Why do I spend my life on the road? Should I stop? These are questions people ask me every day, and in this post, I’ll give a detailed answer to the question: What travel means to me?
So, what do travels mean to me?
When I think back on all my trips, memories of my happiest days come to mind. They’re all different: in one, I dove underwater for the first time and saw a shark; in another, I saw a medieval castle for the first time; in France, I spent an entire day at Disneyland (I don’t think I need to explain how many positive emotions you can get from a theme park!); in Hallstatt, I drank the most delicious coffee; and in the Maldives, I photographed amazing people.
There are countless moments like these, and they fill my whole life. I have so many stories that I couldn’t even tell you one-thousandth of them. Only a few rare moments will you read here in my notes.
Traveling gives you more than just souvenirs, postcards, spices, bruises, and blisters; it offers the greatest gift – it strengthens your character, boosts your confidence, and gives you a sense of self-worth. Every time I return from a trip, I bring back a new version of myself, one that often, in almost all cases, is at odds with the versions of me that don’t venture beyond the horizon.
Sure, sometimes it’s better to stay home, turn on the TV, grab a sausage, and watch a series, having a worldview the size of half the screen. That’s better than seeing real life, right? But sitting at home, you won’t learn how to climb mountains, you can’t taste real Ceylon tea, shake hands with a celebrity, or fully discover yourself.
Want to go to the sea? Then just pick its name or color and open the door. Just get up and walk out of your cave! “The Maldives are my lifelong dream, turquoise water, palm trees… if only I could catch a glimpse!” one person told me. “You’re so lucky, I envy you, Maldives… ahhh.”
I scan the person in front of me. I think… iPhone 15, mink coat made of whole pieces, boots clearly not bought at the market (these boots probably cost as much as my entire summer wardrobe), nails-claws, each time a new design, laminated hair with extensions. If the Maldives are your dream, then why? Your whole dream is in your hair, nails, feet, lips. Why bury it?
Not long ago, my husband and I were preparing for another trip: we were planning, changing routes, canceling and rebuilding, arguing, running out of time, and almost killing each other. A million tabs, Google Maps, apps, forum pages, a hundred cups of tea. How organize your thoughts and even sleep at all? How will we get there? Is there transport? What will we live on? Where will we stay? How much money do we need per day? And another million questions: what, where, when, and why!
Now it all seems funny. But this was our trip, we found all the answers to our questions, and it was a success! And how your confidence skyrockets when you planned everything yourself, found your way, made it work. You pulled it off, you didn’t get lost, and you weren’t late anywhere. You calculated everything correctly (routes, time, money), and you could have totally messed up.
Each trip is a whole discovery for me. I discover myself, a new world. After each trip, I change, and I change for the better. After Thailand, I became a little kinder, after Croatia, I started learning English, and after Lapland, I believed in miracles again. Having seen so much, I understand even more why people spend their entire salaries on their next trip.
That feeling when you sit in a café in the Maldives, watching reef sharks swim under you, with the sun shining brightly and the water sparkling with its reflections, can’t be forgotten. And you’re willing to spend all your money on a new trip, on a new experience.
To me, that’s better than buying another fur coat or phone. I stopped measuring happiness by the number of useless things: 6 five years in a row, I had an iPhone 7, and my whole life, God willing, fits into one and a half suitcases. For me, happiness is how many happy moments I experience in a day, where I smile, laugh, and feel moved. Usually, during trips, I walk around with a huge smile, like a cat that just devoured a tub of cream. And I’m willing to pay for that feeling.
I ask my friends: “What do you think about while traveling?” – “Nothing! I just live!” Come home and try asking the same question, and the answer will be: “Work, how to file the quarterly report, where to buy cheaper sausage, how to clean the toilet, etc.”
The road resets me and, at the same time, fills me with something new, something I’ve never felt before. New thoughts, new people, new sensations, new sights, stores, cafés, a new perception of the world. Each trip gives me a new version of myself. And so it goes, stage by stage. Trip by trip. With each step, I rise higher.
What travel means to me? Travel has taught me not to compare myself to others, but to only look at myself through time, to the me of yesterday. Travel motivates me to be a little better. I’ve started looking at the world differently, I’ve come to love people, I’ve become more patient and understanding.
At first, you just collect these pieces of life, not understanding what to do with them, and what treasure they hold within. Just looking out the train window, thinking about nothing and everything all at once. All your work problems and everyday worries are left behind.
I carefully pack my backpack; it’s pretty small and only fits the essentials. Similarly, I take only the important questions with me on the road, the ones that truly matter. The questions I would tackle even on my last day. And I never regret the time spent pondering them.
There’s a good analogy: remember those notebooks in school with colorful patterns on the back, where two dots were drawn? You had to stare at them for ages, without blinking, and then a 3D image would appear with a crocodile or a truck or something. It’s the same here. No, a dinosaur won’t jump out at you! Calm down! I’m not writing about Amsterdam yet! But if you just sit and stare out the window, the answers to all those seemingly unsolvable problems and questions will come to you on their own.
I’m sure my readers are travelers, and you’d agree that all the wildest ideas come during trips, right? I’ve read a lot about famous and successful people, and they all have one thing in common: before every creative venture, they find themselves in a state of calm and relaxation – maybe in a cabin in the mountains, or something extreme like a trip to Antarctica. It doesn’t matter! What’s important is that their brilliant ideas emerged during emotional peaks.
All these ideas harmoniously matched the unique environment and atmosphere in which their muse or madness visited them. These ideas then make their name and career. This can only be understood by living through trips. When there are endless opportunities for self-development and self-discovery.
What travel means to me? Travel has given me new skills and knowledge. I learned English, I became knowledgeable in world cuisines, wines, and people. I mastered many sports (diving, rafting, surfing, kayaking, mountaineering, bungee jumping, paragliding, snowboarding, horseback riding, and much more). And, damn it, I love it! I never thought I’d be so drawn to extreme sports.
I crave more, I want even more opportunities to try something new, to test myself – can I do it? Will I like it? Can I handle it? Will I be scared? I’ve learned to cook from nothing, I’ve become more resilient, I’ve conquered many fears. Travel inspired me to start my blog and launch my business. Now, I’m happy to share places you won’t read about online, won’t see on social media, and certainly not on TV.
Many say I waste money on the wind because, after each trip, only memories and maybe a couple of magnets remain. But memories are the most valuable thing we have; they can’t be taken from us. And the magnets on the wall always remind me of the happiest moments of my life!
Check out my recent similar posts: I love to feel and I like to explore.
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