By: Ana Raab.
In the days before embarking on my first ever solo trip abroad, a six-week journey around Scandinavia and Europe, a close friend gave me a card with the words DREAM BIG across the front and these wise words scribbled inside:
“Don’t expect to find the answers. Life is about asking questions”
At the time, I didn’t think twice about her advice as I scrambled with last-minute packing, train ticket purchases and AirBnB confirmations with equal parts excitement and terror.
Photo by: Ana Raab: Gamlastan, Sweden
But over the course of those six weeks traveling alone with all of the requisite ups and downs, I came to realize the truth behind her words. Life is indeed about asking questions. It is about asking questions of others. Of the world around you. And most importantly, of yourself. You may not find all the answers out there in the great unknown—in fact, you probably won’t—but through the act of travel you will find yourself opened up to the infinite possibilities of the universe. Which, in a way, becomes its own kind of answer.
Located on Iceland’s southern coast, Vik is a black sand beach town that was formed eons ago from volcanic activity. The stark difference of no trees, just low-lying shrubbery creates an “other-worldly feeling.” Photographer and first-time S.O.L.O. contributor, Ana Raab, likens it to stepping on the moon.
Ana is a photographer and creative producer based in Seattle, but eager to travel the world. She is at her happiest when pausing to observe the quiet beauty of the natural world, forging deep connections with the people around her, and in the midst of a good belly laugh. She embarked on her very first solo trip abroad in summer 2016, traveling through Scandinavia, Germany and Iceland to explore a piece of her Swedish family’s heritage (including a visit to long-lost relatives!), do her best to pronounce words like “Siglufjorour” and in the process discover a piece of herself along the way.
Interested in contributing to S.O.L.O.?
SHE ONLY LIVES ONCE or S.O.L.O. is a movement empowering women of all ages to venture off on their own and fall in love with the world around them. This part of the blog hopes to spark curiosity and inspire self-discovery among fellow female travelers by sharing our adventures, mishaps, and most memorable moments. Interested in contributing a short story or photo? Please contact the Trishlist and/or hashtag #trishlist, #solo, or #sheonlylivesonces for a chance to contribute to the blog.