Profound?

The other day Leena talked about how she expected to have profound thoughts when independently hiking for two straight months but instead found herself thinking of very basic things. When I get to camp will I make dinner first or set up my tent and bedding? How far have I gone today and how much further do I have left to walk?

It's definitely been this way for me as a traveler. I had no big goal in mind for my travels but did kind of expect to have some deep thoughts/reflections due to all the "extra" time on my hands. Turns out I have little free time and I'm constantly thinking about the daily ins and outs of travel. Where will I sleep tonight? How will I get from point A to point B. How's my budget doing? This will be even more true as I shift from six weeks of road-tripping with others to independently traveling through Singapore, India and Turkey.

All that said, here are a few not-so-profound reflections from my time in Australia:

• Americans have too much stuff, including extra weight, because food and things are super cheap. Food, clothing, toiletries, everything is more expensive in New Zealand and Australia.
• Racism is everywhere. When white europeans colonized they believed their culture to be superior to others and expected others to assimilate. This is still the case.
• People are good! It's okay to trust most people. People typically have the right intentions.