What do the masters in manifestation say? “Ask... And the universe will provide”?
Well, I asked, and she/he/they/it provided.
As written in my previous post, I had recently chosen not to return to the classroom this Fall and instead pursue other kinds of work in both Colorado and eventually Costa Rica. What I didn’t mention was that I originally had a small mental/emotional safety net of pursuing all of these unknowns with a partner. But, like the beginning of any good clichéd solo-travel tale...
I got dumped.
Probably more on that later… but for now it makes me chuckle to think about the conversation I had with my phenomenal therapist within 48 hours of ~the break up~.
Therapist: "Annika, I want you to take this opportunity to slow down and feel. And, to NOT make any plans. You are fabulous at making plans, and filling your time. Don’t do that right now. Instead, try to rest, nourish your body, and tune into yourself so that when it comes time to explore options, you will be able to make the best decision for you. No plans, ok?"
Me: "Yes, of course. You are totally right, I will definitely do that! "*meanwhile no less than 4 windows with 15 search tabs each full of options are open in the background of our Zoom call*
What can I say? … Some things never change 😇
However, the universe kindly intervened and I could somewhat take my wonderful therapist’s advice. The following day, I was on the phone with my dear, strong, inspiring, brilliant, and beautiful friend Jill and filled her in on the latest changes in my life and plans. As we were catching up and I was expressing my fear of all the unknowns ahead, we realized our calendars could suddenly align. Jill invited me to join her on her long-awaited trip to visit her brother in Europe, where he has been living for the past three years. It’s not often in one’s life you have no job, no plan, and some money you have been saving for 5 years specifically for travel. So... we sent it.
First stop: Interlaken, Switzerland
Let me tell you… what you can do in one week with the Gayler siblings would take most one month. We hiked, climbed, plunged into some cold bodies of water, ate an entire cake, helped to weed a stunning vegetable garden, danced at an 80s party, and ate so.much.cheese. Shout to the roadside “mountain käse” stands for heaps of joy.
Fun fact about climbing in the Swiss Alps? There are two kinds of guide books:
“Extrem” and “Plaisir"
To which the only natural question could be, "¿Por que no los dos?"
Thus, Mission“Extrem Plaisir” was born.
Here are some shots from Switzerland:
Second Stop: Arco, Italy
Due to excessive rain in Switzerland and access to a fabulous little vehicle… we made plans to leave Switzerland and drive to Italy for a few days to climb, bike and trek. We climbed some multi-pitch in Arco, biked all over Trentino, spent a rainy night in Campiglio di Madonna, and hiked into the Brenta Dolomites for one night at the Rifugio Pedrotti. Like I said, Gayler Guides will kick your butt while simultaneously maximizing your life all in 3.5 days. More pictures! More joy! Much gelato!
Thank you, Jill and AJ! I am ever grateful. You two could can be described as many things, but summed up in: “a vibe.” Preggo!
Next Stop: Lund, Sweden