In life there isn’t many things that you ‘should’ do. I mean we learn the simple things in life like brushing our teeth, going to school, or even paying taxes as important things (that are just apart of life). Everyone’s definition is personal to themselves depending on preference- how they were brought up or where they are in life. Some people (like me) would include some variance of exercise as a non-negotiable in life – with others deeming praying as a non-negotiable.
Everyone is different and that’s the beauty of life. We all have different desires and that’s what makes us human!
Travel isn’t just the art of visiting a new place and seeing what it offers; I mean that’s just the 2 dimensional view of what it is. Everyone posts photos on Instagram and sees a short snippet of what someone’s trip is like, whether it’s them on a cruise, or in-front of the Eiffel Tower, or at base camp on Mount Everest. People just see the snapshot of that moment. But travelling is far from that.
It’s the comparison of seeing a successful business but just seeing the successful part. Or the tip of the iceberg if you will. It’s the bit underneath the waters which people don’t see, and more importantly, don’t recognise. This is the part that makes it all worth it.
A lot of people don’t get to experience travelling, which for us is a sad revelation. To us, travelling is an essential part of life. It’s something I would recommend to people above most things… That does sound crazy really, but what you get out of it can change your life, or at least your perspective. It can teach you things that you weren’t even searching the answers for.
Change your perspective
Travelling, especially to different parts of the world, will give you a new perspective. The way people live is the complete opposite to our everyday life. It’s not something you can fully understand until you see it in person, until you live it. Films and stories can only capture a small corner of what life is really like.
You realise that these people really cherish the small things in life, and I mean some things that we don’t even consider. Something as simple as a new face they haven’t seen before, or just some fresh fruit can be enough to ignite a deep smile in someone’s face.
Think about all the stresses we have in life? We go to work and we worry about not handing in our work on time.. or worry about studying and not getting the grades we want.. but these are things we should be grateful that we have the opportunity to do. Both of us were privileged enough to have the option to attend University, with Jack getting a masters & Aimee deciding to leave due to not finding the right degree for her career. We are both lucky to be in the position to study, earn and live in the country we do, as most people in the world don’t have this opportunity.
From our travels, I remember a boat trip in the Philippines where we visited the last island of our boat tour and it was as scenic as the rest and looked like it was pulled straight from Hollywood. It had the perfectly clear blue waters, white sanded beaches, thick greens forest with large rock formations as a scenic background to the perfect island. Here, we met locals who lived on the island.. What did they eat? What did they do? How did they survive? As there wasn’t much there at all; but this was their home.
Their little corner of paradise was all they needed. They greeted us with great big smiles like we were old friends, and we communicated through the simple English they have picked up by speaking with foreigners before us. We spent 1 hour on this island where we played a game of beach volleyball as the sun set on the horizon (which we won by the way!!). After we collapsed on the beach to enjoy our last snippet of their paradise which they were happy to share with us.
People back home can take offence when you smile at them, but here we are friends.
There is nothing like meeting people from different backgrounds. Even the most unexpected people may teach you some life lessons which will stick with you and change your perspective. It really humbles your ego and creates an awareness that we are all the same, no matter our path in life. This is an experience we know many people haven’t experienced and one that many people would majorly benefit from.
Who knows, this new perspective may be what you are searching for, or the push you needed to pursue the dream you always had but weren’t aware of.
Enjoy the little things
We are so submerged in our everyday lives of social media and work, we truly do forget some of the best things in life. Even the simplicity of enjoying time with family, or with a loved one. Away from phones and TVs. This is something we don’t allow ourselves to have, as our brains are constantly stimulated and we ‘need’ to keep our brains occupied. A recent issue we have seen is that with using apps including Instagram & Tiktok, people constantly scroll, and there is too much stimulation constantly, and little attention span.
Sometimes it’s nice to put down these devices, switch them off and take some time for yourself to be with whatever you want to be with. A memory that stays with us is waking up (absurdly early) at 4/5 am in Costa Rica and going for a long walk around the sanctuary; taking in the morning skies and lively animals before our day started. Phones were placed deep in our pockets and we wandered – with no time constraints – and immersed ourselves in the sounds of exotic birds squawking and the rustling of bushes from mammals scurrying from the sound of our footsteps.
This experience is a portion of the day we really made the most of and is one not many people did at the sanctuary.
When travelling, it’s important to really immerse yourself in the activity/location you are in to really get the most of the experience. Sometimes, the simplest of activities, no matter how small they are, can have a long-lasting impact.
Now that we are back in our home country, I still listen out for birds calling and still get satisfaction from the musical sounds that I hear. Sometimes life gets hard – even now as I am writing this – I’ve had a rather tough day but as I was leaving work all I could hear was warm calls from birds. The sound created a nostalgic feeling, one that put a smile on my face and gave me the kick I really needed. Sometimes, it really is the simple things in life that can matter the most.
New Cultures
This is probably the most obvious to people who are looking to travel. As we know, all countries have varying experiences, and ways of living. Therefore, we all have rituals that differ and create distinct cultures, and the only way we can experience others, is to engage in it.
In some cultures, it is deep-rooted beliefs that have existed for generations. If we think of the simple examples of Mexico, and their Dia De Los Muertos festival (The Day of the Dead Festival) or the Chinese New Year festival, these are both engrained in their culture and something they take good pride in when celebrating.
It’s a great way to educate yourself on new cultures and beliefs to learn more about yourself, and what you believe in or celebrate. It’s important to celebrate the important things in life, and a lot of travellers get involved in cultural celebrations to show respect and gratitude towards the people or culture who celebrate.
This is the perfect way to enrich your life experiences and understand different perspectives which will help us grow.
Meet new people
A lot of people (especially in today’s age), really struggle when meeting people. It can be a daunting idea to meet new people- and when we are in the comfort of our own home, it is easier to say no and stay in this comfort. If you have found the courage to travel and commit to such an enthralling journey, then meeting people will be something you will have little choice in doing.
When you travel, you are likely to meet people who are more alike to you than back home. These people you meet while travelling will have similar interests to you as you will meet them in places YOU choose to visit. If you are up a mountain, you probably like hiking- and so does the rest of the group you are hiking with!
This is the perfect place to meet new people and form some amazing bonds to create some unforgettable memories with.
These people will also teach you a lot as well! They will take you outside your comfort zone by introducing you to new places, activities & people which you may not have experienced if you didn’t meet them.
You will meet people who have done some extraordinary things and it may motivate you to find some extraordinary things to do also. Who knows, the people you meet might push you to sky dive even if you are afraid of heights. And doing things like this – outside our comfort zone – will only help us grow and improve as people.
Travelling is a gift
The thought of travelling is one that will never change, it’s something inside that will always burn bright in us. We couldn’t recommend travelling enough as we know that you will come back a new person (that’s if you come back)! There is so much to learn in this world, whether it’s new people, cultures, places, languages.
As you may already know, Jack has the ambition to visit every country. We are so excited to explore and learn about each countries way of living and what it has to offer.
If you really are unsure of travelling and somehow this blog wasn’t able to persuade you, the check out our other blog ‘Do I want to travel‘. This blog includes some important questions to ask yourself which we hope it helps to answer that big important question.
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