Over the weekend I ended up with an evening where everyone I knew was already busy and I didn’t want to spend the evening at the house. Which was when I realized that some of my photography equipment had started to gather dust and remembered someone telling me that the Temple of Debod is really nice to photograph at sunset. Which also sounds kind of touristy and whatnot, but I figured it’d be nice to have some alone time with my camera and so packed my bag and headed out and enjoyed the sunset. Just me, my camera and a ridiculous amount of couples with their tongues’ down each other’s throats as they took selfies for their new profile pictures.
You know what? It was probably super, super cheesy. And I did kind of feel like I stuck out like a bit of a sore, loser-ish thumb. But I also realized that so many of the things that I do are ‘together’ things. Where I’m with at least one other person, which is fine! And after those 11 months in France with limited contact with people my age, this is great! It also means that going out and doing something by myself is now a little harder for me to do. The idea that I need someone in order to go out, so that I don’t have to ‘suffer’ through a meal by myself, or sit silently on a bench or just wander around the city and check out stores that interest solely me. I’ve gotten so much more self conscious of the moments when I do end up doing things solo, something that I’ve always prided myself on being completely alright with doing. Which means that I’ll be trying to push against that uncomfortable feeling and do things by myself again. Be alright with eating dinner by myself, not rush through it, savour it. Go out and have coffee and spend that time writing. Go take pictures of the sunset surrounded by couples and hyper teenagers. Become comfortable with the uncomfortable.
Things I’m Loving:
+ Web inspired travel – (The internet’s celebrating 25 years and how it’s affected travel.)
+ Lemony Shrimp & White Bean Salad – (This looks so fresh and springy and delicious!)
+ Paint something! – (Here are 20 ideas to get you started.)
+ This quote
Blue Eyed Sight 
I can’t promise I’ll ever be okay doing things by myself, but I would have gone to take those photos too—it was totally worth it. (Lol, at the cameo of the couples. Ick.)
Beautiful!!
Ahaha thanks girl. 🙂 Seriously: the couples here are on a level all of their own. And they’re everywhere! Apparently they also get worse as the weather gets warmer. NOT looking forward to that. :p
there’s a good spot that is usually couple-free: if you go down the stairs by where a bus or 2 is parked (a little past the gazebo thing), there’s a railing. nice view and less nonsense. then the pathway back up to the park has some unique views too.
Thanks for the advice, SC! I’ll definitely have to check that option out the next time I’m there. 🙂
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