I started out this journey with no expectations whatsoever. One month into it, I had already exceeded some I didn’t even know I had. Before I left, I knew one thing and one thing only: this would be my time. And in being on my own, I found myself using that time to improve myself.

• • Reading: In one month, I managed to read four books. Now, I know this might sound like no big deal, but in a regular year, the total number of books I’d usually read would amount to a big, fat zero. Back home, I’d try and read a bit at the end of my day while curling up in bed – and, given that it was usually after a long day of work, I’d end up dozing off before finishing even one page. Not to mention, if I did have time to read, it would usually be dedicated to medical textbooks in preparation for my exams!

• • Writing: I also managed to keep up with my writing. I wanted to remember every single detail. For that, I had two tools to my advantage: photos and writing – definitely not this crappy brain of mine. These words are a permanent record of all my experiences: from the adventures I lived to the people I met along the way, from the emotions I felt to the food I tasted. I also wanted to make some money off it. I’d been publishing a few articles over the past year, but I found myself too caught up in journaling to write more of those. That would’ve been my only source of income – something I’d use to do even more stuff – but I could always do that once I got back home. For the time being, I just wanted to make good use of my very limited time.

• • Language: During the five weeks I spent in Mexico, I was speaking almost exclusively in Spanish, which explains why my Spanish had improved remarkably (si puedo permitirme decirlo, jejeje). I went from using just the present tense to having a basic understanding of both past and future tenses. I also expanded my vocabulary and corrected some grammatical mistakes I’d been making for years! I was still nowhere near fluent, but now I could at least communicate effectively.

• • Drawing: Something else I started doing in Mexico was drawing. I hadn’t drawn anything in ages, but I felt like this was the perfect time to start again. I bought a tablet just for that reason. That way, I’d be practising a skill I had never quite invested time in. I set myself the goal of drawing something that represents every single country I visit. It didn’t have to be perfect – not even good – just something to remind me of each country and the places I’d seen. It would be a memento I’d keep forever, and having made it myself would make it all the more special.

• Distance:
  • • Total walked: 347km
    • Total travelled: 2537km

• Books:
• • • The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway

• • • The Motorcycle Diaries, Ernesto Che Guevara

• • • Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson
    • The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry