After months of planning, my college roommate, a Brazilian national, and I were set for a weeklong reunion in Cartagena, Colombia.
She’d be leaving out of Brazil, and I’d depart from Colorado with a layover in Los Angeles. We were excited to spend our trip having spa days, delicious Colombian food, and dance parties at beach clubs.
But as I deplaned at LAX and headed to the international terminal, my buddy called me with unfortunate news: She wasn’t allowed to board her flight to Cartagena.
We called off the Colombia trip, but I was now alone in Los Angeles
At the time, individuals coming directly from the US did not need the yellow-fever vaccine to enter Colombia, but travelers from Brazil did.
Before boarding her flight, she was asked to provide proof of vaccination. She had documents showing she’d gotten it as a child and attempted to get updated paperwork before the trip.
Unfortunately, she didn’t receive it in time, and her old documents were deemed insufficient. Although I could’ve gone to Colombia alone, we called off the trip.
Our itinerary wouldn’t have been as fun or safe if I were solo. Plus, the trip would’ve been pretty expensive for me since we’d booked everything with the intention of splitting costs.
Fortunately, I found silver linings. Most of our reservations in Colombia didn’t require up-front payment, so we didn’t lose money canceling our hotel.
Since I’d used refundable miles to purchase one of my flights, I got back a $250 American Airlines voucher when I canceled it.
I pivoted quickly and ended up taking a solo trip to Hawaii
It turns out my $250 voucher was just enough for a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Honolulu.
So I spent the night in a motel, regrouped, and returned to LAX in the morning with a new flight, determined not to let my first bikini wax go to waste.
I didn’t have many plans once I got to Hawaii — I was just happy to be there. Luckily, the hostel I booked last-minute scheduled outings every day, so I got to explore the island with a cool group of travelers around my age.
I enjoyed tackling the famous Koko Head hike, training jujitsu at a great Hawaiian gym, and hitting the local bars each night.
It was a pretty great, if unexpected, week of solo travel.
I’m proud of how well I adapted, and this experience taught me a few lessons
Just over a year later, I’m planning another trip with my Brazilian bestie. And yes, this time, we both plan to research the entry requirements for our destination even further in advance and follow them to a “T.”
I’m also considering paying extra for travel insurance, since I still lost about $500 on canceled plane tickets from the Colombia trip.
Above all, though, I’m proud I made the most of a disappointing situation — and I feel pretty lucky I could give myself a solo week in Honolulu as a consolation prize for a canceled international trip with a friend.
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