There’s nothing quite like the feeling of takeoff. The moment when the wheels lift off the ground is simply magical, transcendent even. You can feel the tug of the earth’s gravity as you tilt back and start climbing toward the clouds. Man, I really missed that feeling.

As I write this, I’m somewhere over the Gulf of Mexico, or maybe the Caribbean, making my way to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

I know, I know, you’re probably thinking, there she goes again, off on yet another international adventure. Well yes, yes I am, and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

And some of you may already be typing out the don’t you know there’s a pandemic going on?! comments. Yes, I’m well aware. I spent 3 months in total lockdown in Spain last spring. You’ll be happy to know that I quarantined for three weeks before my trip, received two negative covid tests in the past week, and am rubbing my hands raw with all the hand sanitizer I’m using. Experiencing new things and exploring new places is still possible, even now. We just need to be as cautious and diligent as we can to protect the health and safety of those around us. But enough about that, let’s get to the fun stuff!

As I said, I’m on my way to Puerto Rico (I’ll be there by the time you read this though), where I’ll spend the next few weeks working at a hostel. I’m sure I’m not alone when I tell you how badly I needed a change from my life back home. The drudgery of the day to day life was draining me of my joy. So when I found the opportunity to spend a few weeks away—and in a Spanish-speaking place!—I knew I had to take it.

And since I’ll only be working 5 hours each day, I’ll have plenty of time to explore the island, kick back at the beach, and manage my business, Rooted. (A BIG thank you to Mom & Beth Ann for being my shipping fairies for the next few weeks!).

On another note, hey look, I have a new blog! Welcome to Flying Blind, where I’ll be sharing my travel stories, experiences as a visually impaired person, lessons learned about faith, and of course, lots and lots of photos.

I want your input, though. So if there’s anything you’d be interested in hearing about from me, comment below! I’d love to hear any questions you have related to travel or sight loss or both. I’ll be attempting to write a couple of posts each week, so make sure you follow along to get notifications each time I publish a new one. And if you’re on Instagram, follow me @flyingblind_travel for daily travel inspo (Come travel vicariously through my account 😉)

Well friends, I think that’s it for now. From somewhere in the sky, ¡hasta luego!

– Rebecca