To: You

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro" - Hunter S. Thompson 

You meet all kinds of people travelling. 90% of the time they are the best types of people. Resourceful backpackers full of knowledge and wisdom. Artists, thinkers, philosophers, and folks that generally know how to have a good time. 

In the two months of travelling so far I have met some from all walks of life. Several are on a more spiritual trip, looking for answers that their previous environment couldn't provide. There are those that just needed a break or a vacation as we all do at some point, without the intermissions from life the monotony can start to chisel away your being from the inside. I know a few people who desperately need to escape. Certainly, I did. There are those seeking adventure and the adrenaline junkies who get their fix in the skies, mountains, streets and waters of the world. 

There may be aspects of each that everyone fits into at some point in our lives. Humans are entirely strange and this does not exclude myself or you or anybody. Every damn one of our kind is messed up to an extent, there are just varying degrees to which we are willing to admit this to ourselves. 

It is this strangeness that makes us awesome and if we all thought and acted in a "normal" manner this world would be an incredibly boring place to be. People are beautiful, and although there may be some moments where they act in a heinous and horrible fashion, the experience in life comes from the unpredictable and unexpected. If we choose to embrace the weird and random moments, everything becomes much more vibrant and interesting. 

This is the most important lesson gained from my trip so far. Accept the strange, welcome the weird and understand the random. We all have weaknesses and strengths, it is how we navigate the twists and turns of our shared experience that make this crazy journey one worth taking.  

To all the friends I've met along the way, not just on this trip but the whole way, you are most likely amazing. There may have been times where we haven't seen eye to eye or slights have been made, but I'm genuinely thrilled to have met you. Without the worst in people, nobody would appreciate the best. 

Progressing to conclude the trip and wind it all down, the lessons will continue to come I'm sure. But we are all fucking amazing at some points and moments, it might just be a matter of finding those moments and never, ever letting them go. 

I cant wait to meet the rest of you,

Daniel Double-u