Around the World in 6 Months: First 48 Hours

My name is Mishana Sturdivant and I own Tad Bit Rad Travels. The purpose of this blog is to empower my readers to travel efficiently and unapologetically by sharing tips, recommendations and stories. It’s time for me to begin my sabbatical travels and I’m stoked. Here’s a recap of my first 48 hours. Enjoy.

I did it. I finally did it. I flew to Athens, Greece, on a one-way ticket. I moved all my belongings into storage, cancelled my numerous subscriptions, updated my address to my parents’ home, packed my carry-on, and booked out my first month of travel.

It feels so surreal that I’m an adult who can practice free will. I took that seriously by just deciding that I was going to travel the world, no matter what.

My first travel day was a bit chaotic. Any traveler knows that you just roll with the punches when the unexpected happens. Traveling isn’t perfect, and things don’t always go according to plan, but you just pivot and keep it pushing. My first flight to New York City was delayed 9 hours due to a mechanical issue and bad weather. This made me miss my original flight into Athens. I wasn’t sure if Delta Airlines would rebook me since I booked both flights separately. They were able to rebook me for the next day, which means I would get into Athens a day later than I originally planned. That’s fine because I didn’t have much planned for the first day anyway. Once I finally made it to Athens, I had to exit the terminal, go through passport control, and then re-check my bag. Greece is the capital of organized chaos because the airport was busy and chaotic, just like the ferries. There are people everywhere with moods that vary.

Temple of Apollo, Naxos Greece

I’m used to traveling through Europe as a Black American. I’m used to the stares, the lack of personal space, and the cold but direct speaking. After 4 hours of that, I breezed through security and into the airport lounge. 10 minutes before my flight was ready to board, I walked to my gate. In Europe, most airports require you to take a bus to the plane. That was the case in Athens to board the Olympic Air plane to Naxos. My flight was short and sweet. Naxos has a small and quaint airport. One plane flies in and out at a time. The baggage claim is a small, walk-in closet-sized room. I met my driver at the airport, and we drove 15 minutes to Naxos Town, where I was staying.

While in Naxos, I stayed in the Mariet Naxos Elegant Suites, which was a locally owned boutique hotel, and it was a lovely stay. It was a 5-minute walk from the port and within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and bars. There’s also a bus stop at the end of the port where buses can take you all over the island. I only planned to be in Naxos for two nights, but because of the travel delays, I only had one night in Naxos. I would recommend at least 3 nights in Naxos to explore Naxos town and the many beaches and villages sprinkled on the island.

Naxos sunset view

My first 24 hours in Greece were spent exploring Naxos town and grabbing a bite to eat for dinner and breakfast the next morning. I grabbed pre-dinner drinks in front of the beach near the port. There's a small shack restaurant that sells bar snacks, food, and drinks. I sat and drank a few glasses of house white wine and watched locals swim. I grabbed dinner at a popular spot called Mezze. I had some decent food. Afterwards, I found a bar tucked away from the crowd for a nice chilled cocktail.

Now I’m on a ferry to Milos. Thankfully, the ferry to Milos is not the big ferry with hundreds of people. I didn’t check in like I was supposed to, but they still allowed me to board and grab an empty seat. I’m assuming because there were open seats. I have 4 hours on this ferry until I arrive at my next destination. After 24 hours in Naxos, I’ve realized a few things: I need to budget my spending, I don’t have to go out to eat for every meal, and I need to pace myself from day to day, so that I don’t burn out. 24 hours in Naxos is fine since it was out of my control, but moving forward, I need a few days in each destination. I need one rest day, one full-out exploring day, and another day for a paid excursion. This doesn’t include travel days because traveling can be energy draining. I believe slower travel allows for longer travel. Traveling for 6 months non-stop will be tiring, but if I stay in a city for at least 5-7 days, I can avoid burnout. Ultimately, that’s the goal, to return home in 6 months rejuvenated and inspired – not burnt out.