what even is age/

What even is age? Why are there timelines? Who decided what these milestones are supposed to be set at?

I’m 29 and I plan on starting my travel journey/the rest of my life when I turn 30. And in some small way, I feel too old. I should add that I have no interest in working forever, having any type of regular career or settling down in a suburban area with a white picket fence and 2.5 kids. I do want kids one day but not in the states and no public school (a story for another day).

So why do I feel too old to travel?

I have such a vivid memory of backpacking through Greece at 22. I kept running into this girl Veronica from Montreal. We were on the same route through Crete so in Heraklion we ended up on the same bus and realized we’re headed to the same hostel. We spent for the next three days together walking, exploring, shopping, eating, and adventuring. At the end, I asked her age. She said 29. The exact words out of my mouth were “ You look so good for your age.” (I know- forgive me). We’d been doing the exact same things for day and yet that seven year age gap made me so surprised that she was doing all the same things as me. 

Why did I feel 29 was too old to be traveling then? And yet here I am about to do the same thing.

I don’t feel my age that’s for sure. I feel 23 and 17 and 11 and 5 all at once. I don’t give 29 energy. For the past year I hung out with a 21-year-old and her favorite came to play was guess our ages. The highest I got was 26. People regularly said 22 to 24. What does that mean? My energy or my vibe or my face or something gives off youthful energy.

I love that of course. I hope that energy lives with me forever. Especially when I’m traveling at 30.