Eat, Pray, Love – My Travel Luv Story

Have you ever seen someone kick and scream as they fell in love? Hi, let me introduce myself, my name is Chris, also known as “Girl Takes Mundo”. I’m the girl whose intention for traveling was NOT to end up on some Eat, Pray, Love journey. And here I am, ready to share with you my travel luv story.

Was My Trip Inspired By The Book?

Whenever anyone asked if my Girl Takes Mundo journey was inspired by the book “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elisabeth Gilbert, I would swallow the throw up that would try to escape my body, stop my eyes from rolling too far into the abyss of becoming permanent and control my boiling blood. The idea that someone, particularly a woman, couldn’t simply travel for her love of traveling and fulfilling her life dream but that she had to be on a quest to find love, infuriated me. And thus, I made it a point to prove to the world and the people who had questioned me during this journey, wrong. I was on a mission to show that my travels would not turn into a corny “love story”.  Don’t believe me?

See how I treated “love” prior to my Girl Takes Mundo journey and during the first months of my journey here. My problem, was not re-reading my own words. Where I warned readers that you can’t avoid love even while traveling. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Love While Traveling?

Don’t get me wrong, I believe in love and when I finally give into love, I love deeply. But let’s be clear, I’m not the type that goes looking for it. Quite the contrary; I avoid, I push back and I run away literally as well as figuratively. I won’t bore you with details but prior to this journey, the purpose of some of my trips were to run away from love.

My Travel Luv Story

…And then Colombia happened. Girl Takes Mundo met a boy. This boy made her feel different, butterflies in the stomach different, cheesy smiles when his name was said different, heart beating faster different BUT she still had to play it cool. She was on a mission after all.

No one could deny that I put up a fight. Especially said boy. Per Chris fashion, I kicked and screamed for as long as I could. I unsuccessfully tried to convince said boy to sabotage what was happening between us because I couldn’t do it. I knew it would hurt as I couldn’t deny to myself that I had feelings. But I also figured it would be easier this way. Especially, as we were in the early stages of courting after all. I couldn’t phantom dealing with the hurdles of this potential long distance love.

You didn’t hear it from me but in Nicaragua during my Girl Takes Mundo trip was my first attempt of many at running away from “love” and said boy. I failed as weeks later, I invited love and said boy to join me in Guatemala, the first of many reunions after that. 

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How My Love Story Ended

And well, we know how this story ends…

So now with my tail between my legs, I tell the tale of how Girl Takes Mundo failed on avoiding love while traveling. As said boy, now my husband, smiles in the background saying, “I never stood a chance”. 

Final Note

To said boy, thanks for the awkward hellos we’ve shared, to the silent goodbyes you’ve endured with me. More importantly, for finally making Girl Takes Mundo feel comfortable holding hands in public. Consider this post me getting my black belt in TMI. (An inside joke with said, boy.)

My Travel Luv Story Photobook

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