Growing up in a era where travel comes as easy as booking a flight to a destination in minutes, I feel extremely privileged. A privilege that certainly was not available to many of our ancestors who lived before myself. For someone who grew up well travelled, my twenties were only going to end up one way. However, I didn’t know that I would fall so hard in love with travelling, that I would want to be away every weekend. Not mentioning that I would aspire to write and grow my own luxury travel blog.
I feel all kinds of emotions when I travel, mainly freedom. Maybe that’s why it’s so addicting? Being up in the clouds that form day in day out, chasing sunsets and ageing gracefully amongst the salt sea waters. That’s a kind of life I want and continue to want for myself. Of course, without a doubt, my career will be a major part of my life, but I want the other part to be all about travel. I’m sharing why I will always prioritise travel over everything else during every spare ‘day off’ I have.
1. Enrich your soul
As I mentioned, it gives me a sense of freedom. Travelling is also a soul enriching thing, it gives you experiences, teaches you lessons, you meet inspiring people and opens your eyes to the world. It is definitely something you cannot learn by sitting at home, spending your weekends hungover and in bed. Many people know the quote “Travel is the only thing you can buy that will make your life richer” and I think it speaks volumes. Only if I could tell you the amount of times that my travels have just left me absolutely speechless, compared to making memories at home.
2. Become fearless
I grew up quite timid. I was easily scared of the littlest things and I would find comfort by hiding behind my parents. I was never overly confident during my schooling years either. Becoming fearless was one of the challenges I set myself when I started this blog and moved to London, over 4 years ago. It’s another reason that it is a one major part of my blog name – a daily reminder that fearlessness needs to reside within me. My travels have slowly pushed me to be fearless. Travelling alone, spending time with new people on press trips and discovering the hidden delights of new destinations.
3. Have no travel regrets
I can put my hands up in the air and say I have no regrets. Experiences when travelling aren’t always positive, admittedly. There has been times were we have fallen ill by eating meat in India, unexpected encounters with wild animals in Ngorongoro Crater, delayed flights, overbooked flights and many more unfortunate experiences. However, that has never once stopped me from travelling. It’s all part of the journey and truly makes you appreciate the memorable and spectacular moments.
4. Challenging your comfort zone
Another step into my travel journey was to test my limits and see how far I could push myself out of my comfort zone. I had my first solo travel experience in Paris around this time last year – which definitely was an experience in itself. I did survive and all was fine, but it made me realise how much I actually enjoyed the company of other travellers. However, it did reinforce that travelling with likeminded individuals is also just as important, so you’re all onboard with the same itinerary.
I was actually afraid of flying whilst growing up too. I used to hold onto my mum’s arm so tight and shovel my head in-between her and her seat when taking off. Practice makes perfect, right? My parents never stopped travelling because of my fear and that’s the reason why I no longer have that fear today. I have put some tips together for those that are afraid of flying and what helped me.
I’m also really afraid of insects and spiders, so having to deal with cockroaches, lizards and spiders on my travels had been challenging experience too. Not forgetting, wild monkeys and dogs too…
5. Appreciate and learn
There is so much to learn by visiting other countries. Over the many destinations I have visited, culture has been a major aspect of what I have learnt. Many people live in different ways, have alternative mannerisms and live their lives in a different way to those that live in the UK. I’m often jealous of lavish and relaxed lives of those that live aboard – having mid-afternoon siestas, wine filled lunches (yes, that’s completely normal apparently) and nobody is at any rush to get anywhere.
Even though there is an aspect of jealously, you visit some destinations and you bless your stars for the life you live. Not everyone has the luxury or even the necessitates that we are so openly exposed to. I remember, my mum used to keep all the clothes we outgrew and would fill a couple of empty suitcases full of those clothes to give to the less fortunate people. Seeing the appreciation on their faces for things we would probably throw away is unbelievably heart warming.
Even though travel is so readily available to us, there is so much to learn, experience and grow from it too. I wouldn’t have it any other way, because I am the person I am today because of what I have been exposed to. I always thank my parents for ensuring we were well travelled and igniting my passion to do it without their constant guidance too. That my friends, is why I will always prioritise travel.
Until next time…
