The View Was Perfect. I Wasn’t

I hiked Trilha da Feiticeira because everyone said the waterfall was worth it. Sunburned, sweat-soaked, and alone, I reached the top and stared at the view—the kind you’re supposed to post. But I just sat there, picking at a granola bar, wondering why I felt nothing. Maybe it’s the pressure to feel transformed in places like this. Maybe it’s just exhaustion. I watched couples take selfies, friends laughing in Portuguese, and realized I’d built up this moment in my head. The view was perfect. I wasn’t. Sometimes travel doesn’t fix you. Sometimes it just gives you a quiet place to notice what’s missing. #Travel #SoloTravelTruth #TravelExpectationVsReality