TRAVEL
Packing up and setting off with a rucksack
isn’t for everyone, but if there’s even a slight
tingle to travel under your skin, please do it. I
would say it’s the best gift you’ll ever buy for
yourself, but that would be an understatement.
Travelling is one of the best investments you’ll
make. You won’t have anything fl ashy to show
for the amazing time you had. In fact, you’ll
probably be skint, have no job and have to
start over again, but that’s ok. Th e exposure to
new cultures, fl avours, sights and places; the
people from every walk of life you meet; the
plans that don’t go to plan; the last-minute
decisions you have to make; the learning to
trust your gut feeling; the food-poisoning;
the language barriers; and the sweaty coach
journeys and perpetual numb bum. It’s the
good, the bad and everything else in between
that make travelling worth it. You return
with more confi dence in yourself, more
appreciation for the little island we call home,
a lifetime of stories
that get progressively
funnier every time
you share them, and
friendships
bound
together by shared highs
and lows.
It’s easy to compare
yourself to others, and
I’ve questioned whether I
should be focusing on other
things, i.e. a career, instead
of travelling and working in
diff erent countries. But people
have their own defi nitions of
success, and it’s a dangerous
game when you use others’ lives
and achievements as a measuring
tool for your own. What I have
learnt is that getting out of your
comfort zone is the only way to
grow. Travelling pushes you out
of your comfort zone, without a
doubt. In some ways, when you come home
you may feel like you’ve grown up or gained
a new perspective on things, yet it feels like
everything and everyone hasn’t changed at
all. When you’ve fi nished catching up with
family and friends and the initial buzz of
being home wears off , you slot straight back
in and it almost feels like you never left. It
defi nitely takes a little while to fi nd your
feet when you come home. But if anything,
having the ability to pick up where you left
off or make a life somewhere completely new
makes you more adaptable and welcoming of
change, in many areas of your life.
Note: Th e travel bug is insatiable. Once it’s
been fed, there’s a high chance it’ll never leave
your system. Don’t worry though, out of all
the bugs it’s the best bug to have. It’s harmless
in nature and simply increases your thirst for
adventure.
97