TRAVERSE 43
By Mark Direen Photographs by Leigh Wilkins
Recently returning from a two-week road trip around New Zealand’ s South Island, and while the trip wasn’ t my most epic adventure, it was incredible in its own way— and it got me thinking.
We take so much away from travel, and I’ m not just talking about the iconic landscape pictures, unique foods, or standout tourist experiences. Beneath those surface memories, travel quietly builds something far more valuable: our core human life skills. These are the tools we carry with us long after the bags are unpacked.
Here are five powerful core skills that travel teaches us— whether you’ re backpacking through Asia, road-tripping across Australia, or navigating a foreign city for the first time.
1. Adaptability— Learning to Flow When Plans Go Sideways
Before leaving Australia on this latest trip, I built a detailed itinerary— places to go, things to see, all neatly mapped out. But, like most plans, it started to unravel not too soon after we drove out of the hire car yard.
I noticed what my travel companion( in this case, my new wife) was enjoying most on the trip, and after chatting with locals I know and trusted, the plan changed.
And that’ s the beauty of it. Often different to when we are at home, we are more easily accepting of change when we are travelling. The planning is more important than the plan.
Travel constantly pulls you out of your comfort zone. Flights get delayed, bookings fall through, weather changes, or you find yourself somewhere where you don’ t speak the language. It’ s uncomfortable— but you learn to adapt, problem-solve on the fly, shift your expectations, and adjust without losing your mind.
Lesson: It’ s not about avoiding all problems— it’ s about how you respond when they happen.
TRAVERSE 43