Have you ever seen travellers who don’t seem to know what they are doing? Who are struggling with their bags? A group of people who just look lost, crowded around a map? What would you say to them? Would you stop and help? What advice would you give them? What if they were your younger self?
I see things like this all the time. The traveller who wants to rush through, stop for a photo, and then leave. The person who isn’t interested in soaking it all up, but then regrets not going to x, y, or z. The backpacker who has a bucket list two pages long for a two week trip. And I always wonder.. why? Why wouldn’t you take time to stop and smell the roses/the salt water/the coffee plantation? A friend of mine recently was trying to sort out his travel plans and one of his options involved going home to the UK for the summer before returning to New Zealand on a new visa. I kept saying, “you’re going to regret it. I’ve been there.” And yet… how could I share my experience without going into deep, dark, details?
I’ve been on this thread of “what would I tell my younger, travelling self?” for awhile now, and I’m still on it… My last call for advice for a young traveller was so popular that I had to break it into two posts! Here’s (even more) advice for a young traveller.
take photos, but don’t forget to step away from the lens. Yes, it’s true. Remember to take time to indulge in the beauty of a place through your own eyes, not through your phone’s camera. Put it away. Enjoy the sunrise and sunset, sit silently and watch the wildlife, and if the food is something you can get at home, don’t take a picture! Yes, you will want to share the photos with your friends and family (and Facebook) but are you going to remember where that one hill was in five years? Or are you going to remember how the bicycling down it at breakneck speed gave you such an adrenaline rush? (Megan, Jenna)
watch the sunrise. and the sunset. I got up one morning after a wine and cheese night to drive ten minutes to the easternmost beach in New Zealand – the first bit of land to see the new day – for sunrise. I’m so glad I did. The sun slowly crested the horizon, bathing Wainui Beach in a dark orange. The beach glittered in the new light and even the surfers stopped to watch it. There is just something about it. In Opua, Oliver and I took the dingy out into the river to watch the sunset (sort of – it went behind the hill) with a bottle of wine and some beers. And then we cruised around looking at the sailboats. It was pretty cool. (Megan)
In that same vein, don’t forget to look at the stars. If you can, get out of the city to a dark spot. Take a blanket, take a friend, take some wine. The stars don’t look the same in another country. And if you’re in the southern hemisphere, there’s the Southern Cross. I’d never seen it before I climbed aboard Irie and sailed with Christian. Now, I see it every time I look at the night sky. There’s something so irresistible about the sky; go and look at it.
embrace it all. Take in the scenes and if you find that someplace isn’t inspiring you, LEAVE. Get on a plane, domestic flights are cheap. Pick a new city, go on a hike, take a walk around town and stop a random person – ask them what you should do. You will only be bored if you allow yourself to be bored. (Mom)
make your trip an adventure. Say yes to something that initially sounds crazy, don’t be afraid to meet new people, stay in hostels and in campsites, learn to cook, learn to do your laundry, meet a friend whose first language isn’t your own and teach each other new things. There is SO MUCH out here in the world – and the younger generations are the ones that will (hopefully) begin to untangle the knots in it and smooth out the creases that we have made over time. We can’t let fear and boredom set in when we are traveling. (Isabel, Megan)
if you don’t feel comfortable traveling solo, don’t. It’s not for everyone. My mom said that everyone should take their first international trip with someone else. I disagree, but then again, my first international trip was when I was six or seven. If I hadn’t begun traveling at such a young age, would I be doing it now? I don’t know (probably.)
Follow the crowd if you must, but don’t be afraid to blaze your own trail. If you don’t feel like a rowdy night out, don’t go. Peer pressure exists outside of high school and college, trust me. But if a quiet night in sounds ideal, then do it. Backpackers can be very, very judgmental people. For about five seconds. Tomorrow, they’ll forget you weren’t there.
stay passionate. Be bold. Find something, wherever you are, and learn about it. The environment, the sea, the animals, food, wine, whatever! Get involved. even if just for a little while. Take on a new challenge for yourself. If your gut doesn’t scream “no!” then…. try it. Who knows – you might find a great love for skydiving, or spear fishing, or whatever you try… or whomever you meet. (Isabel)
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