I often see many travellers on social media openly counting the number of countries they have visited. It seems like every next destination is just another one to add to the list in order to increase the number. When did travel become something that compares to counting calories? If i’m honest, counting countries has never crossed my mind, neither has counting calories. In fact, whenever I do see a ‘traveller’ being openly boastful about how many countries they have visited, I often roll my eyes.
Travel for me is about each individual experience, not on each country. The personal and unique moments, the good and the bad. You simply cannot put a number on number on those encounters and certainly not through the number of countries visited either.
I just returned from my fifth visit to Paris and a countless number of visits to France. I found myself sitting on the rooftop of my hotel, overlooking the streets below. The sun was beaming and I had a ice-cold drink in my hand. As I looked up, I could see the most perfect view of the iconic Eiffel Tower. I sat back and ran through a flash back of all the moments I had in Paris, where I spotted the Eiffel Tower. From being a young 11 year old on a school trip, to coming back for my 19th birthday, to press trips, to running around being touristy with friend. One iconic building, one city, so many exceptional moments.
Each time I have stood at the base of the Eiffel Tower, I have had a different person stood by my side. That’s special. Meeting different people along the way and making memories with special people, that’s another reason I became a traveller and travel blogger.
I don’t feel inadequate compared to those that count countries, because travel isn’t a competition. I don’t feel the need to race other travel bloggers or travellers to be one of the few that have visited every country in the world. In this lifetime, if I cover a small number of countries but experience every single journey to my fulfilment, taking it all in, I will be happy.
Travel is a remedy for me. It’s not something I want to rush, whizzing in out of countries, merely leaving my footprint before taking off to another destination. I want to eat the local food, drink the home-grown wines, feel the salty wind in my hair. Do activities that make me a more fearless traveller. I want to scream, shout, laugh and open my eyes to the beautiful world we are so, so fortunate to be able to explore.
Travel is about also being immersed in the moment, which is why i’ve also stopped centering my travels around social media, specifically my Instagram. I almost felt like I was being a faux traveller. Choosing a hotel because it has the perfect Instagrammable view? Making a check list of Instagrammable spots in each destination? No!
I recently had to check in with myself and ask “Are you travelling for your followers or are your followers following your travels?”. It should be all about travelling for me, not for others. After all, I grew a following from sharing my experiences not creating those sharable experiences on purpose.
People will never perceive you as well travelled by how many gorgeous, Instagram photos you have or the number you plaster on your social media. You will naturally portray how well travelled you are by the countless exhilarating and unique stories you have to share – what your eyes have seen, your hands have felt and your feet have touched. No picture or number can compare.
The world provides us with so much to explore, to learn and to grow with. I want to experience the world, at my pace, with love and passion for each destination I visit. No matter how many times I visit or don’t. That’s why I don’t count countries.
Until next time…
I really enjoyed reading this post Aftab. I think you’re right we’re all doing things for ‘the gram’ these days. It’s good to take a slower pace and enjoy a place for what it is, and not rush onto the next.
I have to say I’m guilty of counting the countries I’ve visited but I wouldn’t plan trips to just tick the boxes. In fact sometimes it’s lovely to return to places you’ve already visited. We’ve been to Dubai a couple of times & Morocco twice too. I’d certainly love to return to Paris and Copenhagen again. (That would be my 3rd visit to CPH)!
Thanks Sarah! I know some travel bloggers literally touch down in one place and then move onto another once they have got the shots they wanted. That’s not being a true traveller or travel blogger! I personally love revisiting places I have visited before, it’s like coming home to a place you already know so well!
Loved this post Aftab! I totally agree…social media and the fact that every second person is a “travel blogger/writer/photographer” means that travel has inevitably become a competition to see who gets the best instaworthy shot before someone else. And that makes me smad because travel has always been a passion for me, an experience, one that I am happy to share with the world but only to inspire people to do the same – for the experience, not for the gram! I lost count of where we have set footsteps in many moons ago and the list on my blog is now really for reference only. I must confess I have left my heart in so many places that I would love to return to – but to relish life in the slow lane for a while. I plan trips to check off experiences, not boxes and I hope that my mindset doesn’t change anytime soon!
Thanks Harpreet, that means a lot. Totally, I don’t seem it as a competition anymore. For me it was and always will be somewhere I can write and talk about whatever I want to, mainly being my travels. I know exactly what you mean, travel is a sense of therapy and it really opens your heart to love more. I love that, I agree too. It’s all about ticking off those experiences. I hope it doesn’t either!
Great post! I think blogging and social media definitely created that monster. I love the “Are you travelling for your followers or are your followers following your travels?” that’s a great way to see it! However I think that it can be both and it can be healthy! I think that having a blog forces me out of my comfort zone sometimes and I’ve loved that about it 🙂
Thanks Camila! I totally agree, it’s quite sad. I’ve noticed most recently that I wasn’t travelling for me anymore, so something had to change. Oh, I totally agree!