GirlGI | Girl Gone International Issue 7 | Page 124

I always managed to find a
place to pitch my one-person tent. I waited until dusk
to set up camp and left in
the morning. I left no trace,
made no noise, and never lit
a fire. I can’t say that it was
all legal. Whenever possible
I asked for permission, but
more often than not, I was
technically trespassing. I’ve
slept in construction sites,
under an overpass, on the
edge of cornfields, in an
abandoned ceramics factory,
in private forests. As much as
I loved meeting new people
and spending time learning about different cultures,
I also enjoyed having quiet
time on my own. Between
couch surfing and camping,
it was the perfect balance of
social contact and solitude.