Traveling and taking some time off to go and relax abroad has had me wanting more of it every time. It’s a great habit that I don’t think I will be breaking anytime soon. I find travel very life-changing. It might be nerve-wracking at times, but at the end of it, I find it all beautiful and raw, eye and mind-opening to say the least.
I have learned a lot over the years, and this has, I believe, made me a better person. I’m always looking forward to my next trip to break away from my daily monotonous work and family routine. I love embracing new experiences, meeting fellow travelers, seeing and experiencing new places that give me a new and better understanding of things. In today’s post, I discuss some valuable life lessons I learned over the years of globetrotting.
Money Is Not Everything
Everybody can travel. When I tell people about my travel experiences, their first reaction is almost always “how rich are you?” That is just a misconception. Over the years, I have learned that you don’t need a lot of money to travel, you can get some top tips to save and travel so you are not out of pocket. Taking options like homestays, taking public transportation, and eating street food is a great way that helps my cost management in my travels. The critical factor is to minimize spending, and the little I carry with me goes a long way. Some of the best experiences I have had were on low-budget trips. I have noticed that this principle applies in other areas of life too- you don’t have to have a lot of money to, for example, start that dream project you have been procrastinating.
Always Be Cautious
There are a lot of good and kind-hearted people out there. I have learned that many people out there will help you without expecting anything in return. However, it’s also important to note that some people out there don’t have your best interests at heart. I have always learned to be cautious of all my language and most essential documents like credit cards, travel documents, phones, and money. I have never lost any of these things, but a friend did, majorly because of overly trusting others.
Get Out Of the Comfort Zone
Traveling can sometimes be stressful because of the lack of comfort that I’m used to at home. For example, a comfortable bed, my favorite food, and clean amenities, especially when traveling on a tight budget. I have taken a bath from a bucket several times, and there’s this one time I had to take a bath on the river banks. All of these were incredible experiences that taught me to appreciate what I have in life and get out of my comfort bubble. I learned that some of the amenities we consider to be basic are a luxury to some people.
Appreciate What I Have
I recently had a homestay on one of my trips. At first, I experienced a culture shock from the kind of lives these people have. From their housing, dressing, cuisine, and more, I found most of it pretty shocking. What made me appreciate my life is the food they eat. Their meals are mostly meat from their large herds of goats and cows. Also, they drink raw fresh blood extracted from live cows which is mixed with milk.
My stomach did not sit well with this cuisine, especially the blood and milk, although they had local remedies for my running stomach made from shrubs which somehow worked although not ultimately. These kinds of cuisines are due to little or no rains in the areas that cannot grow anything as well as their nomadic lives.
Patience And Perseverance
While traveling, I have experienced a few setbacks that ended up delaying forcing me to cancel all my plans. This taught me the value of patience and perseverance. I now have in the back of my mind that nothing has to go my way. I always have an option of slowing things down and letting them happen at their pace or finding an alternative. Taking things a step at a time has always brought me a long way, and most of the time, things turn out better than they would have if I forced them to happen. I have learned to sit back, relax, and enjoy every moment of the way without sweating the small things that I can’t change.
