1. First things first - TRAVEL INSURANCE!
Take care of yourself and maintain your health! The one thing we have while travelling is our health so it is important to stay on top of it and do your best to stay healthy. ALTHOUGH... that is easier said than done when you have a shitty immune system like Moi.
I have always been prone to sickness and almost went to Australia without travel insurance. Thankfully my parents made me get it as I ended up being hospitalized in and out for just over 2 weeks in a Brisbane hospital with mono, tonsilitis, bronchitis, kidney infection, and a bunch of other things. That bill without insurance would have cost us around a whopping 80K.
The moral of the story is no matter your health, and I will scream it from the rooftops... ALWAYS GET TRAVEL INSURANCE. Period.
2. You are more capable than you think
Travelling gives you the confidence to make decisions for yourself without anyone criticizing them. It gives you the freedom to do exactly what you want, when you want without trying to please anyone else.
It sparks this intense sense of freedom, and removes the pressure of feeling like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders,
3. PACK LIGHT
I made the mistake of taking everything I ever thought I would need. I brought too much clothing that ended up being too heavy and hot to wear anyway so I never wore it. Most of the time I would just leave the clothing behind or send a package home (which is expensive do not recommended).
NO JEANS, not even shorts. The chaffing is unreal, it holds a lot of moisture and if you plan on doing a lot of walking in hot climates, you will thank me later. Keep it light and airy baby!
Do not weigh your bag down with things that are easily replaceable. Especially toiletries, you can always buy these at your next destination.
If you are also a book lover like me, PLEASE invest in a Kindle and do not bring 6-7 books along like me. You may convince yourself that it's not heavy but I promise, when you have to walk 10 km to a hostel in the middle of an island that has no transportation, you will have major regrets.
4. Collect experiences, not things
When I was backpacking I got in the habit of comparing anything I wanted to buy to a potential experience that money could go to later on. Such as splurging on clothing, or even when it came to spending money on drinking I chose to save it and put it towards an adventure instead.
Saving for a trip I did the same thing. Do I want to save for a brand new car or do I want to put that towards a backpacking trip where I could be gone for 6 months sipping Bahama mama's on a beach?
Remember... memories can last a lifetime, materialistic things can always be replaced.... Just sayin'! Imagine being able to tell your family at 80 years old all the countries you travelled.
5. Learning to just let it be
If you are anything like me, minor inconveniences may send you on a war path. Did you think snagging your sweater on the bedroom door handle was the last straw? Just wait until you lose your luggage for 3 weeks in a foreign country where English isn't the first language, that'll definitely teach you some patience. Let me tell ya, there is only so much meditating can do...
BUT, there isn't much you can do in situations like that other than hope for the best. On numerous occasions not just this one, because you have to learn that things will inevitably happen no matter how much you try to avoid them. I TRIED, didn't work, it still happened.
A lot of situations will be completely out of your control, you just have to let it be and try your best to move forward with it.
Things can be replaced, though my sanity? Ask me about that another day.
6. Unleash the extrovert!
Travel has a funny way of making you reveal sides of yourself you never knew existed! It was hard to go out there on my own, asking all the questions and walking up to random people just to figure out where the hell I was.
But it put me way outside my comfort zone and it pushed me to problem-solve and figure things out for myself. Before I knew it I was finding my way, meeting friends everywhere I went and just going with the flow.
7. Every culture is beautiful - open yourself up to it!
There is only so much you can learn about different cultures through educating yourself but the real experience starts when you immerse yourself in it. Learn a bit of the language and use it! Travel isn't just about places; it's about opening our hearts to new perspectives, people and celebrating the beauty of diversity.
This does not mean getting into a taxi and asking your driver to take you somewhere most tourists don't expect and you end up at an illegal cock fight like a couple of my friends, though they had a great experience, let's not put ourselves in a potentially dangerous situation mmmkay??
8. Live in the moment!
Travel reminds us to live in and savour the moment without worrying about what comes next. In our day-to-day life there is always this need to control and to plan out every aspect of it all. But I can honestly say there is nothing more freeing than just saying yes to things you typically wouldn't and being spontaneous!
I had everything planned out when I officially went backpacking by myself in Thailand, but when I met my friend Tahnee she wanted me to change them slightly to experience another area I never heard of. I was hesitant because I wanted to stick to my plans but I said fcuk it anyway and decided to give it a chance. It happened to be Koh Sok, and it was the most mind-blowing, jaw-dropping place that reminded me of something you'd only see in the Avatar movies, and if I stuck to my plan, then it's a place I would have never visited.
9. Laugh as hard and loud as you want, even at yourself sometimes!
One thing that will happen is you will get flustered, even embarrassed and may look like a lunatic when you circle a block multiple times but that just comes along with the ride! Shit happens and you just have to learn to shake it off, laugh a little and move on! Try not to take things too seriously, laugh at yourself and try it again.
