadn't had before. Now when I need to find some shorts I just pull out the big cube, and BAM! there are all my bottoms! I highly recommend them for backpacks and suitcases alike. Also use the rolling system, that helps quite a lot too. Cheers :]

Finding My True Bra Size

So as you saw in my last post, I went to New Orleans recently and had a fantastic trip.

I specifically wanted to talk about my experience in one of the best lingerie stores I have ever been in before - Trashy Diva. I went in and was immediately greeted by Lindsay, the most luxurious of women. She was attentive, friendly, hilarious, and exceptionally helpful and personable. I adore her.

Before talking about my interaction with Lindsay though, I wanted to just mention briefly about how wonderful Trashy Diva itself is. I have never been to a store before, lingerie or otherwise, where I talked with an associate for a minute, then go to the fitting room and just have her bring me whatever she thinks I would like! I felt like royalty with a personal shopper. I was in the store and not ONCE did I browse around to see everything they had. Not only that, but everything she brought me I fell in love with. She knew exactly what I was looking for and I loved it all. I never even felt the desire to browse around, it was pretty wild. Sadly they don't have a shop here in Atlanta, but I know I will be going back to the one in New Orleans again and again.

Anyway, our interaction was as follows:

Luxurious Lindsay: "Hey there, how can I help you today?"
Megan Mayhem: "Hey! I saw this gorgeous strappy bra in the window and wanted to try one on."
LL: "Absolutely, what bra size are you wearing now?"
MM: "36DD"
LL: "Wait, what? Really? Let me size you."
MM: "Haha yeah, really...ok."
LL: "Holy shit. Um, yeah you should NOT be wearing size 36 hun. The fact you have been is absolutely ridiculous."
MM: "What? Why? What am I measuring at?"
LL: "Look, your ribs are measuring at 30 1/2 inches."
MM: "...so what size should I be wearing then?!"
LL: "I don't want to freak you out, so I'll say 34F."
MM: "What do you mean you don't want to freak me out? What's my real bra size then?"
LL: "You're a 32G babe."
MM: "Are you kidding me?!!!"
LL: "Nope."

To say that was a shock to the system is an understatement. The rest of my interaction with her gets EVEN BETTER though. She was a vast wealth of information and knowledge. I had no idea boobs had so much science behind them!

Luxurious. As. Fuck.

Lindsay went on to have me try on 34F bras, and sure as shit they fit great. She then told me how most women really don't wear their *true* bra band size (the number part in the bra size) because it feels tighter than what they are used to so they find it too uncomfortable. But, for information's sake, she had me try on a 32G bra so I can know what to look for, how she knew it was my perfect bra size, and for me to know how it's supposed to feel. I put that sucker on and it felt like I was wearing a corset around just my boobs. It was trippy. But at the same time, my boobs looked great, there were no gaps or weird creases anywhere or even hanging over anything, and it clearly really was my right size. She went through several things about the bra while I was wearing it, showing me how the straps are supposed to look and feel, how there were no gaps or overhanging anywhere, and how the tightness on the band is supposed to feel and how much give there is supposed to be (not much). It was absolutely fascinating.

She then told me that it's so ridiculous that I've been wearing a 36DD because that means that I have been putting all the weight of my breasts onto my shoulders. So, if I've been having any shoulder or upper back problems lately it is probably largely because of that! Well guess what, I had indeed been having major upper back and shoulder pain lately and had been going to a chiropractor for the last month because of it. I mean, I always knew I had large breasts, but I had never thought I had back problem tits! Blew me away. She said a lot of women do that and it actually can cause muscle deterioration in their shoulders.

Alternatively, you are supposed to be putting the weight of your breasts on the far larger and more stable portion of your body, around your ribs/chest under your breasts. Hence why it feels so tight when you wear your true size - because it's suppose to be tight.

All around some of the most interesting information I have learned in quite awhile, especially considering it affects my life every single day. Where is this class in high school?! It only affects HALF the population and can alter our health and happiness. Gah!

Anyway, Luxurious Lindsay is totally wonderful. Trashy Diva is wonderful. And having worn my true bra size the last month or so has been wonderful. So wonderful in fact, that most of my upper back problems are completely gone (thanks to my chiropractor as well of course!).

So my message is a simple one: Ladies, please go to a better place than Victoria Secret to get sized (somewhere like Trashy Diva or Intimacy) where they really know the science behind boobs and bras - it can really alter quite a lot more than you know in your day to day life.

And here is the bra I bought! It's perfect and fun and strappy as all get out, but I am obviously wearing a top thing with it in this picture. I have since found t-shirt bras in my size to wear on a daily basis of course as well, but it is just TOO much fun to have such prettiness like this too!

Mimi Holliday 'Rockhopper Penguin' Balcony Bra

New Orleans

Oh New Orleans, what a wonderful wonderful city. It has so much history and culture compared to most of the United States that it is forever fascinating to me. Not only that but it is one of the only cities I have ever been to that they truly embrace uniqueness and blunt honesty. I could walk into any store and I never once got the sugary-sweet fake smile and forced kindness that I have gotten in every other city I've ever been in. For the record, that doesn't mean they were rude or unpleasant by any means either, they were just themselves and had no reservations about expressing it. That includes dress style, hair style, and having body modifications too. Seemed like everyone there had visible tattoos, and it was great! I loved being able to see so many people being perfectly themselves, even in their work environment - and I would argue that is a luxury most of us do not have. I cannot wait to go back again and again, and dare I say perhaps even live some day.

Now on to the photos!

 Drive Through Daiquiris!

 My sharkie Rufus approves

 Hot Sauce shop

 Yum food!

 The street art performances blew me away. So much talent!

The Rasberry Shnapps Mochas are forever my favorite New Orleans drink at EnVie Cafe!

 In case you were wondering, take all sacrifices to EnVie

 THE best burlesque troupe I have ever seen

 Why yes, she was doing the I Love Lucy Vetameatavegamin!

 Gotta love spicy tarantula

 Cafe Dumond is a necessity on every New Orleans trip

 I couldn't get enough of the art galleries around town!

These wigs were so fabulous. I know several drag queens that would adore these!

 I don't know why this picture of my Hurricanes turned out this way, but it's awesome.

 This architecture never gets old.

 Getting my hurr did

Oh red, how I have missed you so!