They say the days of online blogs as journals are gone. Perhaps they're right. But if you're here, reading this, you might just be someone who still appreciates the mindful musings of a midlife misfit—so buckle up, because my stories tend to stray. That's where Prose and Passports comes in—more than just a platform for travel tips and packing lists, it’s a continuation of a personal journey, one that crosses more than just physical borders.
Nearly five months ago, I left the safety and security of a job that afforded me a modest but comfortable lifestyle and the benefits of caring for my and my husband’s health. Quitting wasn’t an easy choice, but it was fueled by a powerful realization: staying with that company wasn’t going to lead me to the career goals or financial freedom I truly wanted to achieve. Approaching 45—without children—and with my own path to carve, I saw this as the perfect moment in life to prioritize my dreams over someone else’s. Because, if not now, then when?
Creating Prose and Passports has been quite the journey—one that I know is just getting started. I have to remind myself of this daily, especially when I feel discouraged or question if I'm equipped or capable of being successful. It doesn't help that I’m navigating a saturated social market filled with 20- and 30-something (active) travelers while also feeling out of place among the “mid-life” content creators—many of whom have children—whether they’re grown and out of the house or still tagging along for the adventure. And I don’t exactly fit in with the 40-something solo travelers either, the ones who roam wherever the wind blows, no F’s given. I’m something and somewhere in the middle—not fully knowing how to classify myself or if what I say relates or resonates with anyone reading.
In many ways, I felt this exact way when I was a full-time traveler in my 20s and 30s. Always just a little out of place in the everyday world around me. I recognize my privilege in being able to create and nurture this platform. What I want to give it is a voice that resonates with other midlife misfits like myself. Prose and Passports deserves that.
I've always worn my "analog" travel experiences like a badge of honor, though that digital disconnect made it tricky to map out clear pathways for future explorers. That’s where Backpackers' Guide to the Globe comes in—a blueprint for traveling a world captured in still images and scribbled journal entries, where the focus is on the spirit and emotion of the journey, not just the destination.
At times, I wish social media had been around when I started traveling at 22. Other times, I’m so glad it wasn’t! Recently, I spoke with a Gen-Z solo female traveler who has almost 100K followers and, at just 24, is a full-time travel content creator. She has literally never known a world without the internet or Instagram and gets paid to travel and document her experiences. A dream, right?
I asked if she ever experiences creative burnout or travel fatigue from having to constantly produce new (and ever more engaging) content as her livelihood. Her answer surprised me—not because she admitted that, yes, she was struggling with burnout and the pressures of content creation, but because she mentioned that other travel creators have confessed to feeling the same. Some are even consciously deciding to leave their phones and cameras behind while exploring, just to be more fully present—something I never could imagine a 20-year-old doing—let alone a professional travel content creator!
Our conversation led me to believe there is a feeling of global preservation that young travelers want to cultivate and an intimacy of experiences they want to protect. Hearing her say she envied the moments of complete connectedness (and anonymity) I experienced while traveling young made me feel relatable in a way I haven't felt in a long time—at least not by younger travelers. I found new hope that the spirit of travel—true cultural immersion and connection, not just chasing the next viral Instagram post—will still resonate with younger generations.
When I started traveling at 22, being "off the grid" wasn’t a conscious choice; it was just reality. It was so easy to be fully present and disconnected that my parents had a rule: I had to call home every two weeks—using a streetside payphone and an international calling card, of course.
If I forgot to call they’d send an email saying, “Hey! Are you alive?” I never meant to make them worry, but it was so easy to get lost in every experience and forget the rest of the world existed. I began to look forward to my trips overseas—the anonymity and freedom they offered—especially as the world became more connected through social media and rapid mobile technology.
I know that digitally disconnecting isn’t a realistic option for people today, and most wouldn't even want to explore the feeling of insecurity it can bring. Yet, to have a 24-year-old solo female traveler find value in my disconnected-to-be-connected experiences, and want to recreate that feeling herself, makes me believe that just maybe I will find my voice, my niche, my tribe, and an authentic and viable profession—amidst a crowded horizon of creators.
So, maybe online blogs as journals are dead. Or, (stay with me now), maybe there’s an audience who longs to read the mental musings of a midlife misfit. I hope it’s you.
If anything I've said resonates, feel free to leave a comment below. It's always nice to be reminded we're not all just yelling into the void. And as always...
Happy Travels!
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Love it, Kim! I always struggle social media and more often than not find my self backing out of posting because of the made up pressure behind it. Really emersing yourself and putting your phone down is so important in traveling but there is always a dread of missing out on something if your not constantly locked in. I love your mindful musings of a midlife misfit. Keep it up!