Clank. Clank. Clank.

The metallic sound gets louder and louder as the train approaches the station, eventually slowing down as it screeches to a halt. Senior Rei Binkley, clipper card ready and trip planned out on Google Maps, rushes to board the train as soon as its doors creak open. Today, they’ve decided to go up to their favorite coffee shop in San Francisco, meet up with friends and try to scope out some new spots.

“Something I absolutely love is exploring and adventuring and traveling to new places,” Rei said. “They don’t necessarily have to be far, but I just like checking out new things. I’m very proud of all of the new spots I find.”

To Rei, these trips are more than just a way to pass the time: they are a form of discovery and a way of healing their inner child. Living their childhood in a suburban Saratoga home, Rei never had the chance to explore their surroundings.

“When I was a kid, I didn’t know much about my surroundings,” Rei said. “But as soon as somebody popped the bubble for me and showed me how to explore by myself, I thought, ‘Oh my God. There’s so much out there that I don’t know about and now I want to know more.’ I didn’t know anything, and now I have a thirst to just know what’s out there.”

Senior Zachary Soraire, Rei’s close friend since kindergarten and fellow dancer in Kinetic Krew, appreciates Rei’s explorational spirit. He describes how Rei also enjoys sharing the experience with friends, and teaching them to explore as well.

“Especially during our Santana Row performance, we had the freedom to go around wherever we wanted,” Zachary said. “We just explored the place. They are always willing to help with anything.”

Rei also finds a therapeutic value in their travels, as a change of pace and location is typically all that it takes to calm them down. As travel is Rei’s therapy, anxiety relief is typically just a bus or bike ride away. 

“If I’m not feeling the best, I can usually de-stress pretty easily just by going somewhere,” Rei said. “Just the act of going somewhere always makes me feel better. When I’m feeling stressed, I will bike all the way to a nearby spot and it always calms me down.”

History teacher Bronwen Callahan notes Rei’s growth over the years and how mature they’ve become, while also maintaining their idiosyncrasies. More specifically, she admires how driven Rei can be when they put their mind to something.

“Rei announced to me that they would no longer be late to school and that they were changing their entire sleep regimen,” Callahan said. “I’ve heard that a bajillion times from many different students, but it shocked me when the next day, Rei showed up on time and was never late again.” 

This thirst for knowledge and exploration brought Rei all over California, from the snow-spotted peaks of Tahoe’s Donner Pass to the hazy to the smog-filled hills of Los Angeles. But most of the time, it’s the journey that makes the trip enjoyable, not the destination.

“I prefer going out with friends, rather than alone, because it makes the journey so much more fun,” Rei said. “When going out with friends, you get to talk to them about things, and I’m very much a person who likes talking. Of course, it’s still really fun to just go places, but it’s definitely more fun with people.”

Close friend senior Connor Su attests to Rei’s unique personality, and what sets them apart from their other friends. Rei is a lot more adventurous and outgoing than other people in their friend group.

“My first impression of Rei is that they reminded me of a Wacky Waving Inflatable Tube Man from those car dealerships,” Connor said. “They go with the flow, all while moving in their own special way.”

Just as Rei’s traveling and their conversations with friends widen their perspective, so do their encounters with strangers. A love for public transit goes hand in hand with a love for the public that rides it, and Rei learned to love the world and people around them.

“I want to know more people’s stories, and learn their perspective,” Rei said. “I’ve developed a much better view of the world through meeting new people during these travels. One time, I was on a train, just watching people pass by, and it hit me that, ‘Oh, this is life.’ It was really eye opening.”