Because I Don’t Wanna Wait …
As the plane began to lift off, I couldn’t help but ask myself — what on earth am I doing with my life?
Taking a break from my familiar routine — to venture alone into a faraway land where I have no ties and no safety net.
March 28th, 2025. The afternoon sun at 17:44 was blinding. Golden rays shimmered like the first light of spring. The sky today was spotless — clear as glass. I reminded myself: you only live once, so do what you truly want. The universe kept sending me message about “do not wait until your life is perfect to enjoy your life“. And this trip — this long-awaited dream — is something I’ve wanted to do for years.
My friend, Uyen, messaged me on Instagram: “Don’t forget to make a vlog!”. But I’m not exactly camera material — awkward voice, average looks, and zero editing skills. It’d be a lot of work for something no one might even watch. So, I thought I’d rather write it all down. If no one reads it, at least it costs me less effort and still keeps the memory alive.
They say every beginning is difficult. Maybe that’s true — or maybe it’s just life testing you. 3 days before my departure, I suddenly came down with a fever, feeling weak and useless. I tried to stay positive, but when your body gives up on you, optimism is hard work. I caught myself wondering if the universe was trying to stop me from going. Thankfully, the fever broke today. I’m still a little shaky, but hopefully strong enough to make it through the flight.
The journey itself sounds simple on paper: from Frankfurt, it started with a one-hour flight to Paris CDG, followed by a four-hour layover before a 14-hour stretch across the Atlantic to Santiago de Chile — the capital of Chile. My partner in crime, Gerrit, drove me to the airport. He has the patience of a saint, having endured my constant chatter and last-minute stress. Between being sick and trying to wrap up work before my little “escape mission,” I’d been a mess. The night before, I took him out for Schnitzel to say thanks, but my fever flared up again at the restaurant, leaving me frowning through the meal. Saying goodbye was harder than expected. I really hope we’ll meet again soon.
Then my thoughts turned to my backpack — my first real backpacking trip. I felt a surge of excitement, mixed with a quiet hope that both of us, my body and my bag, would arrive safely together, no matter where it is. The four-hour layover in Paris felt painfully long. I’ve done long-haul flights before, but this time, the waiting stretched endlessly. Thankfully, I received messages from my close friends, Son, Andreas, etc, who are basically traveling with me through my stories, and they kept me awake for a while. Still I dozed off, woke up, and still — not yet boarding! Around me, the sound of Spanish began to fill the air, flowing from the mouths of other passengers. That’s when it hit me: I’m really on my way to South America.
During the long flight. After what felt like a million naps on the airplane (though it’s only been eleven hours since takeoff), I woke up, still half-dreaming. Soon, I started chatting with my seat neighbors — everyone was awake by then, around 11:30 a.m. European time.
In front of me sat an old lady with snow-white hair. She told me she’s over 80, from Munich, flying to visit her younger brother who emigrated to Chile fifty years ago. Next to me was a French woman, on her way to see her daughter who’s been backpacking across South America for over six months, they would travel together for some weeks.
These little, spontaneous conversations filled me with warmth and quiet inspiration. The world suddenly felt vast again — and I realized that my life, too, still has so much room left to grow, to wander, to begin anew.
Breakfast was served — the last meal before landing in Santiago. The sky is the limit, I read, as sunlight flooded the cabin. The sky outside was a shade of pure, endless blue.
And so another journey is about to begin — through South America: Chile, Bolivia, Peru.
The lands of Patagonia and the Andes, of the ancient Inca spirit and endless horizons. I can almost feel the adventure breathing beneath the clouds — the unknown waiting just beyond the runway.
I don’t wish for much — just a smooth journey, new friends along the way, and moments worth remembering, moments that will someday remind me of how beautiful youth can be when we dare to chase what we dream of.
13:04, March 29th, 2025. Landed at Santiago de Chile airport.