10. We take our planet for granted
When you visit different destinations you are immediately struck with the stunning beauty but also the realization of how fragile nature really is. You will see pollution on a new scale and destruction caused by natural disasters which forces you to embrace a new appreciation of the world around you.
Look at what you can do to give back to these communities when you travel, and try volunteering your time! It is such a rewarding experience where you can meet more like-minded people while also immersing yourself in the culture! I did a 4-week volunteer experience with a company called "Rescue Paws" but all the travel nitty-gritty was handled by Global Work & Travel, where they also have other volunteer opportunities around the world, and guided tours. Check them out!
11. There are plenty of fish in the sea, literally.
I've said it once, probably many times and I will keep saying it. There is more to the dating pool than our small towns where everyone dates the same people. Everyone gets intimidated when dating someone from another country, but if it feels good, what's the harm in giving it a shot? If it's meant to be, things will fall into place. Do not be afraid to make long-distance work, another adventure right?
12. Travel can be very affordable
Travel does not have to be super luxurious, and for the most part in some countries, you can rent huge villas for very cheap. It's what you make it! I left Canada on my first solo trip with $10,000 which easily helped me live in Thailand for 6 months and I still had half of that when I left. There are so many resources and job opportunities that you can come across while travelling, and when you want to prioritize travel you can stay away from home for a long time.
This was the apartment I rented for a couple of months that literally looked over the entire island of Koh Tao and cost me 10,000 Baht a month which is roughly $400 CAD which included a comfy queen bed, bathroom, a small kitchen that was actually on my balcony, a tv, fast wifi and a resident black cat that I named Gordo.
13. ALWAYS try the street food
Adding onto affordable travel, eating street food is a huge cost saver. But aside from that you end up tasting authentic cuisine that you couldn't get back home no matter how hard you try. However be sure to look at the stand and make sure there aren't any sanitary red flags otherwise, dig in!
14. Change is good thing!
Do you feel yourself changing? THANK GOD. Putting yourself and your worth first? About damn time.
Before I went travelling I was told I had a timeline, while I was travelling I was told I was selfish, and even when I came back or in between my travels I was told I changed. GOOD. Because that is literally how life goes, is it not?
Change is always a good thing when you are growing in the right direction, it is okay to be selfish.
And if you are from one of those damn small towns, check out my blog post about 10 reasons why I left my hometown & you should too to convince you, even more, on starting your travelling journey.
15. I valued the place where I came from more
They say you need to leave a place to truly miss it. No matter how much you want to leave, you are inevitably always going to miss it. It's natural! After all, it is the place that shaped you into who you are.
Word of advice, always call your parents. There is nothing like a little Facetime call to cure a bit of that homesickness.
16. Being alone isn't a bad thing
When you choose to travel by yourself, inevitably your confidence grows along with you! Solo does not always mean that, if anything you'd be lucky to be completely by yourself. But when you are you become more independent and base decisions on what you want to do instead of what everyone else wants you do to. Watch your stress and anxiety dissipate. For my chronic people pleasers this is a huge opportunity for self-growth, believe in yourself and do all the damn things you want without any judgement!
17. Falling in love is easy
I am not just talking about the literal sense of searching for your partner, though I somehow managed that too... but I am talking about life and people in general. You do not need to know someone for years to form deep and meaningful connections. Fall in love with people, the country, and the circumstances. Find love in everything you experience and hold onto it.
In Thailand I formed relationships with a group of Spanish travellers, we always hung out, went for dinner, and every time they saw me no matter if it was 5 times that day, man or woman they ran up to me, kissed me on both of my cheeks, sometimes my forehead and embraced me. It was such a genuine gesture that always made me feel mushy-gushy and truly appreciated. They showed me a different side of love that I miss having around me every day.
18. if something scared you once, try it for a second time
I tried scuba diving for the first time in Australia, it scared the shit out of me and I swore it off for the rest of my life. Come 4 years later a friend convinced me to do my open water course in Koh Tao and I LOVED IT. I was terrified going into it already comparing it to my first experience but it came naturally and now I am a certified scuba diving instructor. Crazy right?
19. Relationships shouldn't be hard
It is amazing how easily travelling brings people together to the point where you quite literally gain a best friend overnight. People that I have only spent a short amount of time with have become lifelong friends and when we do talk it's like no time has passed.
You'll come to second guess some relationships you have back home and if they truly serve your overall happiness like they used to. You will lose relationships in the process but in the end, you are making room for all the genuine ones to follow, and that's okay.
20. Home is wherever it feels right
Your home is where your heart is. I feel like mine is scattered in a few places but home is anywhere you make it. Koh Tao, Thailand is that for me. It is the place where I feel I finally found myself. It is also where I met my husband Luca, rediscovered scuba diving and found my overall purpose. It was the place I still feel I will end up at one day (hopefully).
I saw a frickin' whale shark when I went scuba diving, how do you not fall in love? Other than the damn triggerfish that are always trying to murder you, it still and always will feel like home to me.
Where would that home be for you?
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