At home we map everything. Going to the grocery store? Let me check the quickest route. Going to a new restaurant? Ask Siri which one is closest. Even places we go to a million times, we let our cars direct us to them. We forget to just explore and see where we end up.
As someone who grew up in Austin and who is going to school there, I end up at the same places I always eat, go to the same coffee shop multiple times a week and shop at the same stores. Being in a new city allows you to discover everything whether it’s your favorite neighborhood restaurant or small thrift store; here, everything is an adventure.
For the entire 6 weeks I am away, I only have 3gb of data for my entire trip. I still don’t really understand exactly how much that is, but I know that it means I need to only use Maps or Uber for when I’m really lost.
With a free afternoon and no places to go, it allows you to explore. After wandering the streets near Old Town, we stumbled upon a thrift store. Clothes were crammed in every empty space. While I have to admit I have frequented H&M multiple times while I have been abroad, I love going to local stores and sifting through all the clothes. Not only can you find dresses but interesting shoes and purses. After looking through the clothes, I asked the person working if I could take her picture.