I'm currently in Cambodia and about to get a bus to Vietnam which takes 13 hours. Unfortunately it's really hit me that I'll be leaving South East Asia in a few weeks and heading home, so I decided to write up a list to encourage any reader thinking about travelling to pursue their thoughts; even if you're unsure. Here is my list:
My Top Ten things about Travelling
1) Seeing More than Your Doorstep:
The best thing about travelling for sure is just doing the literal meaning of it: seeing the world. Seeing time from another angle, someone else's view, seeing how others live. Seeing beautiful views and being immersed into a whole new life, one you didn't even know was yours to discover. Experiencing new activities and feeling limitless. It is the ultimate way of living. Another thing is having the time to truly appreciate gods work as you see more and more unfold in front of your eyes, finding new bugs on your trails and walking along endless stretches of beaches and seeing the different rock formations around the world. You soon work out how bloody brilliant of an artist he is.
2) Having The Time To Explore
Having space for God time to a predominant part of the day. I've loved spending boundless time with God, but also getting to explore something until my heart is content. Having my own time without worrying about anything, like when your phone is due to be paid or what time do you have to be asleep as you have work at 5am the next day. Just utter relaxation of body and mind.
3) Meeting New People
It's ridiculous how many people are constantly on an adventure somewhere in the world. It makes you realise how when you're at home how much you keep your life and social life to what you are used too, and to your small circle. At home you don't have the opportunity to constantly meet new people on completely different life journeys. I've held people's hands as they cry over a parents death and I've only known them a few days, yet i share with them the same love I'd show if it was my best friends hand I holding. How friendship is a quickly developed but strong built and you go through ups and downs with all different people all building up bigger pictures of your own memories. People being in your life for a couple days but bro in unforgettable memories.
4) Using All Your Senses
By this I mainly mean tasting all the different weird and wonderful foods that chefs, mums, street food shop owners, bar tenders all cook for you on your journey keeping you interested in your pallet. I love these people, sometimes they don't have a passion for food but it ends up being so much more exciting to discover food this way in comparison to walking down to your local Pizza Hut where you would know it's location and the menu off by heart. Each meal is a surprise a discovery and a sensory path to learning more about your area.
5) Culture
Having the opportunity to experience a different way of life to what you are accustomed to can be a real eye opener. I believe it helps you mature and grow as a person, it also makes you have an attitude switch to how you may conduct yourself at home. For instance anyone who was born and raised in England wouldn't appreciate having toilet roll, out here in south east Asia it is a massive rarity and you realise just something simple like having toilet roll is a huge luxury. Just experiencing that small culture difference makes you so much more appreciative of the little things in life. I know people will argue that you don't have to travel to grow in appreciation just go hiking in England for 5 days it's the same? Well I don't believe it is, it's much more extreme when travelling it's not a trip that you will go home in a few days and forget minor struggles you faced, those struggles will shape you they will help you realise this is people's day to day lives, unchangeable, under-advanced and unable to experience anything else. It's amazing to experience and if you don't experience it you stay in a more sheltered outlook of life with no sense of truly striving. You may have strived for your uni degree but during your uni degree you had food, you had clean water, you had a toilet to use, yes you may have had to cut things out as your on a budget but it's nothing compared to live standards outside of your own country. Dive into this journey and you would regret it I'll be a life changer in your own culture.
6) Growing
As I touched on this in culture you will realise whilst you're out traveling it's not just culture change that you learn and grow in; you grow in all senses. The greatest thing whilst travelling Young is gaining independence, this independence is different from moving out as you learn different things. You are not learning how to pay bills and how to arrange payments for a mortgage or flat rental, you are learning how to adapt in different environments, communicating all the time with a vast range of people some who won't speak a word of English. You also come into contact with budgeting, new experiences, learning limits/ what acceptable in what country and learning how to get around the big wide world that we all live in, it's really easy and a lot less nerve racking when you are doing it. Another aspect is you growing in Christ you can appreciate our fathers magnificent creation and all the different details dotted all around. You also have a huge amount of time to think, reflect, deal with whatever life has thrown at you in the past or present, you learn to depend more on him when you see or experience something tragic. You have plenty of time to read the bible and become more solid on your foundation.
7) Animals
As an animal lover when you travel you see so many diverse animals that you may not see in your own country, it's so intricate getting to see the details of them up close. Whether it's a rare or common bird you come across, a new type of bee you didn't know existed or a water buffalo you don't get them in your own country and it can truly blow you away- it definitely does with me. I also love being immersed with dogs and cats and each hostel usually has either one of them so having them as a personal pet for a few days at a time is how I love to spend my time. Whether I'm socialising with new friends or sitting listening to music having a cat or dog to stroke in my arms i find it so much more enjoyable and reminds of my little one back one (my dog).
8) Always Learning
With travelling it's so nice discovering new place and being on the go. The best thing is that you have the time to learn about the country your in whether it is visiting museums or chatting to local people who tell you about the traditions of a culture or a part of the country. Learning and growing is different, however you learn whilst your growing and you grow with knowledge, but learning is more knowing something entirely new. Where as growing is expanding on what you already know. I think where ever you end up travelling I believe you should take time in learning about the history of that particular country, I think this is important and that's why it's in my top 10.
9) No Work!!!
This should probably be higher up on my list but it's also like a go to thing as you're not in your home country working. It's so nice having no responsibilities no stress in being somewhere at a certain time, if you miss your bus it doesn't follow with consequences such as getting a disciplinary or worst getting fired. It's just so stress-free, even if you decide to work abroad it's nothing like working in your own country, it always feels so much more enjoyable, I believe it's because it's something new so it's exciting and usually the work comes with great satisfaction you feel good for helping and giving your time to others. Whereas in England you want to be paid for giving your time.
10) Massages
Finally, my top 10 has reached its final point. I don't know about you but I love massages like seriously love them, they have different styles of massage in different countries and it's a great way to spend an hour. I've literally had at least one massage a week and I've been away for 4 months, in south east Asia especially they are super cheap. In England you can pay up too £100 on a One hour massage whereas the most expensive I've paid out here is £10 and the cheapest was £2. Another lovely thing as I've previously mentioned is that each country has a unique style
I find this really interesting and have enjoyed them thoroughly- I've even had a massage given to me by a blind person (Cambodia) so each time is a new experience they are never boring or the same and always relaxing.
I hope this may encourage you to travel and more so to discover yourself your top ten things about travelling. I hope you get the chance to travel and save up those pennies in order to do so, the world is massive and would take more than a life time to explore so start young or old but don't not do it!!
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